Patents Examined by Alan B Waits
  • Patent number: 12378995
    Abstract: An end cap for a carriage of a linear guide. The end cap has a closed lubrication port which is openable by operatively connecting a lubrication fitting to the lubrication port. The is formed by injection molding and the closed lubrication port of the end cap is formed by rotary demolding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Ewellix AB
    Inventors: Andreas Drügemöller, Yung-Chang Chiou, Po-Chih Huang, Fung Cheung
  • Patent number: 12378998
    Abstract: A bearing assembly of an electric drive assembly for a vehicle includes an insulating device having a sleeve with an electrically insulating coating, and a bearing device disposed in the sleeve. In an example embodiment, the sleeve has an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface, and the outer peripheral surface is formed by the electrically insulating coating. In an example embodiment, the sleeve is formed from steel, and the electrically insulating coating is formed from a plastic material having an electrically insulating property. In an example embodiment, the sleeve is designed as a cylinder having an end face with an outer side, and the electrically insulating coating is disposed on the outer side. In an example embodiment, the bearing device is a floating bearing axially movable relative to the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz Voelkel
  • Patent number: 12372118
    Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a bearing having a first bearing ring, a second bearing ring rotatably disposed relative to the first bearing ring, and a plurality of rolling elements in a bearing interior defined by the first bearing ring and the second bearing ring. Also, at least one layer of non-metallic material on the first bearing ring configured to conduct heat away from the first bearing ring and to electrically insulate the first bearing ring and to fill at least one cavity between the first bearing ring and a component to which the first bearing ring is mounted. The at least one layer may be a first layer of a heat-conducting material and a second layer of a different, electrically insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Juergen Barthelme, Helmut Hauck, Stefanie Seufert, Hubert Herbst
  • Patent number: 12372154
    Abstract: A sealing device of a bearing. The sealing device includes a framework, a sealing component and a plurality of elastic members, wherein the framework and the sealing component are both annular and connected to each other, and the framework is configured to be fixed to a first ring of a bearing. The sealing component is configured to abut against a second ring of the bearing the plurality of elastic members are distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the sealing component, and the elastic members are used for applying an elastic force to the sealing component such that the sealing component is pressed against the second ring. A bearing is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Xin Liu, Lijuan Wu, Yu Tang, Jia Fan, Chunliang Huang, Jianfei Wei
  • Patent number: 12372113
    Abstract: A bearing configuration for an oil pump assembly is disclosed herein. The bearing configuration includes a first radially extending hydrodynamic bearing element configured to directly face a first axial side of a gear, a second radially extending hydrodynamic bearing element configured to directly face a second axial side of the gear, and an axially extending hydrodynamic bearing element configured to directly face a radially inner side of the gear. The bearing configuration is configured to be used to support an idler gear in a transmission assembly, in one example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Arjun Kailassh Magalingam Adithyan, James Brown, Charles Schwab
  • Patent number: 12366265
    Abstract: A wheel bearing is provided with a sealing device comprising in-cluding at least an outer structure and an inner structure together de-limiting a chicane passage having an inlet. The outer structure forms an annular gutter which is open radially outwards. The inlet of the chicane passage and the shrink-fitting portion of the outer structure are situated axially on either side of the gutter. The shrink-fitting portion of the outer structure is situated on one side of a reference plane of the outer ring, perpendicular to the axis of revolution and tangential to the end wall of the outer ring opposite to the chicane passage and to the gutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: NTN EUROPE
    Inventors: Alexandre Baudu, Vincent Pourroy-Solari, Siegfried Ruhland
  • Patent number: 12359693
    Abstract: Provided is a tapered roller bearing (1) for which a dimensionless number X is defined by the following formula (1) based on a small-diameter-side gap S1 which is a gap between a small-diameter-side annular part (6) of a retainer (5) and a small collar part (2b) of an inner ring (2), a large-diameter-side gap S2 which is a gap between the large-diameter-side annular part (7) and a large collar part (2c) of the inner ring (2), an average roller diameter d, a roller length l, and an outer member angle ?. The dimensionless number X falls within a range of 0.69<X<1.12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shouta Toho, Naoki Nakatochi
  • Patent number: 12359691
    Abstract: An air foil bearing includes a bearing plate having a plate shape and a material layer coupled and fixed to the bearing plate and made of a different material from the bearing plate. A viscoelasticity of the material layer is greater than a viscoelasticity of the bearing plate. A compressor includes an air foil bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Byung Hwa Oh, Tae Young Kim
  • Patent number: 12352316
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for mounting a rotatable shaft of a pump and the pump are disclosed. The bearing assembly comprises: a bearing comprising an outer ring and an inner ring; a bearing support configured to support the outer ring of the bearing, the bearing support surrounding at least a portion of an outer surface of the outer ring extending across at least a portion of one end surface of the outer ring; and a shield extending from the bearing support towards the inner ring to thereby obscure at least a portion of an annular gap between the inner and outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Edwards S.R.O.
