Patents by Inventor Hidekazu Michioka

Hidekazu Michioka 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).

  • Publication number: 20030059135
    Abstract: The present invention provides a track rail mounting structure of a rectilinear guide apparatus comprising a track rail having a rotating/running surface where a plenty of rotating/running bodies rotate and run; an endless circulation route for guiding the plenty of rotating/running bodies; and a slider movably arranged with respect to the track rail via the rotating/running bodies; wherein a base where the track rail is mounted has a groove for inserting a bottom portion of the track rail, so that the bottom portion of the track rail is inserted into the groove, and a pressure member is provided for pressing at least one side surface of the track rail toward an inner side surface of the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Hidekazu Michioka, Genjirou Ise, Hiroaki Kishi
  • Patent number: 6524003
    Abstract: A linear motion guiding apparatus comprises a guide rail provided with a ball running groove, and a movable block movably arranged along the guide rail through balls. The movable block is provided with a ball running counter-groove, a ball returning passage arranged away from the ball running counter-groove and direction changing passages for connecting these members. A resin-formed body for forming a ball circulation passage comprises a pair of ball passage forming portions, a returning passage forming portion and a pair of direction changing passage-inner guide forming portions. The resin-formed body is separately formed from a body of the movable block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Katsuya Iida, Masahiro Yoshihashi, Hiroaki Mochizuki, Tadashi Hirokawa
  • Publication number: 20030035600
    Abstract: A rolling element interference preventer for a guide device prevents a number of rolling elements rolling at regular intervals in a continuous circulation path of the guide device from interfering with each other. The rolling element interference preventer is formed of a thermoplastic resin elastomer having a physical property in accordance with an expression, (A×B)÷C≧18, where A represents a 10% elongation stress, B represents a tensile strength, and C represents a bending modulus of elasticity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Katsuya Iida, Tomozumi Murata, Yoshiyuki Honjyo
  • Patent number: 6510660
    Abstract: A damping device receiving viscous fluid in an annular gap between a housing and a rotary member within the housing and converting a dynamic energy of the rotary member into a thermal energy is provided. The damping device is constructed to make it possible to move a sealing unit for sealing the annular gap in response to a pressure of the viscous fluid, to change the volume of the annular gap to suppress an adverse affect concomitant with the pressure increase of the viscous fluid to the sealing unit and to enhance reliability and durability of the damping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Masashi Konomoto, Masahiro Yoshihashi, Yoshihito Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20020184768
    Abstract: There are provided a spherical bearing and a method for manufacturing the same, in which both of a ball bearing section and a ball section made of metal can make light and smooth swinging and rotary motions for a long period of time without biased wear and seize-up of those members even if the solid bodies of them can contact with each other due to a discontinuous oil film under a heavy load. A resin liner that contacts the ball section of the inner member in a sliding relationship is embedded in the ball bearing section, and a resin sliding contact surface provided by the resin liner and the metal sliding surface are adjacent to each other without any gap to form a sliding contact surface at the bearing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Applicant: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Junichi Kuwabara, Kunihisa Takahashi, Tomozumi Murata, Takashi Sakae, Mitsuhiro Teramachi, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Fumiaki Morita
  • Patent number: 6488411
    Abstract: The present invention offers a universal guide device capable of using the sliders of conventional straight guide devices intact. The universal guide device does not need a different slider for each different radius of track rail. The universal guide device can be manufactured at lower cost than heretofore. This universal guide device in accordance with the invention comprises a track rail and sliders mounted to the rail via balls circulating through endless circular paths. The rail has at least one straight region and at least one curved region shaped in an arc with a given radius of curvature. Each of the sliders is of saddlelike cross section. The sliders span the rail. The sliders have ball-rolling surfaces shaped linearly. The curved region of the rail is set narrower than the straight region of the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Hiroaki Mochizuki, Kaoru Hoshide, Minoru Kouchi
  • Publication number: 20020134622
    Abstract: This invention relates to a dust preventing structure of a guide unit comprising a track shaft and a sliding member engaging the track shaft via a plurality of rolling bodies such that it is capable of reciprocating in a length direction thereof. Elastic members in firm contact with the track shaft are overlaid in the length direction of the track shaft. A lubricant pocket forming member having a concave groove portion for forming a lubricant pocket constituted of the elastic members and filled with lubricant by a help of the surface of the track shaft as well is provided so as to achieve a smooth reciprocating motion of the sliding member with respect to the track shaft with less sliding friction. Particularly, under even a severe use condition in which use of coolant is required or dust, dirt, wooden pieces, cutting powder or the like falls on the guide unit, a smooth reciprocating motion of the sliding member with respect to the track shaft can be maintained in a long period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Yoshiaki Saitou, Yasuhide Katsumata, Mitsuaki Honma
