Patents Examined by Alan Waits
  • Patent number: 8616775
    Abstract: Provided is a roller bearing device, which is suitable for preventing misdetection of a rotation sensor when a moment load is applied. A thin motor 100 includes a cross roller bearing 14 having an inner ring 14a and an outer ring 14b, a stator 22 supported by the inner ring 14a, a rotor 12 supported by the outer ring 14b, a motor unit 16 that applies rotation torque to the rotor 12, and a resolver 30 that detects a rotation angle position of the rotor 12. The resolver 30, the cross roller bearing 14, and the motor unit 16 are arranged in the recited order from the radially inner side on a radially identical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hayao Watanabe, Masaki Kuwahara, Kazuhiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8601889
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a linear drive and to adjustable units with a linear drive. The linear drive includes a central, drivable connecting element, a stationary first element in working connection with the connecting element, and a stationary second element in working connection with the connecting element and arranged axially opposite the first element. The first and second elements are connected to the connecting element by corresponding pairs of threads. The pairs of threads are designed as oppositely threaded pairs to create a compact, essentially three-part linear drive capable of maximum travel distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: weiss Präzisionstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Carsten Lessing
  • Patent number: 8585291
    Abstract: An aircraft spherical bearing assembly comprises a first part which is in sliding contact with an intermediate part for sliding therebetween to form a spherical joint. A second slip path is provided between the intermediate component and an outer component which can be selectively actuated when the force through the first slip path exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventor: Robert Bridgewater
  • Patent number: 8567567
    Abstract: A winding tool for tightening a torsion spring for a sectional overhead door. The winding tool features two half hub assembles that wrap around an overhead door shaft, wherein a translational sprocket is disposed on the hub assemblies. The hub assemblies connect to the winding cone of a torsion spring via fingers that engage the hub assemblies. A winding box is removably attached to the hub assemblies. The winding box features a worm gear that engages the translational sprocket. A handle bar can be rotated with a drill to cause rotation of the worm gear. Rotation of the worm gear causes rotation of the translational sprocket and ultimate winding of the torsion spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventors: Ernest Scott Turner, Jerry E. Trujillo
  • Patent number: 8556516
    Abstract: A compressor bearing cooling inlet plate has a mount plate, and a boss extending forwardly from the mount plate. The boss includes a plurality of grooves extending axially into the boss to define flow passages for cooling air from an outer peripheral surface of the cooling inlet plate to an inner bore. The grooves extend for a width between side walls, at angles that are not directly radially inwardly toward a center axis of the cooling plate. There is a plurality of widths across the plurality of grooves. A compressor bearing assembly, a motor driven compressor for use in a nitrogen generation system, and a method of installing a compressor bearing cooling inlet plate are all also disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Seth E. Rosen
  • Patent number: 8550720
    Abstract: A positioning device includes a shaft tube having a receptacle receiving a support member that includes first and second ends spaced along an axis. The support member further includes a through-hole extending from the first end through the second end. A bearing is received in the receptacle and includes an end facing the first end of the support member. The end of the bearing includes an inclined pressing surface aligned with a support portion formed on the first end of the support member. The pressing surface deforms the support portion when the bearing is pushed downward during assembly. The deformed support is received in a groove between the pressing surface and an inner periphery of the receptacle to offset and absorb the downward pressing force. The bearing is, thus, reliably fixed in the desired assembly position while preventing the support member from being damaged or generating noise during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electronic Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alex Horng, Duo-Nian Shan
  • Patent number: 8549948
    Abstract: An arrangement of a shift rocker (1), in a transmission housing, comprising a sliding sleeve (2) and a shift rod (3). The shift rocker (1) is mounted to pivot relative to the housing about a pivot axis, can be actuated by the shift rod (3), and engages with an annular groove of the sliding sleeve (2), via sliding blocks (6, 7). The pivot axis of the shift rocker is substantially vertically orientated and the shift rocker (1) has at least one supporting element (9), located outside the vertically orientated pivot axis, which rests on the shift rod (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Hoering, Martin Miller
  • Patent number: 8550718
