Patents Examined by Matthew R Vaerewyck
  • Patent number: 8322931
    Abstract: A rotation-support apparatus having construction in which large force is not applied to continuous sections between column sections 12a and rim sections 11 even when needles 6 push in the circumferential direction against the side surfaces in the circumferential direction of the column sections 12a, thus making it possible to improve the durability of a retainer 7a. Of both side surfaces in the circumferential direction of a straight section 15a on the inner-radial side in the middle section in the axial direction of the column sections 12a, the portion near the outer-radial side of the retainer 7a is more recessed than the portion near the inner-radial side of the retainer 7a. Moreover, this portion near the inner-radial side is located within the pitch circle P of the needles 6. Furthermore, there is no contact between the rolling surfaces of the needles 6 and the straight section 15a on the inner-radial side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Seigou Urakami, Yoichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8286524
    Abstract: A motor assembly includes a motor, a force transmission structure comprising a drive plate and a shaft, and a gear train connecting the motor to the drive plate for transmitting rotation of the motor to the drive plate. The drive plate has a mounting hole with at least three sections interconnected with one another at a common area, the shaft has a toothed portion with at least three teeth fittingly received in the sections of the mounting hole of the drive plate such that the shaft is rotated with the drive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Electric S.A.
    Inventor: Xian Tang
  • Patent number: 8276474
    Abstract: A power transmission device and an image forming apparatus having the same that is capable of reliably transmitting intermittent power to a driven component from a driving source. The power transmission device includes a shaft, a first intermittent gear to receive power from the driving source and to rotate on the shaft, a second intermittent gear arranged so as to move between a first position in which the second intermittent gear is connected to the first intermittent gear along an axial direction of the shaft and a second position in which the second intermittent gear is disconnected from the first intermittent gear, a sliding unit arranged so as to slide along the shaft and to move the second intermittent gear in the axial direction of the shaft, and a driving unit to drive the sliding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo Yong Kim, Jun Young Lee, Sung Wook Kang
  • Patent number: 8272284
    Abstract: An electrically driven linear actuator (1) has an electric motor with a ball screw mechanism (3 and 4) connected to an output shaft (2a) of the electric motor (2), via a power transmitting mechanism (10 and 12) to convert a rotary motion of the electric motor (2) to a linear motion of an object member to be controlled by the actuator (1). Housing members (5, 6 and 8) contain the ball screw mechanism (3 and 4) and the power transmitting mechanism (10 and 12). Stroke end members (14 and 14), of a ball screw shaft (4) or a ball screw nut (3) forming the ball screw mechanism (3 and 4), are rotatably supported relative to the housing members (5 and 8) via a free rotation mechanism (20 and 20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tateishi, Yoshinori Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8261628
    Abstract: An electromechanical driving device (1) for use in a tailgate of a motor vehicle, with an electric motor (2) for the rotary drive of a spur gear (4) which is accommodated in a gear housing (3) and is operatively connected to a gear arrangement (5) in order to drive an output shaft (19) for a window wiper mechanism, wherein the spur gear (4) is accommodated rotatably in the gear housing (3) by means of a co-rotating spur gear shaft (6), wherein a shaft section (7) of the spur gear shaft (6) extends out of the gear housing (3) on which means for actuating a closing mechanism (8) for closing the tailgate and/or a tailgate window are accommodated. An electromechanical driving device (1) for use in a tailgate of a motor vehicle is therefore provided, said driving device, which is used to selectively actuate a wiper mechanism or a closing mechanism, having a simple design and comprising a gear housing which is designed in accordance with a known construction for driving a wiper mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Moecklin, Mario Huesges, Ulrich Metz
  • Patent number: 8251590
    Abstract: A bearing component and bearing assembly are disclosed. The bearing component includes structure for providing a hard rotation stop, in one embodiment, the anti-rotation structure includes a slot formed in at least one bearing component having a surface for supporting a bearing shell. The slot has a longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to a plane perpendicular to the surface for supporting the bearing shell. In other embodiments, a groove extends radially outward from a surface of at least one component for supporting a bearing shell to a side of the component. The groove has a depth that increases as a function of distance in a direction parallel with a center axis of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale G. Gibby, Joseph Rennekamp, Kent H. Clark
  • Patent number: 8215199
    Abstract: A parallel kinematic positioning system 10 (PKPS 10) that is comprised of a stationary base plate (12) and an upper movable platform (28) to which is attached a workpiece or an instrument. Between the stationary base plate (12) and the upper movable platform (28) are positionally attached six strut assemblies (50). The six strut assemblies operate a hexapod that include in combination, a counterbalance subassembly (111), a servo motor subassembly (134), a bearing and encoder subassembly (156) and an electronics circuit (190). The combination accurately and repeatably positions the upper movable platform (28) within six degrees of freedom relative to the base plate (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventors: Sacha L. Marcroft, Andreā€² Perrin, Robert Domes, Marc Webster, Fred L. Ansaldi