  • Publication number: 20020112351
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing sliding bearings of the type in which a sliding guide surface is formed by using a resin liner, including fixing a thermosetting resin, which constitutes the resin liner, on the whole or a part of a sliding guide surface of a first member by an injection molding operation using the first member as a core, thereafter molding a second member, which covers a sliding guide surface of the first member, by a metal molding operation with the resin liner-fixed first member placed firmly as a core in a metal mold, and thermally curing the resin liner with the heat working on the sliding surface of the first member during the molding of this second member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Tomozumi Murata
  • Patent number: 6401867
    Abstract: A lubricant supplying unit preferable for a linear motion apparatus such as a linear guide unit and a ball screw unit, always capable of coating all rolling body rolling grooves formed on a track shaft with an equal amount of lubricant regardless of a difference in the mounting posture of the track shaft with respect to a fixing unit, is provided. A lubricant supplying system for achieving such an object comprises a casing fixed to the slide member, a plurality of coating pieces which are protruded from plural positions of the casing so that they are in contact with the track shaft for coating the track shaft with lubricant and a lubricant accommodating chamber provided in the casing for supplying lubricant to the coating piece, wherein the plurality of the coating pieces are divided to groups consisting of one or two or more adjacent coating pieces and the lubricant accommodating chambers is formed for each of the groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Mitsuaki Honma
  • Publication number: 20020067869
    Abstract: A guide apparatus includes a track rail having raceway surfaces for rolling elements formed longitudinally, a slider having a load raceway surface opposing the raceway surface and a return path for rolling elements disposed in parallel with the load raceway surface, and having paired reversal-of-direction paths completing an endless circulation path for rolling elements by connecting the load raceway surface with either end of the return path and is attached to the track rail to enable their relative movement, and plural rolling elements susceptible to load at a position between a load raceway surface of the slider and the raceway surface of the track rail and circulating in the endless circulation path. A step where the load raceway surface becomes lower than a sidewall surface at an inner diameter of the reversal-of-direction path is formed at a location where the reversal-of-direction path is connected to the load raceway surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Applicant: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Tomozumi Murata
  • Patent number: 6398656
    Abstract: A universal joint comprises a first rotation guide member, a second rotation guide member guided by the first rotation guide means to be rotatable, and a third rotation guide member guided by the second rotation guide member to be rotatable. The first, second and third rotation guide means being operatively connected through connection members so as to provide three degrees of rotational freedom. The first, second and third rotation guide members are preferably swiveling bearings having rotational center lines, respectively, which intersect each other at one point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Takasi Hatanaka, Tadashi Hirokawa
  • Publication number: 20020062705
    Abstract: A wiper ring to be applied to a nut of a ball screw having a screw shaft comprises a plurality of segments each constituted as independent element having a seal portion to be contacted to the screw shaft, support pins extending in an axial direction of the screw shaft so as to correspond to the segments, respectively, the segments being arranged in a circumferential direction of the screw shaft to be rotatable about the pins, the pins being connected to each other through support members so as to limit the relative movement of the respective pins, and a spring member for urging the segments arranged circumferential direction of the screw shaft so as to be directed towards radially central side of the screw shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Katsuya IIda, Tetsuhiro Nishide
  • Patent number: 6389673
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a curvilinear guide rail for guiding a moving body along a curved line having a given curvature, the bottom surface of a linear guide rail for guiding a moving body in a linear manner is pressed against a curved rail mounting surface formed with a given radius of curvature to thereby elastically deform the linear guide rail in a curvilinear manner, and the linear guide rail is then fixed to the rail mounting surface while the linear guide rail remains deformed elastically, thereby producing a curvilinear guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Masashi Konomoto
  • Publication number: 20020027044
    Abstract: This invention relates to a dust preventing structure of a guide unit comprising a track shaft and a sliding member engaging the track shaft via a plurality of rolling bodies such that it is capable of reciprocating in a length direction thereof. Elastic members in firm contact with the track shaft are overlaid in the length direction of the track shaft. A lubricant pocket forming member having a concave groove portion for forming a lubricant pocket constituted of the elastic members and filled with lubricant by a help of the surface of the track shaft as well is provided so as to achieve a smooth reciprocating motion of the sliding member with respect to the track shaft with less sliding friction. Particularly, under even a severe use condition in which use of coolant is required or dust, dirt, wooden pieces, cutting powder or the like falls on the guide unit, a smooth reciprocating motion of the sliding member with respect to the track shaft can be maintained in a long period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: ARENT FOX KINTNER PLOTKIN & KAHN PLLC