    Abstract: A linear slide table includes a slide rail, a loading table, at least one adjustment base, a plurality of wedges, and a plurality of adjustment elements. The loading table is disposed on the slide rail. The adjustment base is assembled below the loading table and disposed at one side of the slide rail. The wedges are disposed between the adjustment base and the loading table. The adjustment elements interconnect the wedges and the loading table for adjusting the relative positions of the wedges and the loading table, so as to adjust the distance between the adjustment base and the slide rail through the wedges pushing the adjustment base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hua-Chih Huang, Po-Chun Yaung
  • Patent number: 8540429
    Abstract: A pipe guide includes a pair of cylindrical shells each having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced vanes and structure for holding the shells together when the shells are axially mated end-to-end. A pair of curved tab arms extend circumferentially about corresponding ones of the cylindrical shells. A pair of slide-locks are configured to slide over corresponding ones of the tab arms to move them into a locking position in which keys on the tab arms extend between adjacent coils of a coil spring surrounded by the shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: SeeScan, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Olsson, Eric M. Chapman, Allen W. Tucker, Dawn E. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8534921
    Abstract: To provide a marine drive shaft-bearing structure capable of simply filling grease without an effort and at a reduced cost. A marine drive shaft-bearing structure includes a bearing body disposed between an engine and an impeller for propulsion. Front and rear bearing members are received in a bearing chamber within the bearing body so as to rotatably support a drive shaft which connects the engine with the impeller. A grease filling portion is adapted to fill grease into the bearing chamber. The grease filling portion includes a grease filling port formed in the bearing body so as to communicate with the bearing chamber and a grease tank for storing the grease and for being detachably attached to the grease filling port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Iwakami
  • Patent number: 8534920
    Abstract: A rolling bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, balls and a cage. The cage includes an annular portion which is disposed at the end portion in the axial direction thereof, and a plurality of pillar portions which protrude to the coaxial direction from the side surface on the one side in the axial direction of the annular portion and are arranged in the circumferential direction thereof so as to form therebetween pockets each for housing a rolling element, wherein a seal gap for restricting the flowing of lubricant is formed between the first annular portion and one of or both the outer ring and the inner ring not guiding the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Aida, Yuzuru Takahashi, Mikio Kuromatsu, Takeshi Iwawaki
  • Patent number: 8529134
    Abstract: An inner ring contact member is mounted on a rotation shaft to be disposed at a lower side of an inner ring in a vertical direction such that a larger-diameter end of a conical outer peripheral surface abuts against an axial end surface of the inner ring. The conical outer peripheral surface is formed such that the larger-diameter end of the conical outer peripheral surface is disposed radially inwardly of a radially outward edge of the end surface of the inner ring. A cage is disposed between the inner ring and an outer ring in such a manner that a first annular portion of the cage close to the conical outer peripheral surface is disposed so as to overlap with the end surface of the inner ring in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sekimoto, Masaaki Ohtsuki
  • Patent number: 8522632
    Abstract: A linear guide comprising at least two stationarily supported guide bars, on which a guide block is mounted and which is longitudinally displaceable relative to the guide bars. The guide block is provided with a driving unit to generate a relative movement with respect to the guide bars, the driving unit comprising a pinion which meshes with the teeth of a toothed rack extending in parallel with the guide bars. The toothed rack is mounted only at its front and rear ends and is suspended in-between. A guiding element assigned to the pinion is mounted to the guide block so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the toothed rack on which it is supported in a form-locking manner. The guiding element engages over the toothed rack at the region opposite the mesh between the pinion and the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: WAFIOS Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Hammerer
  • Patent number: 8511906
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a mud motor has a mandrel rotatably disposed within a cylindrical housing, with a rolling-element thrust bearing disposed within an oil-sealed annular chamber between the mandrel and the housing, for resisting on-bottom axial thrust loads. Off-bottom axial thrust loads are resisted by a mud-lubricated thrust bearing assembly located above the oil-sealed chamber. The lower end of a drive shaft adapter coupled to the mandrel is used to provide an upper load-transferring shoulder for the off-bottom thrust bearing, with a lower load-transferring shoulder being provided in association with the housing. The upper and lower shoulders come into mating contact under off-bottom thrust loading, with the upper shoulder rotatable (with the mandrel) relative to the lower shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Nicholas Marchand
