Patents by Inventor Soichiro Kato

Soichiro Kato 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: 20040228551
    Abstract: In a linear guide apparatus including an axially extending guide rail, a slider engaged with the guide rail, and a plurality of rolling elements loaded into the slider, the linear guide apparatus further includes a sealing device fixed to the slider in slidable contact with the guide rail for sealing a clearance existing between the guide rail and the slider, in which the sealing device includes: a lubricant-containing polymer member formed of a synthetic resin containing a lubricant, and having a contact portion contacting with the guide rail to surround the guide rail, both wing portions, a connecting portion connecting the wing portions to be C-shaped substantially, and a pair of first recesses formed in the respective wing portions for fixing the lubricant-containing polymer member to the slider; a first plate member fitted to the lubricant-containing polymer member opposed to the slider; and a pair of first cylindrical members inserted to the respective first recesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Tsukada, Yutaka Igarashi, Soichiro Kato, Toshikazu Yabe, Fumio Ueki
  • Patent number: 6813968
    Abstract: In a ball screw device comprising a screw shaft and a nut which make relative movement to each other through a multiplicity of balls, as well as in a linear motion device comprising an outer member and an inner member which make the relative movements to each other through the multiplicity of balls, a spacer having two concave surfaces facing respectively to balls, is disposed between the balls adjacent to each other. A section of each of the concave surfaces of the spacer is formed of two circular arcs of which central positions deviate from each other to form a Gothic arch. The spacer has such a configuration that the balls adjacent to each other come into contact with outer edges thereof or portions vicinal to the outer edges. The spacer also has such a configuration that the balls adjacent to each other come into contact with at least three or more outer edge portions thereof or portions vicinal to the outer edges. The spacer may have a through-hole formed in a thinnest portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Miyaguchi, Tsutomu Ohkubo, Takeshi Nakazawa, Shirouji Yabe, Soichiro Kato, Nobumitsu Takahashi, Ryouichi Sato, Hiroki Yamaguchi, Yoshinori Mizumura
  • Publication number: 20040213485
    Abstract: A linear guide apparatus has: a guide rail; a slider including a slider body; and a pair of end caps; a guide groove guiding the arm portions of the separators in a circulation direction of the cylindrical rollers when the cylindrical rollers circulate through the pair of the rolling element rolling grooves, the direction change paths, and the rolling element path; and separators each having: a separator body; and an arm portion integrally formed on the separator body, wherein a width of the guide groove is larger than that of the arm portions, the width of the guide groove in a region of each of the direction change paths is larger than that in a region where the cylindrical rollers linearly move, and end portions of each of the arm portions are Chamfered and directed in the circulation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Soichiro Kato, Wei Xu
  • Publication number: 20040190801
    Abstract: A separator for use in a linear guide having a guide rail, a slider disposed on the guide rail so as to move relatively each other, and a plurality of roller-shaped rolling elements incorporated in the slider, the separator has a separator main body having, on both sides in a front and rear direction thereof, recessed surface sections which contact circumferential sections of the rolling elements; and at least a pair of arm sections provided parallel to each other on both sides of the separator main body while being oriented in the same direction, wherein a length of the arm section is equal or shorter than a distance between centers of two adjacent rolling elements with the separator main body sandwiched therebetween, with respect to a lateral direction of the separator main-body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Soichiro Kato, Masaru Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20040149059
    Abstract: A ring-like lubricant supply device 6 is fitted into a recess 4 of a nut member 2. The lubricant supply device 6 contains a lubricant and is formed in an outer peripheral surface with notches 7. Tubular members 8 each having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the notch 7 are inserted into the notches, pushing and widening the notches 7 in a circumferential direction. One end of the tubular member 8 is fitted into a recess 9b of a retaining ring 9 and the retaining ring 9 is fixed to a nut member 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Tsukada, Soichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 6752245
    Abstract: A ring-like lubricant supply device 6 is fitted into a recess 4 of a nut member 2. The lubricant supply device 6 contains a lubricant and is formed in an outer peripheral surface with notches 7. Tubular members 8 each having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the notch 7 are inserted into the notches, pushing and widening the notches 7 in a circumferential direction. One end of the tubular member 8 is fitted into a recess 9b of a retaining ring 9 and the retaining ring 9 is fixed to a nut member 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tsukada, Soichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 6672764
    Abstract: In a linear guide apparatus including an axially extending guide rail, a slider engaged with the guide rail, and a plurality of rolling elements loaded into the slider, the linear guide apparatus further includes a sealing device fixed to the slider in slidable contact with the guide rail for sealing a clearance existing between the guide rail and the slider, in which the sealing device includes a lubricant-containing polymer member formed of a synthetic resin containing a lubricant, and having a contact portion contacting with the guide rail to surround the guide rail, both wing portions, a connecting portion connecting the wing portions to be C-shaped substantially, and a pair of first recesses formed in the respective wing portions for fixing the lubricant-containing polymer member to the slider; a first plate member fitted to the lubricant-containing polymer member opposed to the slider; and a pair of first cylindrical members inserted to the respective first recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tsukada, Yutaka Igarashi, Soichiro Kato, Toshikazu Yabe, Fumio Ueki
