Patents Assigned to THK Co., LTD
  • Patent number: 11821497
    Abstract: A preload detectable screw device is provided which can detect preload with accuracy and can reduce the influence of generated heat on the output of a sensor. A screw device (1) includes a screw shaft (2), a nut member (3), a plurality of rolling elements (7, 8), at least one axial strain sensor (24) (B, D) that is attached to a surface of the nut member (3) and detects strain in an axial direction on the nut member (3), and at least one circumferential strain sensor (24) (A, C) that is attached to the surface of the nut member (3) and detects strain in a circumferential direction on the nut member (3). Preload of the screw device (1) is detected on the basis of outputs of the axial strain sensor (24) (B, D) and the circumferential strain sensor (24) (A, C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yuji Kubota, Yoshinobu Moriyuki
  • Patent number: 10690183
    Abstract: In this motion guide device (10), a track member (20) has a recess or protrusion (51) that is formed in a longitudinal direction, and a moving member (30) has a holding protrusion or holding recess (53) that corresponds to the recess or protrusion (51) formed in the track member (20). When force is applied in a direction that would cause relative separation of the moving member (30) and the track member (20), the holding protrusion or holding recess (53) holds onto the recess or protrusion (51) such that the moving member (30) and the track member (20) are unable to be separated. With this configuration, a motion guide device that is both compact and capable of withstanding a strong external load can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hiroaki Mochizuki, Eiji Hosaka, Hiroomi Kuribayashi, Toshiro Minami, Akito Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20180045280
    Abstract: Provided is a speed reduction or speed increasing apparatus where the rotational stiffness can be increased, including a housing, a first crown gear, a support unit placed radially outward of the first crown gear to support the first crown gear to be capable of wave motion and incapable of rotation with respect to the housing, a second crown gear configured to be rotatable with respect to the housing, the second crown gear having a different number of teeth from the first crown gear, the second crown gear facing the first crown gear, and a cam unit configured to incline the first crown gear with respect to the second crown gear in such a manner that the first crown gear engages with the second crown gear, and to cause the first crown gear to undergo wave motion in such a manner that the location of contact moves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hideo SAITO, Yuichi MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 7946013
    Abstract: Provided is a driving jig for a closing cap which makes it possible to drive a closing cap straight into a bolt installation hole (11) formed in a track rail (1) and which allows this driving operation to be quickly repeated on a plurality of bolt installation holes (11). The jig includes a driving piston (73) and a guide holder (72) for maintaining the driving piston (73) in a predetermined attitude with respect to the track rail (1). The driving piston (72) has a pressing portion (75) coming into contact with an upper surface of the closing cap (70), and a hammering portion (74a) to be hammered by a tool. The guide holder has a cylinder (72a) in which the driving piston (73) slides, and has, at an opening at one end of the cylinder, a guide groove (77) into which an upper portion of the track rail is loosely fitted and which is orthogonal to an axial direction of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignees: THK Co., Ltd, THK GmbH
    Inventor: Masahiro Kumagai
  • Patent number: 7893582
    Abstract: A hollow motor drive device includes a screw shaft provided with a spiral screw groove formed in an outer peripheral surface thereof, a nut member screw-engaged with the screw groove, a hollow drive shaft having an inner peripheral side on which the nut member is fixed and an outer peripheral side on which a permanent magnet is disposed, and a housing provided with a bearing portion rotatably supporting the hollow drive shaft and a coil portion. In the hollow drive shaft, the nut member and the permanent magnet are disposed so as not to be overlapped with each other in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the hollow drive shaft, and in the housing, the bearing portion is disposed to a position corresponding to the nut member, and the coil portion is disposed to a position corresponding to the permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignees: THK Co., Ltd, THK GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhart G Welle, Dirk Loeckmann
  • Publication number: 20100164306
    Abstract: A linear motor is provided with a stator, a slider disposed to be movable relatively with respect to the stator with a gap, and a non-magnetic plate mounted to either one of the stator and the slider so as to define the gap between the stator and the slider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kazuo SHODA, Toshiro Tojo, Yuki Nomura, Akihiro Unno
  • Publication number: 20090001837
