Patents Examined by Thomas R. Hannon
  • Patent number: 9677618
    Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a housing having an interior cavity, an opening, and an inward facing seal mounting surface. The assembly includes a bearing and a shaft mounted in the bearing for rotation about a central axis. The assembly includes a seal positioned axially between the interior cavity and the exterior of the housing to inhibit contaminants from entering the housing and damaging the bearing. The seal has a bearing side, an opening side, and a gap surface facing a corresponding surface that is either an outward facing surface of the shaft or thee inward facing seal mounting surface of the housing. The gap surface is spaced from the corresponding surface by a clearance gap. The width of the clearance gap increases from the bearing side to the opening side to direct fluid in the clearance gap away from the interior cavity as the shaft rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Lincoln Industrial Corporation
    Inventor: Paul G. Conley
  • Patent number: 9677606
    Abstract: A bidirectional bearing, a drive train, a planetary gear and a wind generator having a bidirectional bearing are provided. A bidirectional bearing comprises an outer bearing shell having a first intermediate bearing shell, which is coupled to the shaft and which cooperates with the outer bearing shell. The bidirectional bearing further comprises a second intermediate bearing shell, which is arranged opposite to the outer bearing shell with respect to the first intermediate bearing shell. The second intermediate bearing shell is configured to take up a first load having a first direction from the first intermediate bearing shell. Furthermore, the first second intermediate bearing shell is configured to receive a second load having a second direction, which is substantially opposite to the first direction. The first intermediate bearing shell receives the second load from the second intermediate bearing shell and is configured to transfer this second load to the outer bearing shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Areva Wind GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Pischel
  • Patent number: 9670957
    Abstract: The invention provides a tilting-pad thrust bearing that requires less oil supply and a rotary machine having the same. A tilting-pad thrust bearing 100 comprises: multiple oil inlets 10 disposed in spaces between pads 6; multiple outflow guide grooves 12 each formed near the inner circumferential edge of the sliding surface of the pad 6 such that the outflow guide grooves 12 extend in a circumferential direction; and multiple inflow guide grooves 13 provided separately from the outflow guide grooves 12 and formed at the leading ends of the sliding surfaces of the pads 6 so as to be located more radially inward than the oil inlets 10. Each outflow guide groove 12 is open to the sliding surface and the trailing end surface of the pad 6. Each inflow guide grooves 13 is open to the leading end surface and the sliding surface of the pad 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hemmi, Kenichi Murata, Kenta Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9670958
    Abstract: A rolling bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, a plurality of balls disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring and allowed to roll, and a snap cage that is made of resin and holds the balls. The snap cage includes an annular main portion and a plurality of cage bars. The cage bars each protrude from a right side surface of the main portion. Pockets are formed between the cage bars to house the respective balls. An inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface of each of the cage bars in a radial direction have respective tilted surfaces that form a tapered shape in an axial direction. This allows lubricant oil to flow well in the rolling bearing in both directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Maeda, Yuu Yasuda
  • Patent number: 9670954
    Abstract: A ball joint member including an inner ring, with a general axisymmetrical shape around a first axis, including an external contact surface having a truncated spherical shape, the inner ring including a coating which bears the external contact surface and an outer ring, of a general axisymmetrical shape around a second axis, including an internal contact surface mating the external contact surface, cooperating with the external contact surface, the outer ring including a coating which bears the internal contact surface, wherein at least one of the inner and outer rings includes lubricant reservoirs made on the coating of one of the external and internal contact surfaces, and wherein the coating of the contact surface of one of the rings is textured with micro-cavities forming the lubricant reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SKF Aerospace France
    Inventors: Arnaud Turmeau, Camille Dayot
  • Patent number: 9664233
    Abstract: An engagement-disengagement, suspension or steering release bearing. The release bearing includes a rolling bearing forming a member for transmitting an axial force and comprising a rotating ring and a non-rotating ring between which a rolling chamber is mounted for rolling bodies and a sealing gasket, which is mounted on a first ring among the rotating and non-rotating rings, and which comprises a framework, having an edge folded down radially toward a groove arranged on a surface of the first ring, and a fitting, having a sealing lip in sliding bearing against, or adjacent to, a corresponding surface of the second ring, The fitting of the seal is suitable for filling the groove of the first ring and part of the fitting is jammed between the folded down edge of the framework and the groove in the configuration with the seal mounted on the first ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventor: Benoit Arnault