    Inventors: Lukas Chromek, Richard Glyn Horler, Emiliano Lucchetta
  • Patent number: 12352313
    Abstract: A ball spline includes a spline shaft, an outer sleeve, and two circulation elements. The outer sleeve is slidably sleeved on the spline shaft to form a load channel therebetween for installation of balls, and has an oil guide channel inside. The circulation elements are mounted to two outer end surfaces of the outer sleeve and each has an oil filling hole, an oil storage tank communicating with the oil filling hole, the load channel, and the oil guide channel, and an oil guide portion disposed in the oil storage tank and corresponding to the oil filling hole and protruding towards the oil guide channel. Thus, after injecting lubricant into the oil filling hole of one of the circulation elements, the lubricant lubricates the balls on both sides by means of the oil guide portion and the oil guide channel, thus enhancing the lubrication effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: HIWIN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Yu-Min Liang, Hao-Ti Chuang, Shang-Hua Tsai
  • Patent number: 12345293
    Abstract: A thrust foil bearing includes: a base plate including an insertion hole through which a shaft is inserted, and a supporting surface expanding in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the insertion hole; a step member placed on the supporting surface and formed of a different body from the base plate; and a back foil extending in a circumferential direction of the insertion hole and in which one part of the back foil is supported by the supporting surface and another part of the back foil next to the one part in the circumferential direction is supported by the step member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Iida, Seiichiro Yoshinaga, Masahiro Nakajima, Shigekazu Aoyama, Naomichi Omori
  • Patent number: 12331780
    Abstract: A bearing block can include a body including an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a central bore of the body. The exterior surface can include a first material, and the interior surface can include a second material, wherein the first material can be different than the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Julio Cesar T. Spadaccia, Ethan Weikleenget, Brian K. Malpass, Raymond J. Remillard
  • Patent number: 12320390
    Abstract: A bearing unit is disclosed, which includes a new labyrinth sealing device designed for use in the ventilation industry that prevents entry of contaminants therein. The sealing device according to the present disclosure provides a “contactless” sealing device, i.e. one without contacting elements (for example elastomer lips); and a bearing unit with a low frictional torque, due only to the internal geometry and the efficiency of the lubricant, but certainly without any contribution from the sealing devices. The sealing devices comprises a plurality of shields, and wherein the combination and structural orientation of these shields creates a long, narrow labyrinth L with many changes in direction, and therefore a path for external contaminants with significant head loss. Consequently, any contaminants that make into the bearing unit, passing through the entire labyrinth L, will be negligible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Andrea A Bertolini, Fausto Baracca, Alessio Nebbia Colomba
  • Patent number: 12313125
    Abstract: A rolling bearing is intended to be mounted on a machine and includes a first ring, a second ring, at least one row of axial rolling elements and at least one row of radial rolling elements arranged between the first and second rings. Each of the first and second rings is provided with frontal faces axially delimiting each ring. The rolling bearing further includes at least one first distance sensor mounted on one of the first and second rings and provided with a sensing face oriented axially outward to measure the axial distance between one of the frontal faces of the one ring and a first assembly surface of the machine axially facing the frontal face of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventor: Franck Landrieve
  • Patent number: 12313124
    Abstract: A bearing element includes a bearing element body and a sensor for measuring at least one operating parameter of the bearing element, as well as a telemetry device, wherein the bearing element body is connected to the telemetry device, and the telemetry device is connected to the sensor by electric conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Miba Gleitlager Austria GmbH
