Patents Examined by Thomas R. Hannon
  • Patent number: 10030705
    Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a support ring, a plurality of bearing-element carrier members coupled to the support ring, and a plurality of superhard bearing elements having a lateral periphery extending between a base and a superhard bearing surface. At least one superhard bearing element of the plurality of superhard bearing elements is attached to each of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members. A bearing apparatus includes a rotor, a stator, and a bearing assembly. A method for assembling a bearing assembly includes attaching at least one superhard bearing element to each of a plurality of bearing-element carrier members and coupling the plurality of bearing-element carrier members to a support ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: S. Barrett Peterson
  • Patent number: 10024359
    Abstract: A bushing assembly pivotally connects the beams of an auxiliary lift axle/suspension system to a hanger and to an axle seat. The bushing assembly includes a pair of bushings, a metal sleeve, a pin with a threaded end, a pair of washers, and a threaded nut. The pair of bushings are disposed into an opening formed near an end of the beam. Each one of the pair of bushings includes a cylindrical wall comprising an inner end, an outer end, a central opening extending from the inner end to the outer end, an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a flange. The interior surface of the bushings includes at least one groove formed therein for preventing lubricant from escaping the bushing assembly during operation of the lift axle/suspension system while a sealing feature prevents contaminants from migrating into the bushing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hendrickson USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Westnedge, James Anthony Krueger Guntermann
  • Patent number: 10024360
    Abstract: A thrust bearing configured to support axial loads that act on a rotating body includes a thrust shaft rotatably supportable in a bearing housing, a thrust collar, and a retainer connected to the thrust shaft and configured to support a plurality of thrust pieces. The thrust pieces each have a front sliding surface in sliding contact with the thrust collar, and the retainer includes a disk having a central opening and an outer circumference and a plurality of radial incisions extending radially inwardly from the outer circumference which incisions have inner ends radially spaced from the central opening. The radial incisions define circumferentially adjacent spring sections each of the which is individually axially flexible against and away from the bearing housing to open and close a spring gap between each of the spring sections and the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: SKF MARINE GmbH
    Inventors: Detlef Hammerschmidt, Mathias Rusch, Marko Wrage
  • Patent number: 10012315
    Abstract: A seal assembly is disclosed. A seal assembly may comprise a seal carrier, a compliant structure comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the seal carrier, and/or a support structure coupled to the second end. The seal carrier may be integral with the compliant structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David M. Barger, Adam G. Smedresman
  • Patent number: 10012266
    Abstract: A bearing, including: an axis of rotation; an outer ring; an inner ring located radially inward of the outer ring; a cage including at least one protrusion extending in a radial direction; a ball disposed in the cage; and at least one recess. The outer ring includes a recess included in the at least one recess and a protrusion included in the at least one protrusion is located in the recess. The inner ring includes a recess included in the at least one recess and a protrusion included in the at least one protrusion is located in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: William Moratz
  • Patent number: 10006492
    Abstract: A vacuum pump comprises: a bearing device; and an exhaust function including a rotary body supported by the bearing device and configured to exhaust gas. The bearing device includes a bearing having an outer ring, an inner ring, and a rolling body, a lubricant storage configured to store lubricant, a lubricant supply structure configured to supply, to the bearing, the lubricant stored in the lubricant storage, a holding member configured to hold the bearing, and a porous body disposed outside the outer ring of the bearing and filled with the lubricant supplied from the lubricant supply structure to the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Manabe
  • Patent number: 10001174
    Abstract: A fixing plate (40) is provided with through holes (45) for reducing the rigidity of the fixing plate (40) between a latch hole (41) and boss parts (42), the through holes being disposed between the latch hole (41) and the boss parts (42) and radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of an outer ring (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 10001164
