Patents by Inventor Hideki Kuwabara
Hideki Kuwabara 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).
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Patent number: 9897141Abstract: A curvilinear motion rolling guide unit is such that pipe members adapted to form return passages are disposed respectively at undercuts of wings of an arcuate casing, thereby reducing working costs. A slider has a casing and end caps fixed to respective opposite ends of the casing. Pipe members adapted to form return passages are disposed at the respective undercuts formed on the wings of the casing. Cover members have longitudinally extending grooves, respectively, for covering the pipe members. Fitting grooves formed at opposite ends of the grooves of the cover members are fitted to direction changing passages provided in the respective end caps, whereby the cover members are fixed to the end caps.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTDInventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Masaharu Yoshida, Takaaki Tsuboi, Katsuaki Nakano, Akitomo Mine
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Patent number: 9714678Abstract: A slider is composed of four components except for rolling elements. A slider moving relatively to a guide rail is composed of a carriage having raceway grooves, a circulator to make a return passage and insert nuts to fit into through-holes in the circulator. Engaging parts of the carriage makes fit-engagement with holes in the circulator to make snap-fit between the carriage and the circulator to fasten them each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2016Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.Inventors: Tsuguyoshi Nara, Hideki Kuwabara
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Publication number: 20170130771Abstract: A curvilinear motion rolling guide unit is such that pipe members adapted to form return passages are disposed respectively at undercuts of wings of an arcuate casing, thereby reducing working costs. A slider has a casing and end caps fixed to respective opposite ends of the casing. Pipe members adapted to form return passages are disposed at the respective undercuts formed on the wings of the casing. Cover members have longitudinally extending grooves, respectively, for covering the pipe members. Fitting grooves formed at opposite ends of the grooves of the cover members are fitted to direction changing passages provided in the respective end caps, whereby the cover members are fixed to the end caps.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2016Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Hideki KUWABARA, Katsuharu YOSHIDA, Takaaki TSUBOI, Katsuaki NAKANO, Akitomo MINE
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Publication number: 20160281777Abstract: A slider is composed of four components except for rolling elements. A slider moving relatively to a guide rail is composed of a carriage having raceway grooves, a circulator to make a return passage and insert nuts to fit into through-holes in the circulator. Engaging parts of the carriage makes fit-engagement with holes in the circulator to make snap-fit between the carriage and the circulator to fasten them each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Tsuguyoshi NARA, Hideki KUWABARA
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Patent number: 9243665Abstract: A linear motion guide unit makes application of lubricant around rolling elements at the turnaround passage to accomplish securely the maintenance-free lubrication over a prolonged period of time. A lubricant reservoir plate of porous compact is composed of a lubricant reservoir major body impregnated with lubricant and an applicator nose which is different in the molded density from the lubricant reservoir major body. The lubricant reservoir plate impregnated with lubricant is composed of the lubricant reservoir major body installed in a recess made in the end cap and the applicator nose extends through a slot of the turnaround passage to expose itself to the turnaround passage to make application of lubricant around the rolling elements.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Go Kamon
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Patent number: 9169867Abstract: A sleeve fits in a through-hole in a carriage to provide a return passage which makes sure of both the flexibility and the stiffness of the sleeve. The sleeve is constituted with fore and aft circular ends, a pair of columns and a pair of flexible columns lying lengthwise between the fore and aft circular ends to guide the roller, lengthwise slits lying between the flexible columns and the columns, and complementary ends made on the terminals of the fore and aft circular ends. The flexible columns have raised lands having curved outer surfaces, and recessions flanked by the raised lands and having rolling wall surfaces or the return passage. The raised lands and the recessions are arranged alternately in the lengthwise direction of the sleeve to give the sleeve the capability of elastic deformation.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2015Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Shunsuke Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20150219151Abstract: A sleeve fits in a through-hole in a carriage to provide a return passage which makes sure of both the flexibility and the stiffness of the sleeve. The sleeve is constituted with fore and aft circular ends, a pair of columns and a pair of flexible columns lying lengthwise between the fore and aft circular ends to guide the roller, lengthwise slits lying between the flexible columns and the columns, and complementary ends made on the terminals of the fore and aft circular ends. The flexible columns have raised lands having curved outer surfaces, and recessions flanked by the raised lands and having rolling wall surfaces or the return passage. The raised lands and the recessions are arranged alternately in the lengthwise direction of the sleeve to give the sleeve the capability of elastic deformation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2015Publication date: August 6, 2015Inventors: Hideki KUWABARA, Shunsuke KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20150086140Abstract: A linear motion guide unit makes application of lubricant around rolling elements at the turnaround passage to accomplish securely the maintenance-free lubrication over a prolonged period of time. A lubricant reservoir plate of porous compact is composed of a lubricant reservoir major body impregnated with lubricant and an applicator nose which is different in the molded density from the lubricant reservoir major body. The lubricant reservoir plate impregnated with lubricant is composed of the lubricant reservoir major body installed in a recess made in the end cap and the applicator nose extends through a slot of the turnaround passage to expose itself to the turnaround passage to make application of lubricant around the rolling elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Hideki KUWABARA, Go KAMON