    Abstract: A hollow motor drive device includes a screw shaft provided with a spiral screw groove formed in an outer peripheral surface thereof, a nut member screw-engaged with the screw groove, a hollow drive shaft having an inner peripheral side on which the nut member is fixed and an outer peripheral side on which a permanent magnet is disposed, and a housing provided with a bearing portion rotatably supporting the hollow drive shaft and a coil portion. In the hollow drive shaft, the nut member and the permanent magnet are disposed so as not to be overlapped with each other in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the hollow drive shaft, and in the housing, the bearing portion is disposed to a position corresponding to the nut member, and the coil portion is disposed to a position corresponding to the permanent magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicants: THK CO., LTD, THK GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhart G. Welle, Dirk Loeckmann
  • Publication number: 20080112656
    Abstract: Provided is a rolling guiding device which makes it possible to easily provide a movement block with an endless circulation path for the balls even in a case of a small-sized rolling guiding device using balls of a relatively small diameter and which can be produced easily and at low cost. In one surface of a movement block (2) opposed to a rolling groove (13) of a raceway rail (1), there is formed a track groove (21) through which balls (3) makes an endless circulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Katsuhito Imai, Shinji Izumi, Yuji Tachikake
  • Publication number: 20080108447
    Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting torque from a driving unit to a driven unit, comprising the first unit, the second unit and a plurality of torque transmission units. The first unit serves as the driving unit, which is rotatable around a central axis thereof. The second unit serving as the driven unit, which is rotatable around a central axis thereof. The torque transmission units transmits torque from the first unit to the second unit. The torque transmission units enables a relative displacement between the first unit and the second unit in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the first unit in a state in which the central axes of the first and second units are kept in parallel with each other. The torque transmission units are placed at different positions from the central axis of the first unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Nobuo Koiso, Toshikazu Ban
  • Publication number: 20080096675
    Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting torque from a driving unit to a driven unit, comprising the first unit, the second unit and a plurality of torque transmission units. The first unit serves as the driving unit, which is rotatable around a central axis thereof. The second unit serving as the driven unit, which is rotatable around a central axis thereof. The torque transmission units transmits torque from the first unit to the second unit. The torque transmission units enables a relative displacement between the first unit and the second unit in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the first unit in a state in which the central axes of the first and second units are kept in parallel with each other. The torque transmission units are placed at different positions from the central axis of the first unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Nobuo Koiso, Toshikazu Ban
  • Patent number: 7329190
    Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting torque from a driving unit to a driven unit, comprising the first unit, the second unit and a plurality of torque transmission units. The first unit serves as the driving unit, which is rotatable around a central axis thereof. The second unit serving as the driven unit, which is rotatable around a central axis thereof. The torque transmission units transmits torque from the first unit to the second unit. The torque transmission units enables a relative displacement between the first unit and the second unit in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the first unit in a state in which the central axes of the first and second units are kept in parallel with each other. The torque transmission units are placed at different positions from the central axis of the first unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Nobuo Koiso, Toshikazu Ban
  • Patent number: 7296930
    Abstract: There are provided a rail (10) in which a rolling member rolling surface (11) is formed along the longitudinal direction, a block (20) in which a loaded rolling member rolling surface (27) is formed in an opening (25) comprising a through hole, a plurality of balls (70) disposed and housed between the rolling member rolling surface (11) and the loaded rolling member rolling surface (27) which circulate according to the relative motion of the rail (10) and the block (20). A sectional shape at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the rail (10) and a sectional shape of the opening (25) are formed into a mutually geometrically similar longitudinal shape. The block (20) is a box type with high rigidity. A contact angle of the ball (70) can be optionally changed by changing the positions alone of the rolling member rolling surface 11 and the loaded rolling member rolling surface (27) to be machined on one type of the block (20) and the rail (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramachi, Masakazu Uesugi, Takeki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20060244227
    Abstract: A wheel for a wheelchair according to the present invention includes: an outer wheel 13 mounted on the inner periphery of a tire; an inner wheel 15 connected with a wheelchair frame 65 (concentric with the outer wheel 13 and positioned inside the outer wheel 13); a plurality of balls (rolling elements) 17 interposed between the outer wheel 13 and the inner wheel 15, arranged with an interval between each other in a circumferential direction; and a plurality of retainers (interval-holding members) 18 for holding intervals between the rolling elements 17. The retainer 18 is in a shape extending almost along a circumferential direction of the outer wheel 13 and the inner wheel 15, and is provided between the balls 17 respectively. The wheel does not have a hub and spokes, and the inner peripheral side does not rotate, and further the wheel weight is light. The wheelchair of the present invention includes the wheel for a wheelchair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yasushi Matsuda, Tadashi Yasui, Kaoru Hoshide, Takashi Ogata