    Abstract: A double-row spherical roller bearing, comprising an outer ring including at least one spherical inner raceway on a radially inner peripheral surface, an inner ring including a first and second axial end and at least one outer raceway on a radially outer peripheral surface. Spherical roller elements are located in first and second roller rows interposed in-between the inner and outer raceways. A first flange is located at the first axial end, extending in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface. The inner ring is subjected to an axial load in a first axial direction wherein the first flange approaches the first roller row. An axial extension of the first flange extends without contacting any first roller row roller elements during bearing operation, when an axial load is acting on the inner ring in the first axial direction. The bearing can be integrated into a wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Emma Bjorkman, Peter James, Marcus Loof, Lars Stigsjöö
  • Patent number: 9995343
    Abstract: A rolling bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of balls, and a cage that holds the balls. The inner ring is a rotating ring, and the outer ring is a fixed ring. An annular groove for creep suppression is formed in a fitting surface of the rolling bearing that is fitted on a mating member to which the outer ring is attached. The annular groove has a groove main body portion and inclined groove portions located on opposite sides of the groove main body portion in an axial direction and formed to be shallower than the groove main body portion such that the depth of each of the inclined groove portions increases toward the groove main body portion. The inclined groove portions come into contact with the mating member when the outer ring is elastically deformed by a radial load received from the balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youzou Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9989090
    Abstract: A slewing bearing providing a first ring, a second ring, the rings being concentric around a central axis (X1), at least one row of rolling elements arranged between the rings in order to form an axial thrust that can transmit axial forces, at least one row of rolling elements arranged between the rings in order to form a radial thrust that can transmit radial forces, and at least one sealing assembly arranged between the first ring and the second ring. The sealing assembly provides first sealing means being arranged outside second sealing means, an annular sealed chamber being defined between the first sealing means and second sealing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Bruno Capoldi, Lionel Martin, Eric Robba
  • Patent number: 9989084
    Abstract: A slide bearing which can be manufactured at low cost is provided. The slide bearing (1) is provided with a cylindrical bearing main body (2) into which a shaft member is inserted, and an elastic ring (3) for urging the bearing main body (2) diametrically inward, the elastic ring (3) being mounted to the bearing main body (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: OILES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noboru Nakagawa, Kazuhiko Akeda
  • Patent number: 9989088
    Abstract: A linear bearing (1) includes a collar (2) arranged to receive a shaft (30) therethrough. The linear bearing (1) also has at least one resiliently sprung member (12) mounted within the collar (2) that contacts the shaft (30) when the shaft (30) is mounted inside the collar (2). The at least one resiliently sprung member (12) is arranged to permit displacement of the collar (2), relative to the shaft (30), in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the collar (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: OXFORD SPACE SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Juan Reveles, Vincent Fraux
  • Patent number: 9982710
    Abstract: A crankshaft of an in-line, four-cylinder internal combustion engine has five journal portions. The journal portions are each supported by a main bearing unit. Each of the main bearing units includes a cylinder block side bearing part and a bearing cap. The No. 1, No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 main bearing units employ an iron-based bearing cap, and the No. 3 main bearing unit at the center employs a bearing cap made of an aluminum alloy having a relatively high thermal expansion coefficient. At high temperatures, the bearing clearance of the No. 3 main bearing unit is configured to expand so as to reduce bearing load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi, Shinya Oohira, Hiroaki Mochida, Kensuke Ikehara, Wataru Arai
  • Patent number: 9976597
    Abstract: A bearing assembly can be used in liquid service applications where the bearing assembly is intermittently or continuously exposed to liquid, such as below the liquid level of a solid-liquid extractor. In some examples, the bearing assembly includes an annular sleeve and an annular bearing. The annular sleeve is designed to be installed over the end of a rotatable shaft and positioned inside of a housing through which the rotatable shaft at least partially protrudes. The annular sleeve has an outer surface and length parallel to the rotational axis of the rotatable shaft. The outer surface of the annular sleeve may taper radially inwardly along at least a portion of the length of the sleeve. As a result, the bearing assembly and rotatable shaft positioned therein may pivot within housing about the taper of the annular sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Crown Iron Works Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Wayne Floan, George E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9970485
