Patents by Inventor Andrea A. Bertolini

Andrea A. Bertolini has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • 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: 12276306
    Abstract: A support assembly for a moveable, rotating, or sliding shaft includes a casing and a cover. The casing includes a front edge defining an opening and a radially external lateral surface having an annular seat. The annular seat includes an annular groove axially spaced from the front edge and connected to a number of axial grooves that interrupt at least part of the front edge. The cover includes an annular coupling portion extending toward the radially external lateral surface of the casing. The annular coupling includes at least one pair of teeth formed on a radially inside surface of the annular coupling portion and projecting radially inward, each pair of teeth spaced circumferentially from each other, and a plurality of radially internal projections. A bottom wall of the annular groove includes a plurality of depressions alternating with a plurality of projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Pasquale Frezza, Fabio Falaschi, Andrea A. Bertolini, Fabio Cavacece
  • Patent number: 12247622
    Abstract: A bearing unit for a marble cutting machine, comprising a radially outer ring, rotatable about an axis of rotation (X) of the bearing unit and provided with a radially outer flange portion; a stationary radially inner ring having a raceway and a through hole; a row of rolling bodies interposed between the radially outer ring and the radially inner ring; a seat formed in the radially inner ring and shaped as a portion of a circular crown; and a sensor fit in the seat, wherein a ratio between an internal diameter (D) of the through hole and an axial thickness (t) of the radially inner ring is between 6.7 and 11.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Andrea A. Bertolini, Fausto Baracca, Vittorio Zanella, Maria Grazia Semeraro
  • Patent number: 12241506
    Abstract: A bearing unit with rolling bodies for use in the food and beverage industry, for example. The bearing unit may have a high resistance to wear and to corrosion and may have a radially outer ring, stationary, a radially inner ring, rotatable with respect to an axis of rotation (X), and a sealing and protection device mounted on the radially inner ring and on opposite sides of the radially outer ring, both to protect the radially outer ring from the action of external contaminants and to prevent any such external contaminants from getting into a gap between the radially outer ring and the radially inner ring. The bearing unit may further have protective layer being arranged in contact with the radially inner ring, and being made of composite polymeric material to isolate and protect the radially inner ring from external contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Andrea A. Bertolini, Alessio Nebbia Colomba, Fausto Baracca, Pasquale Frezza
  • Patent number: 12241505
    Abstract: A support assembly for moving shafts, comprising a bearing unit positioned in a casing, and a cover for fluid sealing the casing. The support assembly comprises double level of protection provided by two distinct sealing devices that keep the bearing unit protected from washing liquid even in the most demanding conditions of use. The better sealing configuration aids in overall better sealing of the bearing unit; greater resistance to contaminants; and improving the sealing performance of the whole support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Andrea A. Bertolini, Fausto Baracca, Fabio Cavacece
  • Patent number: 12222007
    Abstract: A bearing unit for a marble cutting machine has a radially outer ring, rotatable with respect to an axis of rotation (X) and is provided with a radially outer flange portion. Additionally, the bearing unit is provided with a stationary radially inner ring with a through hole in which the ratio between a dimension of an internal diameter (D) of the through hole and a dimension of the axial thickness (T) of the radially inner ring is between about 6.7 and about 11.1. A row of rolling bodies is interposed between the radially outer ring and the radially inner ring. A sealing shield is made of composite material and interposed between the radially inner ring and the radially outer ring, rotatable with respect to the rotation axis (X) and steadily anchored to the radially outer ring. The shield is provided with a sensor molded in it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Andrea A. Bertolini, Fausto Baracca, Fabio Cavacece, Pasquale Frezza, Alessio Nebbia Colomba
  • Publication number: 20240426344
    Abstract: A pinion bearing unit (10) has a pinion (20) with a cylindrical and radially internal seat (21), and a bearing unit (30) housed inside the seat (21). The pinion (20) has at least one pair of fins (40, 40?). Each of the fins being arranged on a respective outer annular wall (22, 22?) of the pinion (20) and extending axially on opposite sides of the seat (21) in order to be deflected by 90°, abutting the bearing unit (30), such that the bearing unit (30) is locked axially inside the seat (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Pasquale FREZZA, Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Fausto BARACCA, Renato BERTI
  • Publication number: 20240426342