  • Patent number: 6976399
    Abstract: A wiper ring to be applied to a nut of a ball screw having a screw shaft comprises a plurality of segments each constituted as independent element having a seal portion to be contacted to the screw shaft, support pins extending in an axial direction of the screw shaft so as to correspond to the segments, respectively, the segments being arranged in a circumferential direction of the screw shaft to be rotatable about the pins, the pins being connected to each other through support members so as to limit the relative movement of the respective pins, and a spring member for urging the segments arranged circumferential direction of the screw shaft so as to be directed towards radially central side of the screw shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: THK Co., LTD
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Katsuya Iida, Tetsuhiro Nishide
  • Patent number: 6931955
    Abstract: A seal for a ball screw is provided with a foreign material removing member having a hole of a shape corresponding to a sectional shape of a ball screw shaft taken perpendicularly to an axis thereof to prevent a foreign material from invading from an outside of a ball screw nut and a seal member having a hole of a shape corresponding to a sectional shape of the ball screw shaft to retain a lubricant existing inside the ball screw nut. The foreign material removing member and the seal member are mounted to the ball screw shaft, at each of both the axial ends of the nut, while being overlapped to each other in a state that inner peripheral portions of the foreign material removing member and the seal member contact an outer peripheral surface of the ball screw shaft and the ball rolling groove thereof. The foreign material removing member is disposed outside the seal member in the axial direction of the ball screw nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: THK Co., LTD
    Inventors: Daisuke Yatsushiro, Tetsuhiro Nishide
  • Publication number: 20040093970
    Abstract: A linear actuator realizing low generation of dust and low generation of noise and bearing a large axial load is provided. A plurality of spacers 30, - - - , each having at its both ends spherical recessed portions corresponding to curved surfaces of balls 28, - - - , are arranged between the balls 28, - - - of the guide portion of the linear actuator, and the spacers 30, - - - are connected to each other in series by belt-shaped members 31 having flexibility. On the other hand, a plurality of spacers 35, - - - , each having at its both ends spherical recessed portions corresponding to curved surfaces of balls 33, - - - for the screw shaft of a screw portion, are arranged between the balls 33, - - - in a manner separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Katsuya Iida, Toshiaki Kadono, Takeomi Kawakami, Ryuji Furusawa
  • Publication number: 20040057640
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a rolling element string wherein a smaller rolling element string can be manufactured easily at low cost, and a rolling element string being superior in the tensile strength and the flexural strength even after downsizing can be manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Yasuhiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Nakabayashi, Katsuya Iida, Daisuke Yatsushiro
  • Patent number: 6605257
    Abstract: A present micro array manufacturing apparatus includes a substrate placement portion 11 on which a plurality of substrates can be arranged, a tighter plate 12 for storing a solution including a living body sample, a solution storing member 52 for taking in the solution from the tighter plate 12 and storing the solution therein, and a needle 51 which can be inserted into the solution storing member 52 to allow the solution stored in the solution storing member 52 to adhere onto each of the substrates by a given quantity, wherein the solution storing member 52 and needle 51 are moved in directions where they approach and part away from the substrates to thereby form spots on the substrates. And, the individual operations of the solution storing member 52 and needle 51 are carried out by single drive means 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignees: THK Co., LTD, Riken
    Inventors: Touji Nakazawa, Akihiro Iimura, Hideo Tashiro, Tokuji Kitsunai, Yoshihide Hayashizaki
  • Publication number: 20030108255
    Abstract: A rolling guide device comprises: a track rail formed with a rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof; a movable rail formed with a loaded rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof so as to oppose to the rolling member rolling surface of the track rail; a track rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the track rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; a movable rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the movable rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; and a number of rolling members disposed and arranged in the track rail side rolling member circulation passage and the movable rail side rolling member circulation passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramach, Takeki Shirai, Kaoru Hoshide
  • Patent number: D561575
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Nishide, Toshihisa Sakamoto