  • Patent number: 9651087
    Abstract: A linear guideway with quick-release scraping plates includes: a linear guideway, two end caps, and two scraping plates. The end caps are each provided with a cantilever hook, and the scraping plates are each provided with an abutting protrusion to which the cantilever hook can be hooked, so that the assembly of the scaping plate in accordance with the present invention is very easy since it only requires the displacement of the scraping plate in one direction, and the disassembly of the scraping plate is also very convenient since it only requires the use of a rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Lung-Yu Chang, Jing-Kai Liao, Bo-Han Huang, Sheng-Hsiang Huang
  • Patent number: 9644673
    Abstract: A bearing assembly comprising: (a) an inner journal for supporting a shaft and having a frusto-conical contact surface facing radially outwardly; (b) an outer journal surrounding at least part of the inner journal and having a frusto-conical contact surface which faces radially inwardly; and (c) an adjustment feature for adjusting the axial location of the inner journal relative to the outer journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Andrew Bell, Paul Chance, Michael Colton, Will Curry
  • Patent number: 9644684
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement having a bearing mounted in a housing, wherein a grease lubricant is present within the housing for lubricating the bearing, a support frame at least partly made of an electrically insulating material, arranged in a space within the housing that lies axially between the bearing and a housing seal. The support frame includes at least one electrode pair having first and second electrodes arranged to enable grease lubricant to contact therewith. A capacitance meter provided for measuring a capacitance between the first and second electrodes. The support frame provides a radially oriented surface and a plurality of ribs that extend in a radially inward direction, the ribs having sufficient circumferential spacing to enable grease to flow between adjacent ribs. One of the first and second electrodes is provided on the radially oriented surface of the support frame or on a rib surface that faces an adjacent rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Jeroen Bongaerts, Florin Tatar
  • Patent number: 9644677
    Abstract: The occurrence of wear during use in areas of contact between residual protrusions 22a and opposing end surfaces due to residual protrusions 22a that remain on end surfaces in the circumferential direction of retainer elements 15b after shearing of small cross-sectional area sections is prevented. Convex sections 23, the tip ends thereof being flat, are provided on one end surface in the circumferential direction of retainer elements 15 so as to protrude in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9644682
    Abstract: A rolling-element bearing assembly includes a bearing ring and a flange. The bearing ring has a surface including at least one circumferential groove extending at least partially around the bearing ring, and the flange projects radially inwardly or radially outwardly from the surface and has a flange section at a radially inner edge or radially outer edge of the flange that projects into the groove. A hardened casting material secures the flange to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Burkard Beck, Alexander Dilje, Hans-Juergen Friedrich, Helmut Hauck
  • Patent number: 9644672
    Abstract: A tapered roller bearing includes an outer ring having an outer-ring raceway surface that increases in diameter from a first side toward a second side in an axial direction, an inner ring having an inner-ring raceway surface and also having a cone back face rib that is located on the second side of the inner ring in the axial direction and that protrudes outward in a radial direction, a plurality of tapered rollers, an annular cage, and a reservoir portion provided on the second side of the outer ring in the axial direction and having a recessed groove that is formed on an inner periphery of the reservoir portion and in which lubricant is stored. The recessed groove has a recess and protrusion at its bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Nagai, Akiyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9636945
    Abstract: A bearing device for a wheel includes a bearing. The bearing includes outer and inner members and double-row rolling elements. The bearing has a constant velocity universal joint coupled thereto in a torque transmittable manner by fitting a stem section of an outer joint member to a shaft hole of a hub wheel, in which the stem section of the outer joint member is press-fitted to the shaft hole of the hub wheel, and shapes of only the circumferential side wall portions of each of a plurality of convex portions are transferred to the shaft hole, to thereby define a convex and concave fitting portion in which close contact is achieved at an entire contact portion between the plurality of convex portions and the plurality of concave portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuji Mochinaga, Takayuki Norimatsu