    Abstract: A bearing unit (10) having an inner ring (20) including, for each side (L) of the bearing unit (10), a shaped groove (23). The bearing unit has an outer ring (30) defining a cylindrical gap (11) with the inner ring. A plurality of rolling elements (40) are disposed inside the gap. A sealing device (50) is mounted on both of the sides of the bearing unit to protect the gap from contaminants and pollutants, and to prevent lubricant inside the gap from leaking out. The sealing device having, for each side, two sealing lips (54) (55) disposed inside the groove, a flexible support arm (56) for the two sealing lips, and an intrinsic control element (100) to control the bending of the arm to control flexibility of the arm and a friction force that a contacting sealing lip (54) exerts on the inner ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Fausto BARACCA, Riccardo RESTIVO
  • Publication number: 20240418221
    Abstract: A pinion bearing unit (10) has a pinion (20) with a cylindrical and radially internal seat (21), and a bearing unit (30) housed inside the seat (21). The bearing unit (30) has a radially outer ring (31) rigidly connected to the pinion (20) and a radially inner ring (34). The pinion (20) has an axially inner and radially inner shoulder (40) which axially delimits the seat (21) and prevents the pinion (20) from moving axially outwards with respect to the bearing unit (30). The pinion bearing unit (10) does not have a retaining ring in the seat (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Pasquale FREZZA, Alessio NEBBIA COLOMBA, Renato BERTI
  • Publication number: 20240418217
    Abstract: A thin section bearing unit (10) for multiwire machines. The bearing unit has a central axis (A) of rotation, an inner ring (20), and a flanged rotatable outer ring (30). Defined between the inner and outer rings is a cylindrical cavity (90) for respective rolling elements (40). The inner ring (20) has an outer raceway (22) with an intermediate circumferential groove (23) containing lubricating grease for keeping the raceway (22) lubricated. The bearing unit (10) also has a hydraulic network (60) for distributing the lubricating grease for lubricating the cavity (90). The hydraulic network (60) including at least one axial duct (61) passing through the inner ring (20) and a related radial duct (62) formed in the inner ring (20) between the duct (61) and the circumferential groove (23) of the outer raceway (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Fausto BARACCA, Renato BERTI, Pasquale FREZZA
  • Publication number: 20240376935
    Abstract: A bearing unit (10) for adverse operating conditions. The bearing unit has an axis (X), outer and inner rings (20, 30), and a sealing assembly (50). The inner ring has two sliding surfaces (32) arranged axially on opposite sides of an outer raceway (31). The sealing assembly is arranged on both sides (L) of the outer ring to prevent contaminant entry. The sealing assembly has, on each side, an annular elastic gasket (70) with sealing lips (71) facing the inner ring and in sliding contact with the sliding surface (32) of the associated side. The sealing lips (71) have annular contact edges (74) with diameters decreasing in the axial direction towards the outside of the bearing unit. The sliding surfaces (32) are inclined with respect to the axis (X) in a decreasing manner from the outer raceway (31) for adjustment of the radial contact pressure of the lips (71).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Fausto BARACCA, Pasquale FREZZA, Alessio NEBBIA COLOMBA
  • Patent number: 12140186
    Abstract: A bearing unit may have a radially outer ring, a radially inner ring, a row of rolling bodies interposed between the radially outer ring and the radially inner ring, a casing inside which the rings of the bearing unit are housed. The bearing unit may further have a sealing device and a disc-like element for protecting the sealing device, made as one piece, entirely of plastic or composite material, axially external with respect to the sealing device, stably anchored in a seat of the casing and having a radial distance (d2) between a radially internal surface of the disc-like element and the radially inner ring ranging between 0.75 mm and 0.95 mm so as to block large-size external contaminants, without making contact with the radially inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Andrea A. Bertolini, Fausto Baracca, Pasquale Frezza
  • Patent number: 12123498
    Abstract: A sealing device for a sleeve of washing machines, comprising a first, stationary, annular screen, and a second, rotatable, annular screen. The first annular screen includes a first cylindrical mounting portion and a first flange portion; and the second annular screen includes a second cylindrical mounting portion and a second flange portion. The sealing device is characterized in that both the first and the second annular screens include the same number of non-contacting sealing lips, which are similar to each other and contained axially between the first and second flange portions, in radially alternating positions axially arranged one above the other, so as to define a sealing labyrinth (L). The first and second annular screens define between them a discharge chamber (C1) and an obstruction chamber (C2) which are arranged along the sealing labyrinth (L), substantially at opposite ends of the said sealing labyrinth (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Fausto Baracca, Fabio Cavacece, Pasquale Frezza, Andrea A. Bertolini
  • Publication number: 20240328459
    Abstract: A bearing unit (10, 10?) has a radially outer ring (31). The outer ring (31) is rotatable with respect to an axis of rotation (X) and is provided with a radially inner raceway (31r). A stationary radially inner ring (33) is provided with a radially outer raceway (33r). A row (132) of rolling bodies (32) is interposed between the radially outer ring (31) and the radially inner ring (33). Each rolling body (32) has three contact points (P1, P2, P3) with the raceways (31r, 33r) of the radially outer ring (31) and, respectively, the radially inner ring (33).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Fausto BARACCA, Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Alessio NEBBIA COLOMBA
