Patents Assigned to Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited
  • Patent number: 11898608
    Abstract: A tolerance ring including a sidewall and at least one projection from the sidewall that projects radially and axially to prevent axial displacement of the tolerance ring with respect to a component interior or exterior to the tolerance ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Florian Itta, Charles Gage, Stephen Saunders
  • Patent number: 11873865
    Abstract: A tolerance ring including a substrate, and an overlying layer including at least one of a thermal enhancement layer and a retention layer, the thermal enhancement layer including at least one of i) Vickers hardness <400 VPM or ii) a thermal conductivity >100 W/m·K, the tolerance ring being adapted to provide at least one of a) a thermal transfer between the inner member and the outer member, b) a coefficient of friction between the retention layer and the outer member, ?1, and a coefficient of friction between the substrate and the outer member, ?2, and where ?1>?2, or c) a retention force, Rf, between the inner member and the outer member, and the assembly has an assembly force, Af, and where Rf>0.1 Af, wherein the tolerance ring includes a plurality of projections protruding radially inward or radially outward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventor: Llewelyn Pickering
  • Patent number: 11859670
    Abstract: An assembly including an outer member; an inner member; and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner member and the outer member, wherein the tolerance ring is a split ring comprising opposing edges, where the edges engaged with at one of the inner member or the outer member so as to prevent or restrict movement between the tolerance ring and at least one of the inner member or the outer member, or where the tolerance ring is deformed as installed between the inner member and the outer member and forms at least one buckled region in the tolerance ring due to an interference fit between the inner member and the outer member, where in an uninstalled state, the buckled region is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Haines, Andrew R. Slayne
  • Patent number: 11841047
    Abstract: A joint assembly including a housing including an inner diameter portion having a tapered surface; and at least one shaft having an outer diameter portion having a tapered surface that is complementary in shape to the inner diameter portion of the housing, where the shaft is adapted to rotate relative to the housing, and where the frictional fit is adjustable by modifying the axial position of the shaft relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Edward Mason, Florian Itta, Mark Famy
  • Patent number: 11802588
    Abstract: A bearing for disposition between a housing and a rotating member, the bearing including: at least one leaf spring element that provides a biasing force in a Y direction; where the bearing has a first stiffness, S1, in the Y direction and a second stiffness, S2, in an X direction perpendicular to the Y direction, where S2?S1, and where the bearing includes a metal substrate and a low friction layer overlying at least one surface of the substrate and adapted to contact the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: James K. Burgess, Neil James, James Upton, David Long, Alejandro Pena
  • Patent number: 11512742
    Abstract: A tolerance ring having a first axial end, a second axial end, and a central axis, the tolerance ring including an annular band; a plurality of protrusions, all of the plurality of protrusions extending from the annular band; and a guide portion extending from the annular band towards the first axial end of the tolerance ring, where the guide portion includes a guide surface that is curved in an axial section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Niki S. Woodhead, Andrew R. Slayne
  • Patent number: 11499591
    Abstract: An assembly including an outer member; an inner member; and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner member and the outer member, wherein the tolerance ring is a split ring comprising opposing edges, where the edges engaged with at one of the inner member or the outer member so as to prevent or restrict movement between the tolerance ring and at least one of the inner member or the outer member, or where the tolerance ring is deformed as installed between the inner member and the outer member and forms at least one buckled region in the tolerance ring due to an interference fit between the inner member and the outer member, where in an uninstalled state, the buckled region is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Haines, Andrew R. Slayne
  • Patent number: 11428267
    Abstract: A bearing including a generally cylindrical sidewall including an electrically conductive substrate, and an electrically non-conductive or low-conductive sliding layer coupled to the substrate, where the generally cylindrical sidewall includes a plurality of protrusions protruding radially inward or radially outward from a bore defining a central axis, where at least one protrusion is adapted to contact an opposing component such that at a point of contact the bearing has a void area free of sliding layer so as to provide electrical conductivity between the bearing and the opposing component, and wherein at least one protrusion has a spring rate of not greater than 30 kN/mm, such as not greater than 25 kN/mm, such as not greater than 15 kN/mm, or such as not greater than 10 kN/mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Haines, Jan Fluegge, Daniel Tobias, Martin Schwiegel, Hans-Juergen Jaeger, Florian Foerster, Emre Ulbay, Sebastian Giesen, Mehmet Usta, Jiri Zlebek, Juergen Freese, Juan Vaya Valcarce
  • Patent number: 11236787
    Abstract: A torque assembly including an inner member; an outer member; a first torque member disposed between the inner member and the outer member; and a second torque member disposed radially exterior or interior to the first torque member; where upon rotation in a first circumferential direction, the first torque member is allowed to generally freely rotate and in a second circumferential direction, the first torque member is radially shifted to impede or prevent rotation, and where the second torque member provides a circumferential slip interface between the inner member and the outer member to allow rotation in the second circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: James K. Burgess, Brandon S. Murphy
  • Patent number: 11226007
