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).

  • Patent number: 9897141
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Masaharu Yoshida, Takaaki Tsuboi, Katsuaki Nakano, Akitomo Mine
  • Patent number: 9714678
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuguyoshi Nara, Hideki Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20170130771
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Hideki KUWABARA, Katsuharu YOSHIDA, Takaaki TSUBOI, Katsuaki NAKANO, Akitomo MINE
  • Publication number: 20160281777
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Tsuguyoshi NARA, Hideki KUWABARA
  • Patent number: 9243665
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Go Kamon
  • Patent number: 9169867
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Shunsuke Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20150219151
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Hideki KUWABARA, Shunsuke KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150086140
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hideki KUWABARA, Go KAMON
  • Patent number: 8801289
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Yoshihiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8585288
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Ryouichi Satake
  • Patent number: 8465206
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kondo, Hideki Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8206036
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20120051676
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON THOMPSON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi KONDO, Hideki KUWABARA
  • Patent number: 7927016
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 7909512
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Masatoshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 7862234
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Shigeki Kakei
  • Publication number: 20100329595
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Ryouichi Satake
  • Patent number: 7832929
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toyohisa Ishihara, Hideki Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 7832930
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Geka, Hideki Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 7780356
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kuwabara, Shigeki Kakei