    Inventors: HIDEKAZU MICHIOKA, YOSHIAKI SAITOU, YASUHIDE KATSUMATA, MITSUAKI HONMA
  • Publication number: 20020028030
    Abstract: The present invention offers a universal guide device capable of using the sliders of conventional straight guide devices intact. The universal guide device does not need a different slider for each different radius of track rail. The universal guide device can be manufactured at lower cost than heretofore. This universal guide device in accordance with the invention comprises a track rail and sliders mounted to the rail via balls circulating through endless circular paths. The rail has at least one straight region and at least one curved region shaped in an arc with a given radius of curvature. Each of the sliders is of saddlelike cross section. The sliders span the rail. The sliders have ball-rolling surfaces shaped linearly. The curved region of the rail is set narrower than the straight region of the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Hiroaki Mochizuki, Kaoru Hoshide, Minoru Kouchi
  • Patent number: 6352367
    Abstract: A spacer for a linear motion apparatus is to be interposed alternately between balls arranged in an endless circulation passage of the linear motion apparatus. The spacer has a body portion comprising spherical retaining surface portions formed for supporting the balls on both end portions thereof in an advancing direction of the spacer when moving in the endless circulation passage and a circumferential surface portion constituting an outer peripheral portion of the spherical retaining surface portions. The spherical retaining surface portion has a radius of curvature smaller than a diameter of the ball and the circumferential surface portion is provided with a groove extending in the circumferential direction thereof so that one of the spherical retaining surface portions is elastically deformable towards another one thereof. The spacer is preferably applicable to various kinds of linear motion apparatus. Further, rollers as rolling members may be utilized in place of the balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., LTD
    Inventors: Masashi Konomoto, Hidekazu Michioka
  • Publication number: 20020020238
    Abstract: A drive system comprises a track table comprising a flat portion, perpendicular side portions extending in parallel to each other along both lateral side edges of the flat portion and at least one partition section formed to the flat portion at a portion between the perpendicular side portions so as to extend in parallel to thereto, the movable tables fitted into a space between one of the perpendicular side portions and the partition section, the movable tables each having lateral side surfaces to which loaded ball rolling surfaces constituting ball circulation passages are formed so as to correspond to the ball rolling surfaces of the track table, a number of balls disposed and arranged in the ball circulation passages so as to circulate therein in accordance with relative movement between the track table and movable table, and a driving unit for driving the track table and the movable table relatively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Kenji Takahashi, Hidekazu Michioka, Hiroshi Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 6338573
    Abstract: The present invention offers a universal guide device capable of using the sliders of conventional straight guide devices intact. The universal guide device does not need a different slider for each different radius of track rail. The universal guide device can be manufactured at lower cost than normal. This universal guide device in accordance with the invention comprises a track rail and sliders mounted to the rail via balls circulating through endless circular paths. The rail has at least one straight region and at least one curved region shaped in an arc with a given radius of curvature. Each of the sliders is of saddlelike cross section. The sliders span the rail. The sliders have ball-rolling surfaces shaped linearly. The curved region of the rail is set narrower than the straight region of the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Hiroaki Mochizuki, Kaoru Hoshide, Minoru Kouchi
  • Publication number: 20010048775
    Abstract: A linear motion guiding apparatus comprises a guide rail provided with a ball running groove, and a movable block movably arranged along the guide rail through balls. The movable block is provided with a ball running counter-groove, a ball returning passage arranged away from the ball running counter-groove and direction changing passages for connecting these members. A resin-formed body for forming a ball circulation passage comprises a pair of ball passage forming portions, a returning passage forming portion and a pail of direction changing passage-inner guide forming portions. The resin-formed body is separately formed from a body of the movable block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Applicant: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Katsuya Iida, Masahiro Yoshihashi, Hiroaki Mochizuki, Tadashi Hirokawa
  • Publication number: 20010043767
    Abstract: There are provided a spherical bearing and a method for manufacturing the same, in which both of a ball bearing section and a ball section made of metal can make light and smooth swinging and rotary motions for a long period of time without biased wear and seize-up of those members even if the solid bodies of them can contact with each other due to a discontinuous oil film under a heavy load. A resin liner that contacts the ball section of the inner member in a sliding relationship is embedded in the ball bearing section, and a resin sliding contact surface provided by the resin liner and the metal sliding surface are adjacent to each other without any gap to form a sliding contact surface at the bearing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Junichi Kuwabara, Kunihisa Takahashi, Tomozumi Murata, Takashi Sakae, Mitsuhiro Teramachi, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Fumiaki Morita