    Abstract: A tolerance ring including a sidewall having a first and a second opposite major surfaces spaced apart by a thickness, wherein the first major surface defines an inner diameter of the tolerance ring at a first location of the sidewall and an outer diameter of the tolerance ring at a second location of the sidewall. A method of forming a tolerance ring including providing a strip of material comprising a first, a second, a third, and a fourth edge, shaping the first edge of the strip toward the third edge, and shaping the second edge of the strip toward the fourth edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventor: Neil James
  • Patent number: 11193315
    Abstract: A friction brake including a shaft having an input end and an output end, at least one lock collar, at least one tolerance ring disposed between the lock collar and the shaft providing an interference fit therebetween, and a locking component adapted to engage the lock collar to prevent rotation of the lock collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: James K. Burgess, Paul Haines
  • Patent number: 11005334
    Abstract: An electric motor or generator assembly includes a stator, a housing, and an annular member fit between the stator and the housing, where the annular member is radially compressed so as to exert a radial force outward onto the housing and inward onto the stator to maintain a positional relationship therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventor: Thomas Childs
  • Patent number: 10941813
    Abstract: A tolerance ring has a hollow band with outwardly extending corrugated protrusions forming waves that engage an inner surface of a bore of a housing. At one end of the tolerance ring is an inwardly flared guide surface extending axially and radially from the band. The guide surface acts as a tapered entrance to assist the insertion of a shaft into the hollow band during assembly of the ring into the bore of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Niki S. Woodhead, Andrew Robert Slayne
  • Patent number: 10926789
    Abstract: A steering assembly including an inner steering member; an outer steering member; a leaf spring disposed between the inner steering member and the outer steering member and adapted to bias the inner steering member, wherein the leaf spring comprises an inner portion and a plurality of outer portions, wherein the outer portions comprise end portions of the leaf spring that are folded over such that the outer portions overlie the inner portion, forming a folded edge; and a low friction layer supported by the leaf spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil James, Llewelyn Pickering, James K. Burgess, Alfred J. Lethbridge, Ciaran Morrison, André Gabener, Sven Muehling, Thiemo Kuesters
  • Patent number: 10738836
    Abstract: A torque assembly including an outer component, an inner component fitted within the outer component, and a tolerance ring provided between the outer component and the inner component to transmit torque between the inner and outer components, wherein torque transferred between the inner and outer components is adjustable by modifying the axial spacing between the inner component and the outer component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: James K. Burgess, Neil James
  • Patent number: 10507751
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly including a headrest including an inner member, a seat back including an outer member, and a bearing disposed between the inner member and the outer member, the bearing including at least one leaf spring adapted to bias the inner member, where the leaf spring includes a substrate and a low friction layer overlying the substrate, where the leaf spring includes an inner portion and a plurality of outer portions, where the outer portions include end portions of the leaf spring that are folded over such that the outer portions overlie the inner portion, forming a folded edge, where the headrest is adapted to translate with respect to the seat back, and where the seat back is adapted to receive the headrest such that the headrest is height adjustable relative to a seat back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil James, Llewelyn Pickering, James K. Burgess, Alfred J. Lethbridge, Ciaran Morrison
  • Patent number: 10371213
    Abstract: A tolerance ring comprising a metallic band for spring features and a complementary low friction material for frictional considerations is disclosed. The tolerance ring is designed to operate within a precisely controlled torque or axial force band to provide a defined amount of resistance and sliding force control between components that move relative to each other. Isolated portions of the tolerance ring form regions of contact with adjacent ones of the components. Other surfaces of the tolerance ring comprise portions with spring features that have geometry suitable for their spring rate, rather than conforming to mating surfaces of the adjacent components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew R. Slayne, Parag Natu
  • Patent number: 10203004
    Abstract: A tolerance ring has a band with outwardly extending corrugated protrusions forming waves that engage an outer surface of a shaft. At one end of the tolerance ring is an inwardly flared guide surface extending axially and radially from the band. The guide surface acts as a tapered entrance to a bore of a housing to assist during assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Niki S. Woodhead, Andrew Robert Slayne
  • Patent number: 10174792
    Abstract: A tolerance ring including a sidewall having a first and a second opposite major surfaces spaced apart by a thickness, wherein the first major surface defines an inner diameter of the tolerance ring at a first location of the sidewall and an outer diameter of the tolerance ring at a second location of the sidewall. A method of forming a tolerance ring including providing a strip of material comprising a first, a second, a third, and a fourth edge, shaping the first edge of the strip toward the third edge, and shaping the second edge of the strip toward the fourth edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventor: Neil James
  • Patent number: 10157635
    Abstract: A tolerance ring can be disposed between an inner component and an outer component, the inner and outer components defining stepped sidewalls. In an embodiment, a preassembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, an assembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, a hard disk drive preassembly can include an actuator arm defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, a pivot having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the pivot and the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS RENCOL LIMITED
    Inventors: Benjamin Nias, Andrew R. Slayne, Simon A. Hughes, Robert Winter