  • Patent number: 9638254
    Abstract: There is provided a rolling bearing including: inner and outer members, rolling elements in a raceway space, flexible annular sealing members which close openings at both ends of the raceway space, and annular metal shield members. Each sealing member is formed in three-dimensional shape such that the sealing member in a natural state is convex inwardly between outer and inner circumferential edge portions and the inner circumferential edge portion is elastically in surface contact with the outer surface of the inner member when the sealing member is fitted to the outer member. Each metal shield member is fixed to the outer member in a state that the outer circumferential edge portion of each sealing member is sandwiched between the metal shield member and the outer member. Each metal shield member covers part of each sealing member without contacting the inner member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Murakami, Shingo Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9638255
    Abstract: A rolling bearing includes an inner race, an outer race, a row of rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer races, and a first seal fixed to one of the inner and outer races. The first seal includes at least one sealing lip cooperating with the other of the inner and outer races. The rolling bearing further includes a second seal fixed to the other of the inner and outer races. The first seal includes at least one sealing lip cooperating with the first seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Eric Baudez, Mickael Chollet, Philippe Walter
  • Patent number: 9638252
    Abstract: The bearing provides an outer ring, an inner ring, at least one seal fixed to one of the rings and cooperating with the other ring, and at least one sealing flange fixed on the other ring. Flange is at least partly elastically deformable in the axial direction. Flange is axially mounted in contact against an outer lateral face of the seal. At least one local deformation is provided to the sealing flange to support elastically deformation of the flange. The sealing flange further provides at least one protrusion that axially extends beyond the local deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Elie Aupetitgendre, Benoit Arnault, Laurent Varnoux
  • Patent number: 9631670
    Abstract: A lubrication unit in a rolling bearing apparatus includes a pump that supplies a lubricant to an annular space formed between an inner ring and an outer ring, and is provided adjacently to the annular space. The pump includes a needle-like nozzle having, at a tip thereof, a discharge port through which the lubricant is discharged toward an outer ring raceway groove in an outer ring. A tip of the nozzle is in contact with a shoulder portion inner peripheral surface adjacent to the outer ring raceway groove or is provided close to the shoulder portion inner peripheral surface such that a very small gap is formed between the tip and the shoulder portion inner peripheral surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 9631673
    Abstract: A load bearing system with controlled movement of a stationary bearing race to distribute load and wear over the load bearing surface and increase bearing life. The system includes an inner race and an outer race which are predictably rotatable relative to one another about an axis. The system uses oil holes and other holes to place balls and spring loaded ball assemblies to facilitate movement as well as gears strategically placed in the stationary race with timer mechanisms to rotate the races relative to one another as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: Samuel Messinger
  • Patent number: 9631672
    Abstract: A separator 8 including a solid lubricant is disposed between adjacent rolling elements 7. Relative movement of the adjacent rolling elements 7 and the separator 8 in a direction of separating apart in a circumferential direction is restricted by restricting members 10, and the restricting members 10 are disposed at plural locations in the circumferential direction. A minute gap ? is provided between the adjacent restricting members 10, to allow relative movement therebetween. This can provide a solid-lubrication rolling bearing capable of stably preventing rotational locking and unintended disassembling of the bearing for a long period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisanori Aiga, Hiroki Manabe, Naoaki Tsuji, Takahiro Gotou, Yoshinori Ito, Fuminori Satoji
  • Patent number: 9624977
    Abstract: A cylindrical roller bearing includes a flanged outer race having two inwardly extending flanges. One of the flanges is a flange ring separate from the outer race and fixed to the outer race. Cylindrical rollers are mounted between the outer race and a flangeless inner race, and retained by a retainer which are located radially inwardly of the pitch circle of the cylindrical rollers. With this arrangement, it is not necessary to reduce the widths of pillars of the retainer even if the load capacity is increased by increasing the size or the number of the cylindrical rollers, so that it is possible to increase the load capacity while ensuring strength of the retainer. Also, even if the inner race is separated from the bearing, it is possible to prevent separation of the cylindrical rollers as well as the retainer, which retains the cylindrical rollers, from the outer race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Terada, Takeshi Maeda