  • Patent number: 6655839
    Abstract: A linear guide device in which a rate of change expressed as “Dmax−Dmin”, becomes extremely small where Dmax and Dmin are respectively a local maximum and a local minimum of D, expressed as (dx2−dx1)/dx, which is produced when a steel ball B moves a distance corresponding to a rolling element-to-rolling element span, dx1 is a minute movement quantity of a steel ball B when it moves from one space defined between rolling element rolling grooves 3 and 31 of an element endless circulating raceway 7, to one of curved element circulating R parts 6, and dx2 is a minute movement quantity of another steel ball B when it moves from the other curved element circulating R part 6 to the space while the former steel ball is moved by the minute movement quantity dx1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamaguchi, Ryoichi Sato, Shinichi Kasuga, Kenji Kano, Soichiro Kato, Nobuaki Fujimura
  • Publication number: 20030198409
    Abstract: Disclosed is a linear guide device in which a rate of change expressed as “Dmax−Dmin”, becomes extremely small where Dmax and Dmin are respectively a local maximum and a local minimum of D, expressed as (dx2−dx1)/dx, which is produced when a steel ball B moves a distance corresponding to a rolling element-to-rolling element span, dx1 is a minute movement quantity of a steel ball B when it moves from one space defined between rolling element rolling grooves 3 and 31 of an element endless circulating raceway 7, to one of curved element circulating R parts 6, and dx2 is a minute movement quantity of another steel ball B when it moves from the other curved element circulating R part 6 to the space while the former steel ball is moved by the minute movement quantity dx1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamaguchi, Ryoichi Sato, Shinichi Kasuga, Kenji Kano, Soichiro Kato, Nobuaki Fujimura
  • Publication number: 20030194160
    Abstract: A linear guide device includes: a plurality of rolling elements; a guide rail extending in an axial direction thereof and including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves in two side portions thereof, said rolling groove extending in an axial direction of the guide rail; a slider including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves respectively opposed to said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail, said slider being supported on said guide rail in such a manner that said slider is movable along the axial direction of said guide rail through the rolling movements of said rolling elements respectively inserted between said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail and said rolling element rolling grooves of said slider, said slider including a rolling element endless circulation track along which said rolling elements are allowed to circulate endlessly; and a plurality of separators, each interposed between said adjoining rolling elements in the circulation direction of said ro
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Shiroji Yabe, Soichiro Kato, Nobumitsu Takahashi, Ryoichi Sato, Yoshinori Mizumura, Hiroki Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20030188593
    Abstract: The linear guide apparatus includes a guide rail 3 including a rolling body rolling groove 8 and a friction apply unit 6 assembled to the guide rail 3. The friction apply unit 6 includes a unit main body 15, a brake member 16, an oil pressure cylinder 17 and a plate spring 32. The brake member 16 is disposed so as to face the side surface 3a of the guide rail 3 and can be contacted with the other portions of the side surface 3a than the rolling body rolling groove 8 thereof. The oil pressure cylinder 17 includes a piston member 20 which is structured to be driven in a positive direction to thereby press the brake member 16 against the side surface 3a of the guide rail 3 and also the piston member 20 can be driven in the opposite direction to thereby remove the pressure of the brake member 16 from the side surface 3a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Akiyama, Soichiro Kato, Shinya Nakamura, Shiroji Yabe
  • Publication number: 20030187070
    Abstract: A fill liquid composition for capsules is produced by mixing ibuprofen, polyethylene glycol, water and terpenoid selected from menthol, limonene, borneol, dl-camphor, peppermint oil and so forth, and optionally one or more agents selected from antipyretic analgesic, anti-histamine, antitussive, expectorant, sympathetic nerve stimulant, central stimulant, hypnotic sedative and antiphlogistic, and solubilizing agent, viscous agent, pH adjuster, coloring agent, and the like, in order to exhibit the effects that the prevention of bitterness of ibuprofen and the quick-activeness of ibuprofen are consistently achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Soichiro Kato, Katsuyuki Tsumori, Yasuo Shinoda, Toshio Inagi
  • Publication number: 20030128901
    Abstract: A linear-motion device has: a linear-motion element fitted on a shaft which moves straight along the shaft; a plurality of balls which are retained in a ball groove formed on the inner side of the linear-motion element and roll over between the ball groove and the shaft; a separator interposed between the balls; and, a circulating path formed in the linear-motion element through which the balls are circulated from one end of the ball groove to the other, which is filled with a grease, wherein the separator is a formed product comprising as a resin component a polybutylene naphthalate-based elastomer formed by a hard segment made of a polybutylene naphthalate and a soft segment made of a polycondensate of 2,6-naphthalanedicarboxylic acid with a polytetramethylene ether glycol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Yabe, Soichiro Kato, Hiroki Yamaguchi, Tatsunobu Momono, Juntaro Sahara, Hirotoshi Aramaki
  • Publication number: 20030123762