  • Patent number: 8181551
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for displacing and positioning an object in a space, having at least three actuating arms that can pivot about a transmission axis. Each arm is connected to a motor unit/transmission unit. A carrier element is provided in order to arrange at least one gripping element for gripping the object. Each actuating arm, on the free ends thereof, has a first articulated axis that is parallel to the transmission axis with first articulated parts arranged at a distance from each other, of a first ball joint. The carrier element has a second articulated axis associated with each actuating arm with first articulated parts that are arranged at a distance in relation to each other, of a second ball joint. The first articulated axis is connected to the second articulated axis by a pair of connecting bars which include terminal second articulated parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Breu, Juergen Renner, Harry Rutschmann
  • Patent number: 8176809
    Abstract: A torsion spring comprises an inner mounting segment. An outer mounting segment is located concentrically around the inner mounting segment. A plurality of splines extends from the inner mounting segment to the outer mounting segment. At least a portion of each spline extends generally annularly around the inner mounting segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chris A. Ihrke, Adam H. Parsons, Joshua S. Mehling, Bryan Kristian Griffith
  • Patent number: 8151660
    Abstract: A rotational motion-positioning apparatus capable of generating rotational movement about three orthogonal rotational axes. A first axial cam and second axial cam are supported by a rotational joint base. A rotational joint is attached between the rotational joint base and a work load support. The work load support has at least one first axial cam follower tracking the first axial cam rotation, thus rotating the work load support about the rotational joint first rotational axis. The work load support has at least one second axial cam follower tracking the second axial cam rotation, thus rotating the work load support about the rotational joint second rotational axis. The rotational joint base is supported by and rotatable about a housing, thus rotating the work load support about the third rotational axis. Three rotational drive unit are attached to the housing to rotate the first axial cam, second axial cam and rotational joint base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignees: RPY Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry Lynn Wood
  • Patent number: 8123411
    Abstract: To provide a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly, in which a load sensor can be installed compactly in an automotive vehicle, maintaining a high sensitivity while damage and/or malfunction caused by the external environments and/or the electromagnetic noises are avoided, with low manufacturing cost. This bearing assembly includes outer and inner members having respective rolling surfaces and a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between those rolling surfaces. A strain sensor unit including a sensor element is fitted to one of the outer and inner members, which is a stationary member, for example, the outer member. A sensor mounting surface of the strain sensor unit fitted with the sensor element has a covering member made of a resin, which is over-molded, or an elastomer bonded by vulcanization, so as to cover the sensor element sealingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Norimatsu, Toru Takahashi, Kazuo Komori, Kazuhiro Baba, Kentarou Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8113083
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for displacing and positioning an object in a space, having at least three actuating arms that can pivot about a transmission axis. Each arm is connected to a motor unit/transmission unit. A carrier element is provided in order to arrange at least one gripping element for gripping the object. Each actuating arm, on the free ends thereof, has a first articulated axis that is parallel to the transmission axis with first articulated parts arranged at a distance from each other, of a first ball joint. The carrier element has a second articulated axis associated with each actuating arm with first articulated parts that are arranged at a distance in relation to each other, of a second ball joint. The first articulated axis is connected to the second articulated axis by a pair of connecting bars which include terminal second articulated parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Breu
  • Patent number: 8104368
    Abstract: A system for laterally transporting a load. The system uses a sprocket and an integrally formed rack combination. The crowns of the teeth of the rack are rounded so as to engage the lower most troughs of the space between the teeth of the sprocket so that a vertical load may be placed on the system and yet allow lateral translating of the load as the sprocket is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Charles Wayne Aaron
  • Patent number: 8100024
    Abstract: An external circulation type ball screw with a noise-reduction structure is provided with a noise-reduction cover to be mounted on the nut. The noise-reduction cover is defined with a noise-reduction groove with two ends to cover impacting portions of the return path of the return member where the rolling elements impact the return path. With the design of the noise-reduction groove, noises will counteract each other after being transmitted to the noise-reduction groove, thus reducing the noises produced by the rolling elements impacting the return member and accordingly reducing the noises produced during operation of the ball screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Jouns Liu, Jui-Long Hsu