    Abstract: A holder support part, into which a holder main body part constituting a sensor holder is fitted, is provided to an upper position of two vertically adjacent positions of an axially inboard-side surface of a bottom plate part so as to project. A nut holding part, which holds a nut, into which is threaded a bolt for joining a sensor holder, is provided to a lower position of the two vertically adjacent positions. The holder support part and the nut holding part are apart from each other. The holder support part is configured as a notched cylinder shape having a discontinuous part at a lower part. An upper surface of the nut holding part is configured as a convex curved surface of which a part facing the discontinuous part is positioned at the uppermost part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu Takayama, Yukihisa Takayama, Hiroaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9964145
    Abstract: A suspension thrust bearing provides a bearing with annular upper part and annular lower part. The lower part provides an axial hub, an outwardly projected radial flange extending from the axial hub, and a curved connecting portion between the axial hub and radial flange. The lower part provides an exterior support surface that axially supports an upper end of a suspension spring by a damping device made from resilient material. The exterior support surface provides at least one longitudinal groove, the damping device including an interior surface contacting the exterior support surface and including a complementary shape to mate with the groove. The groove extends along the connecting portion, disposed in a recessed portion between two longitudinal side walls, a first groove end on or directed towards the hub, and a second groove end on or directed towards the flange, the second groove end being a transverse wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Thomas Lepine, Xavier Blanchard, Bruno Montboeuf, Desire Vidot
  • Patent number: 9964143
    Abstract: A foil bearing (thrust foil bearing (40)) includes a foil holder (41) and a plurality of foils (42) arrayed in a circumferential direction. Each of the foils (42) includes a body portion (42a) having a thrust bearing surface (S2) and an extended portion (42b) extending from the body portion (42a) to a radially outer side. An end portion (42d) of the body portion (42a) of each of the foils (42) on one circumferential side is arranged so as to be overlapped on the body portion (42a) of adjacent one of the foils (42). The extended portions (42b) of the plurality of foils (42) are fixed onto the same plane of the foil holder (41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Yoshino, Hiroki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9964152
    Abstract: An expendable bearing and a method for making the same including an inner race defining an inner bearing diameter, an outer race defining an outer bearing diameter, a seal attached to the outer race and positioned adjacent and in contact with the inner race, where the inner race, the outer race, and the seal define a bearing cavity, a plurality of rolling elements positioned adjacent to the inner and outer races in the bearing cavity, a dry film lubricant on a surface of at least one of the inner race, the outer race, or the plurality of rolling elements, and a powder lubricant comprising carbon nanotubes disposed in the bearing cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North America Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Copeland, Craig M. Price
  • Patent number: 9956607
    Abstract: Construction is achieved that is capable of preventing the formation of radial streaks in the tip-end surfaces of teeth of hub-side face splines 21. When a swing center distance is taken to be L, a swing angle that is the inclination angle of the center axis of a roll 30 with respect to a main hub body 8 is taken to be ?, the pitch diameter of the hub-side face splines 21 is taken to be Dh, the number of teeth of the hub-side face splines 21 is taken to be Nh, and the number of teeth of a processing surface 31 of the roll 30 is taken to be Nr, the position relationship of the main hub body 8 and the roll 30, or in other words, at least one of the swing center distance L, the swing angle ?, and the pitch circle diameter Dh is regulated so that the relationship Nh/Nr=cos ?+(2L/Dh)·sin ? is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hagiwara, Toshio Nakamura, Hiroshi Koyama, Isao Shintou, Kazuto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9958013
    Abstract: An assembly comprises a component and a spherical bearing mounted in a bore of the component. The spherical bearing comprises an outer race received within the component bore, an inner spherical member mounted for rotation within the outer race and a releasable retaining element for releasably retaining the outer race in the component bore. The outer race and the component comprise interengaging indexing formations whereby said outer race may be mounted within said component bore in a plurality of angular positions relative to the longitudinal axis (A) of the component bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS SAS
    Inventors: Arnauld R. E. Hervieux, Gregory Y. Meignat