    Abstract: A linear guide rail has: a rail body, straight-line ball rolling grooves being formed in surfaces of the rail body by form rolling, wherein curved corners are formed at joint portions between the surfaces of the rail body and the ball rolling grooves, the curved corners connecting smoothly the surface of the rail body to that of the ball rolling grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Soichiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20030091248
    Abstract: A linear guide apparatus has a guide rail including rolling element rolling grooves formed in the side surfaces thereof so as to extend in the axial direction thereof; a slider including rolling element rolling grooves respectively opposed to the rolling element rolling grooves of the guide rail and mounted on the guide rail so as to be movable in the axial direction with respect to the guide rail; and, a plurality of rolling elements rollably interposed between the rolling element rolling grooves of the guide rail and the rolling element rolling grooves of the slider, wherein each of the portions, where the groove surfaces of the rolling element rolling grooves of either the guide rail or the slider and the outer surfaces thereof cross each other, is formed as a curved surface, whereby the groove surface and the outer surface are allowed to continue smoothly with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Soichiro Kato, Nobushide Kurachi
  • Patent number: 6561049
    Abstract: The linear guide apparatus includes a guide rail 3 including a rolling body rolling groove 8 and a friction apply unit 6 assembled to the guide rail 3. The friction apply unit 6 includes a unit main body 15, a brake member 16, an oil pressure cylinder 17 and a plate spring 32. The brake member 16 is disposed so as to face the side surface 3a of the guide rail 3 and can be contacted with the other portions of the side surface 3a than the rolling body rolling groove 8 thereof. The oil pressure cylinder 17 includes a piston member 20 which is structured to be driven in a positive direction to thereby press the brake member 16 against the side surface 3a of the guide rail 3 and also the piston member 20 can be driven in the opposite direction to thereby remove the pressure of the brake member 16 from the side surface 3a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Akiyama, Soichiro Kato, Shinya Nakamura, Shiroji Yabe
  • Patent number: 6550968
    Abstract: In a linear guide apparatus including an axially extending guide rail, a slider engaged with the guide rail, and a plurality of rolling elements loaded into the slider, the linear guide apparatus further includes a sealing device fixed to the slider in slidable contact with the guide rail for sealing a clearance existing between the guide rail and the slider, in which the sealing device includes a lubricant-containing polymer member formed of a synthetic resin containing a lubricant, and having a contact portion contacting with the guide rail to surround the guide rail, both wing portions, a connecting portion connecting the wing portions to be C-shaped substantially, and a pair of first recesses formed in the respective wing portions for fixing the lubricant-containing polymer member to the slider; a first plate member fitted to the lubricant-containing polymer member opposed to the slider; and a pair of first cylindrical members inserted to the respective first recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tsukada, Yutaka Igarashi, Soichiro Kato, Toshikazu Yabe, Fumio Ueki
  • Publication number: 20030062227
    Abstract: A friction applying apparatus and a linear guide apparatus having the same, according to the present invention can uniformly contact allover contacting faces of sliding members to the contacted members so as to reduce abrasion in the sliding members and the contacted members, and may maintain appropriate frictional force and precision. In the friction applying apparatus forcing the sliding members moving along guide rails for generating friction, the sliding member is made of a material having elastic modulus being 5000 MPa or less and Vickers hardness being 400 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Soichiro Kato, Masaru Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20030061893
    Abstract: In a ball screw device comprising a screw shaft and a nut which make relative movement to each other through a multiplicity of balls, as well as in a linear motion device comprising an outer member and an inner member which make the relative movements to each other through the multiplicity of balls, a spacer having two concave surfaces facing respectively to balls, is disposed between the balls adjacent to each other. A section of each of the concave surfaces of the spacer is formed of two circular arcs of which central positions deviate from each other to form a Gothic arch. The spacer has such a configuration that the balls adjacent to each other come into contact with outer edges thereof or portions vicinal to the outer edges. The spacer also has such a configuration that the balls adjacent to each other come into contact with at least three or more outer edge portions thereof or portions vicinal to the outer edges. The spacer may have a through-hole formed in a thinnest portion thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Miyaguchi, Tsutomu Ohkubo, Takeshi Nakazawa, Shirouji Yabe, Soichiro Kato, Nobumitsu Takahashi, Ryouichi Sato, Hiroki Yamaguchi, Yoshinori Mizumura
  • Publication number: 20030039413
    Abstract: In a linear guide apparatus including an axially extending guide rail, a slider engaged with the guide-rail, and a plurality of rolling elements loaded into the slider, the linear guide apparatus further includes a sealing device fixed to the slider in slidable contact with the guide rail for sealing a clearance existing between the guide rail and the slider, in which the sealing device includes a lubricant-containing polymer member formed of a synthetic resin containing a lubricant, and having a contact portion contacting with the guide rail to surround the guide rail, both wing portions, a connecting portion connecting the wing portions to be C-shaped substantially, and a pair of first recesses formed in the respective wing portions for fixing the lubricant-containing polymer member to the slider; a first plate member fitted to the lubricant-containing polymer member opposed to the slider; and a pair of first cylindrical members inserted to the respective first recesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Tsukada, Yutaka Igarashi, Soichiro Kato, Toshikazu Yabe, Fumio Ueki