  • Patent number: 12092159
    Abstract: A bearing unit having a stationary radially outer ring, a radially inner ring rotatable about a central rotation axis (X) of the bearing unit is provided with at least one raceway and, in an end portion thereof, with at least two circular sector segments, at least one row of rolling elements interposed between the radially outer ring and the radially inner ring, and a concentric collar for clamping the radially inner ring on a rotating shaft, where an induction-hardening heat treatment is applied to a portion of the radially inner ring that overlaps with at least a portion of the at least one raceway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Fausto Baracca, Andrea A. Bertolini
  • Publication number: 20240288112
    Abstract: A support assembly (10) for a rotatable element. The support assembly (10) has a frame (20) provided with a mounting seat (20a) and a bearing unit (30) arranged inside the mounting seat. The bearing unit (30) is provided with a stationary radially outer ring (31) delimited radially on the outside by a respective spherical surface (31?). The frame (20) is provided with a liner (40) of elastomeric material, co-molded on the seat (20a). The liner (40) is radially interposed between the seat (20a) of the frame (20) and the spherical surface (31?) of the radially outer ring (31).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Fausto BARACCA, Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Alessio NEBBIA COLOMBA
  • Publication number: 20240280141
    Abstract: A bearing unit (10) has a radially outer ring (31), a radially inner ring (33), an eccentric locking collar (40), a row of rolling bodies (32), and a sealing device (50). The sealing device (50) is arranged on the same side as the locking collar (40) and is interposed between the radially inner ring (33), the radially outer ring (31) and the locking collar (40). The sealing device (50) includes a metal shield (55) stably connected to the radially outer ring (31), and an elastomeric component (60) co-molded on the shield (55) in a radially inward direction. The elastomeric component (60) has a plurality of lips, of which at least one lip (64, 65) is in contact with the locking collar (40).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Fausto BARACCA, Pasquale FREZZA
  • Publication number: 20240271664
    Abstract: A bearing unit (10) has radially outer and inner rings (31), (33), rolling bodies (32), a cage (34) containing the rolling bodies, and two sealing devices (35) arranged axially on opposite sides of the bearing unit (10) and interposed between the radially inner ring (33) and the radially outer ring (31). Each sealing device (35) is provided with first shield (40) and a second shield (50). The first shield (40) is sealed, axially inwards, against a support surface (31?) of the radially outer ring (31) and is stably inserted in a first seat (31a) of the radially outer ring (31). The second shield (50) is interference fitted on a radially outer surface (33a) of the radially inner ring (33) and axially outside the first shield (40). The first and second shields (40), (50) generate a tortuous path (P) therebetween to hinder the ingress of contaminants into the bearing unit (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea A. BERTOLINI, Pasquale FREZZA, Renato BERTI
  • Publication number: 20240255029
    Abstract: A bearing unit includes a radially outer ring, a radially inner ring, and a sealing device. The inner ring includes a first radially outer surface formed, a second radially outer surface adjacent to the first, and a radial step connecting the radially outer surfaces. The sealing device includes a shaped shield mounted on the outer ring and an elastomer lining the shaped shield. The elastomer lining includes at least three radial contacting lips. A first, axially outer most radial contacting lip is in sliding contact with the first radially outer surface of the inner ring, a second, axially inner most radial contacting lip is in sliding contact with the second radially outer surface of the inner ring, and a third radial contacting lip positioned between the first and second radial contacting lips and in sliding contact with the second radially outer surface of the inner ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Pasquale Frezza, Andrea A. Bertolini, Renato Berti
  • Publication number: 20240209896
    Abstract: A support assembly includes a casing having an internal assembly seat and a cylindrical seat formed on an axially inner side of the internal assembly seat, a bearing unit mounted within the internal assembly seat of the casing and including a stationary radially outer ring inserted in the assembly seat of the casing and comprising an axially internal annular surface and a rotating radially inner ring. A sealing device interposed between the two rings includes a first shield interference fitted onto a radially outer surface of the radially inner ring and a second shield arranged on an axially inner side of the first shield and interference fit onto the cylindrical seat of the casing. A spacer is positioned axially between the radially outer ring and the second shield, and may be formed separately from or integrally with the second shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea A. Bertolini, Alessio Nebbia Colomba, Renato Berti