    Inventors: Gunther Hager, Stefan Schallmeiner
  • Patent number: 12313041
    Abstract: A fluid film bearing, includes a first and second part, wherein the first part includes at least two annular sliding surfaces, wherein the second part includes a respective group of pads for each of the annular sliding surfaces, wherein a respective pad sliding surface of each pad in a respective group supports the respective annular sliding surface, wherein the pads of each group are distributed in the circumferential direction along the second part, wherein at least one pad of a selected one of the groups is arranged such that spacing of the pads in the selected group along the circumference is irregular and/or wherein the selected or a selected one of the groups includes two different types of pads and/or wherein the pads of the or a selected one of the groups are offset in the circumferential direction with respect to the pads of a further one of the groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Alejandro Cerda Varela, Niels Karl Frydendal, Kim Thomsen, Morten Thorhauge
  • Patent number: 12297864
    Abstract: A linear guide mechanism includes a housing having an inside housing surface that defines a bore extending through the housing coaxial with a longitudinal axis. A shaft is disposed at least partially in the bore and is reciprocatably and linearly moveable in the bore along the longitudinal axis. The shaft has an exterior shaft surface. A self-lubricating liner is disposed in the bore between the inside housing surface and the exterior shaft surface. The self-lubricating liner has an inside liner surface that is in sliding engagement with the exterior shaft surface of the shaft. The self-lubricating liner has an exterior liner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Roller Bearing Company of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jarrod McGuire, Ryan Meeks, Brad Haywood, Yishen Gu
  • Patent number: 12297862
    Abstract: A deep groove ball bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, a plurality of balls, and a seal member. An axial cross-sectional width is smaller than a radial cross-sectional height, a thickness of the inner ring is greater than a thickness of the outer ring, and a pitch diameter of the ball is larger than a median diameter between an inner diameter of the inner ring and an outer diameter of the outer ring A radial dimension between an outer diameter of a shoulder portion of the inner ring and an inner diameter of the seal member is greater than the thickness of the outer ring. As a result, width and weight can be reduced, a load capacity can be secured, grease leakage can be prevented, and a service lifespan can be extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Eri Watabe, Hiroshi Ishiwada, Kento Takeuchi, Shigeki Maehara, Takashi Kuramochi, Ahmadfirdaus Binabdulhalim
  • Patent number: 12287001
    Abstract: A roller bearing assembly including an tapered inner cup defining an inner raceway, an tapered outer cup defining an outer raceway, the outer raceway having a convex profile, the convex profile being defined by an intersection of the outer raceway and a central plane in which a longitudinal center axis of the roller bearing assembly lies, and a plurality of straight rollers disposed between the tapered inner cup and the tapered outer cup so that each straight roller is in rolling contact with the inner raceway and the outer raceway, each straight roller having a first end face, a second end face and a cylindrical body extending therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: JTEKT Bearings North America LLC
    Inventor: Scott Abrahamson
  • Patent number: 12287006
    Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly comprises a cage including an annular portion. A first flange extends axially from an inner peripheral edge of the annular portion, and a second flange extends axially from an outer peripheral edge of the annular portion. A first plurality of roller pockets are defined by the annular portion, the first roller pockets of the first plurality of roller pockets being spaced evenly about the annular portion. A second plurality of roller pockets are defined by the annular portion, the second roller pockets of the second plurality of roller pockets being evenly spaced about the annular portion so that each second roller pocket is disposed between adjacent first roller pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: JTEKT Bearings North America LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Knatz, Matthias Czogalla