Abstract: A large thrust ball bearing, retainer, and raceways, using a surface treatment such as hard anodize, lowers the friction and wear. The retainer, molded in synthetic resin with self-lubricated material reinforced with carbon fiber such as MoS2, and PTPE, eliminates the thermal viscosity. Multi-segment retainers, each with an inner race-guided configuration, an alternative ball pocket cross-section design with a slotted configuration, reduce the thermal effects, improve the producibility of the retainer, and reduce the manufacturing cost. The pocket design with an oval cross-section instead of a circular cross-section also reduces the localized thermal-induced effect which would otherwise result in a pinching condition between the ball and the retainer. The alternative slotted retainer pocket design increases the compliance between ball/pocket interfaces, which helps to reduce the dynamic effects.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an insert-molded bus bar includes the steps of: preparing a first bus bar having a through hole and a second bus bar having a protrusion corresponding to the through hole; preparing a mold having therein a swaging member capable of swaging the protrusion; placing the first and second bus bars in the mold with the protrusion being inserted into the through hole; swaging the first and second bus bars using the swaging member of the mold to obtain connected bus bars that are the bus bars connected to each other; and injecting a molding material around the connected bus bars that are the bus bars connected to each other by swaging to perform insert molding using the mold and obtain the insert-molded bus bar.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an insert-molded bus bar includes the steps of: preparing a first bus bar having a through hole and a second bus bar having a protrusion corresponding to the through hole; preparing a mold having therein a swaging member capable of swaging the protrusion; placing the first and second bus bars in the mold with the protrusion being inserted into the through hole; swaging the first and second bus bars using the swaging member of the mold to obtain connected bus bars that are the bus bars connected to each other; and injecting a molding material around the connected bus bars that are the bus bars connected to each other by swaging to perform insert molding using the mold and obtain the insert-molded bus bar.

Abstract: Means for cooling a heated surface comprising an enclosure for enclosing the heated surface and two interleaved radial arrays of micro electrodes positioned on the surface within the enclosure thereby forming an interleaved radial array. The radial array has a ‘near-vertex’ end and a periphery. The micro electrodes at the near-vertex end have a smaller interelectrode distance and the micro electrodes at the periphery have a larger interelectrode distance. A volatile cooling liquid is contained within the enclosure and moved from the near-vertex array end toward the periphery along the lengths of micro electrodes by non-alternating voltages applied to the micro electrodes, thereby creating a polarization effect and evaporation of the volatile liquid.

Abstract: A quick-connect mast step assembly has a round main body bolted to the surface of a sail board wherein the upper surface of the body has a T-slot for receiving a mast shoulder bolt and a plug associated with the T-slot which, when rotated, prevents disengagement of the shoulder bolt from the T-slot, the body being bolted to a fin box in the upper surface of the sail board which allows easy adjustment of the position of the assembly.

Abstract: A mast step is mounted on a traveler having two parallel linear bearings which ride in lateral grooves on a central track. The central track has downward enlarged vertical holes on 2-inch centers which hold detent balls. The detent balls are locked in their upper active position with a contact and lock the traveler in a preselected position. Depressing an operator pedal moves a slider bar within the track to align detent receivers with the openings in the track. As the detent balls drop into the receivers in the slider bar, the platform is released to move toward a new location. When the pedal is released, a spring tends to return the slider bar to misalign the receivers with the track openings. The detent balls are ramped upward out of the receivers into their upper operative position in contact with the downward opening locking recesses in the traveler.

Abstract: A quick-connect mast step assembly has a round main body bolted to the surface of a sail board wherein the upper surface of the body has a T-slot for receiving a mast shoulder bolt and a plug associated with the T-slot which, when rotated, prevents disengagement of the shoulder bolt from the T-slot, the body being bolted to a fin box in the upper surface of the sail board which allows easy adjustment of the position of the assembly.

Abstract: A mast step is mounted on a traveler having two parallel linear bearings which ride in lateral grooves on a central track. The central track has downward enlarged vertical holes on 2-inch centers which hold detent balls. The detent balls are locked in their upper active position with a contact and lock the traveler in a preselected position. Depressing an operator pedal moves a slider bar within the track to align detent receivers with the openings in the track. As the detent balls drop into the receivers in the slider bar, the platform is released to move toward a new location. When the pedal is released, a spring tends to return the slider bar to misalign the receivers with the track openings. The detent balls are ramped upward out of the receivers into their upper operative position in contact with the downward opening locking recesses in the traveler.