  • Patent number: 8506168
    Abstract: A disk drive device includes a rotating body, a fluid dynamic bearing unit that rotatably supports the rotating body, and a drive unit. The fluid dynamic bearing unit has: a lubricant holding portion in which lubricant is held; a first thrust dynamic pressure groove with which a first thrust dynamic pressure generating portion for generating the dynamic pressure in the pump-in direction, which is oriented toward the inside of the lubricant holding portion, is structured; and a second thrust dynamic pressure groove with which a second thrust dynamic pressure generating portion for generating at least the dynamic pressure in the pump-out direction, is structured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuji Yamada, Mitsuo Kodama
  • Patent number: 8505407
    Abstract: A steering column device where an inner column can be reliably clamped and sufficient rigidity and strength of an outer column can be achieved. A semi-circular arc rib (132) is formed on the peripheral edge of a closed end section (131) of a slit (13). The rib (132) is substantially semi-circular are-shaped and projects outward from an outer peripheral surface (15A) of an outer column (1). Further, linear ribs (133A, 133B) extend linearly toward the vehicle body front side so as to be continuous from the vehicle body front side of the semi-circular arc rib (132). The semi-circular arc rib (132) and the linear ribs (133A, 133B) reinforce the peripheral edge of the slit (13) of the outer column (1) whose rigidity and strength are impaired. Thus the rigidity and strength of the outer column (1) are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Nomura, Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 8506167
    Abstract: The present invention has an object of improving wear resistance of a thrust bearing portion. A pressure is generated by a dynamic pressure effect of a lubricating oil in a thrust bearing gap between a thrust bearing surface including dynamic pressure generating grooves and a smooth thrust receiving surface so as to rotatably support a shaft member in an axial direction. The thrust receiving surface is formed as a flat surface, whereas an inclined plane is provided on the thrust bearing surface so as to provide a reduced portion having a decreasing axial width in a radially outward direction in the thrust bearing gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Hayashi, Tatsuo Kawase, Kiyotaka Kusunoki, Isao Komori, Katsuo Shibahara
  • Patent number: 8500335
    Abstract: A half plain bearing that has a positioning member with a novel construction, and a manufacturing method of the half plain bearing are proposed. If part of a material from which a bearing body 13 is formed is allowed to escape to outside of a tool with a narrow width when pressed by the tool, an amount of protrusion needed for a positioning member 20 to perform a function thereof (an amount of protrusion from an outer peripheral face of the bearing body) can be ensured while suppressing an amount of deformation of the material from which the bearing body 13 is formed in a circumferential direction thereof. The positioning member 20 of the half plain bearing thus formed has a flat portion 21a and a protrusion portion 22. A tip of the protrusion portion 22 is located on a mating face side with respect to a virtual plane that includes the flat portion 21a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Michitoshi Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8475053
    Abstract: A first fit portion and a second fit portion of an inner ring according to the invention have a spring property. Therefore, the first and second fit portions may be flexed radially outward by elasticity thereof and then fitted to a shaft. Thus, the inner ring is tightly fitted to the shaft with a set interference with respect to the shaft. Accordingly, it is easy to fit/remove the inner ring to/from the shaft. Therefore, an outer peripheral face of the shaft is pushed radially inward by elasticity of the first and second fit portions, that is, the inner ring is tightly fitted to the shaft, without reducing the ease of fitting/removing the inner ring to/from the shaft. As a result, it is possible to minimize generation of creep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiko Shiraki
  • Patent number: 8469597
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the preload of duplex rolling element bearings systems under various temperatures is described. A spacer or a plurality of spacers may be located adjacent to the rings of the duplex rolling element bearings. The spacer or spacers may be heated or cooled to increase or decrease the axial dimension of the spacer or spacers. Changing the axial dimension of the spacers changes the preload of the duplex rolling element bearing system. The preload of the system may be estimated by receiving an input from a sensor or sensors located on the duplex rolling element bearings system. The sensor may be a temperature sensor or a force transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Wayne Smith, James Hanks