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Patent number: 8801289Abstract: A circular sleeve is disclosed which fits into a lengthwise bore in a slider to provide a return passage to make sure of smooth rolling in a slider downsized or compact in length. The sleeve is inserted with leaving circular clearances inside the lengthwise bore in the slider. The sleeve has a bridged beam portion and cantilevered beam portions all of which may undergo elastic deformation under urging or impact force caused by rollers while rolling through the return passage. The bridged beam portion is flanked by support beam portions forming the outside circular surface of the sleeve and the cantilevered beam portions are fastened at their inward ends to a middle support beam portion and freed at their outside ends to bend or warp.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2012Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Yoshihiro Yoshida
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Patent number: 8585288Abstract: The sliding mechanism including rolling elements 3 as a main element is protected against entry of foreign substances. First, second auxiliary lips 14, 15 are formed in positions on inclined faces 9b formed on lips 9 of end seals S facing and making contact with end faces of sealing members 4, 5. Gaps 10, 11 otherwise formed between different levels of the end faces of the sealing members 4, 5 and the inclined faces 9b of the lips 9, are closed with the first, second auxiliary lips 14, 15. Since the gaps 10, 11 are thus closed, foreign substances do not enter the sliding mechanism M through the gaps 10, 11.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2010Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Ryouichi Satake
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Patent number: 8465206Abstract: In a slider of a linear motion guide unit, a carriage in the slider is cut away at undersides thereof to form concaves in which tubular members defining return passages therein are placed. This is in favor of reduced machining cost. The slider is composed of the carriage having an upper portion and side bulges, end caps secured on ends of the carriage, and tubular members installed closely outside the bulges of the carriage in the sliding direction. Sidewise underparts of the carriage is cut away to provide the concaves into which the tubular members fit with tube ends being kept in spigots which communicate with turnaround passages in the end caps.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2011Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masatoshi Kondo, Hideki Kuwabara
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Patent number: 8206036Abstract: A linear motion rolling guide unit, which has underside seals prevented from falling off a slider, comprises a slider having a pair of end caps secured at ends of a casing, and underside seals provided between the pair of end caps having engaging projections. Insertion holes are formed in the underside seals and engaged with the engaging projections to secure the underside seals to the slider. Fallout-inhibiting protrusions are provided at ends of each underside seal in the longitudinal direction. The slider has holding portions each having a hole or a recess into which each of the fallout-inhibiting protrusions is inserted when the underside seal is secured to the slider. A gap is maintained between the holding portion having the hole or the recess and the outer periphery of the fallout-inhibiting protrusion.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideki Kuwabara
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Publication number: 20120051676Abstract: In a slider of a linear motion guide unit, a carriage in the slider is cut away at undersides thereof to form concaves in which tubular members defining return passages therein are placed. This is in favor of reduced machining cost. The slider is composed of the carriage having an upper portion and side bulges, end caps secured on ends of the carriage, and tubular members installed closely outside the bulges of the carriage in the sliding direction. Sidewise underparts of the carriage is cut away to provide the concaves into which the tubular members fit with tube ends being kept in spigots which communicate with turnaround passages in the end caps.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2011Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.Inventors: Masatoshi KONDO, Hideki KUWABARA
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Patent number: 7927016Abstract: A slider for a linear motion rolling guide unit can ensure a smooth rolling movement and a reliable lubricating capability and eliminate the need for accurate dimension control to reduce the manufacturing costs. A turning corner 9 in an end cap 2 is made up of a pair of arced paths 9c connecting with a rolling path in the casing 1, and a straight path 9d providing a connection between the arced paths 9c and extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the rolling path. The lubricating member A mounted in the end cap 2 has a lubricating face 18a exposed to the linear path 9d, and maintains a relation of the lubricating face 18a intersecting the outer peripheral faces of the arced paths 9c. A recessed area 19 is formed between the outer peripheral face of each arced path and the lubricating face 18a in a surplus length region extending outward from the intersection between the lubricating face 18a and the outer peripheral face of the arced path 9c.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2008Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideki Kuwabara
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Patent number: 7909512Abstract: A lubricating member is capable of being used in any type of linear motion rolling guide unit and of appropriately lubricating raceway faces over a long period. The lubricating member used in a linear motion rolling guide unit comprises a body 4 impregnated with a lubricant and being in contact with raceway faces of a rail to supply the lubricant to the raceway faces. The body 4 comprises either a single or a plurality of embedding portions 8 having either a recess or a hole. A saturation holding member 9 is embedded in the embedded portion 8. The saturation holding member 9 holds a larger amount of lubricant per unit volume than the body 4 holds the amount of lubricant, and has a relationship ensuring that it has a force sucking the lubricant equal to or smaller than that the body 4 has.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2008Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Masatoshi Kondo
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Patent number: 7862234Abstract: Lubrication points of lubricant around a rolling element are made in a turnaround passage to ensure proper and steady lubrication by the lubrication system simple in construction, with accompanying sustainable maintenance-free condition for lubrication. The end cap has a recess as large as permitted and a hole to communicate the recess with the turnaround passage. A porous compact is composed a thick block to fit into a deep cavity in the recess, a nose leading lubricant in the turnaround passage, and a conjunctive part between the thick block and the nose. The porous compact fits snugly into the recess in a fashion that the nose comes into rolling-touch at its tip with the rollers as they roll through the turnaround passage.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2007Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Shigeki Kakei
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Publication number: 20100329595Abstract: The sliding mechanism including rolling elements 3 as a main element is protected against entry of foreign substances. First, second auxiliary lips 14, 15 are formed in positions on inclined faces 9b formed on lips 9 of end seals S facing and making contact with end faces of sealing members 4, 5. Gaps 10, 11 formed between different levels of the end faces of the sealing members 4, 5 and the inclined faces 9b of the lips 9 are filled with the first, second auxiliary lips 14, 15. Since the gaps 10, 11 are thus filled, foreign substances do not enter the sliding mechanism M through the gaps 10, 11.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2010Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Ryouichi Satake
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Patent number: 7832929Abstract: An end cap in the present linear motion guide unit is made up of an end cap major part and a spacer part, which, once assembled, define a turnaround passage between them to make sure of smooth running of the rolling elements. Especially, the turnaround passage in the end cap when viewed in the sliding direction of the slider is constituted with a curved route whose radius of curvature is constant, which extends from a center (Ok) of a load race to a center (Or) of a return passage, with making a detour to clear an upper edge of a track rail. A carriage of the slider has widthwise opposing return passages lying biased more sidewise inwards or center-ward than load races so as to make an interval or span (Pr) between the return passages less than a sidewise interval or span (Pk) between the load races. The curved route whose radius of curvature is constant, when viewed in the sliding direction of the slider, is arced over a semicircular range of 180 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2006Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toyohisa Ishihara, Hideki Kuwabara
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Patent number: 7832930Abstract: An interlocking construction between an end cap and a retainer plate to support rollers in a load-carrying race is made to provide an endless circulating circuit with no gap to allow the rollers smoothly rolling through there with keeping adequate posture. The slider has a carriage, end caps, rollers rolling through a circulating circuit, a retainer plate extending along the load-carrying race to keep the rollers inside the load-carrying race, and a binding strip to fasten the retainer plate to the carriage. The retainer plate comes into connection with spigots extending out of the end caps. Lengthwise opposite ends of the retainer plate conform to ends of the spigots in a complementary relation to fit over the ends of the spigots in a sliding direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshiaki Geka, Hideki Kuwabara
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Patent number: 7780356Abstract: A slider for a linear motion rolling guide unit can ensure a smooth rolling movement and a reliable lubricating capability and eliminate the need for accurate dimension control to reduce the manufacturing costs. A lubricating member A has a lubricating face 20 exposed on an outer peripheral face of a turning corner 10 in an end cap 2. The rolling elements 11 are lubricated by making contact with the lubricating face 20 while rolling through the turning corner. The lubricating face 20, exposed on the arced face 10b of the turning corner, and the outer peripheral face of the turning corner maintain the relation of crossing each other at two intersections. The lubricating face 20 is longer than the distance between the two intersections. Recessed areas 21 are formed between the outer peripheral face of the turning corner 10 and the lubricating face 20 in the surplus length regions.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Shigeki Kakei