Patents by Inventor Takeki Shirai

Takeki Shirai 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: 6712512
    Abstract: A rolling guide device including a track rail formed with a rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof; a movable rail formed with a loaded rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof so as to oppose the rolling member rolling surface of the track rail; a track rail side rolling member circulation passage formed in the track rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; a movable rail side rolling member circulation passage formed in the movable rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; and a number of rolling members disposed and arranged in the track rail side rolling member circulation passage and the movable rail side rolling member circulation passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramach, Takeki Shirai, Kaoru Hoshide
  • Patent number: 6700228
    Abstract: A linear motor system for a driving apparatus comprises a first linear motor having a primary side to which either one of first and second movable elements which are relatively movable with respect to each other, and a secondary linear motor having a secondary side mounted to this one of first and second movable elements so as to extend in the relatively movable direction to be continuous to the primary side of the first linear motor. The second linear motor has a primary side mounted to another one of the first and second movable elements, and the first linear motor also has a secondary side mounted to the another one of the first and second movable elements so as to extend in the relatively movable direction to be continuous to the primary side of the second linear motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramachi, Takeki Shirai, Kaoru Hoshide
  • Publication number: 20030123951
    Abstract: A circulation member of a ball screw for circulating a ball rolling on a spiral ball rolling groove formed on a screw shaft comprises a central portion and a pair of leg portions disposed at both ends of the central portion so as to extend therefrom and so that free ends of the leg portions are disposed in the spiral ball rolling groove at different positions to thereby form a ball circulation passage. The leg portions have inner peripheries having center lines inclined in directions different from each other with respect to a center line of an inner periphery of the central portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Yasuyuki Abe, Hiroshi Niwa, Katsuya Iida, Toshiaki Kakuno, Takeki Shirai, Hironori Shoji
  • Publication number: 20030108255
    Abstract: A rolling guide device comprises: a track rail formed with a rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof; a movable rail formed with a loaded rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof so as to oppose to the rolling member rolling surface of the track rail; a track rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the track rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; a movable rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the movable rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; and a number of rolling members disposed and arranged in the track rail side rolling member circulation passage and the movable rail side rolling member circulation passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramach, Takeki Shirai, Kaoru Hoshide
  • Publication number: 20030103829
    Abstract: The present invention mainly aims to provide cutting method and cutting apparatus for manufacturing a guide rail of a rolling guide device by efficiently cut-working a long scale hardened steel. In order to achieve such object, there is provided a cutting method of linearly cutting a work surface (3) of the long scale hardened steel (2) along the longitudinal direction thereof. In this process, it is desired to arrange a plurality of CBN tools (7) along the longitudinal direction of the long scale hardened steel (2) to thereby sequentially cut the work surface (3). Furthermore, a cutting apparatus of the present invention comprises a fixing device (4) for fixing the long scale hardened steel (2), a tool rest (5) which is guided by a guide device (6) disposed along the longitudinal direction of the fixing device (4) and the CBN tool (7) cut-working the work surface (3) of the long scale hardened steel (2) held by the tool rest (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Suzuki, Takeki Shirai, Chandra Shekhar Sharuma
  • Patent number: 6558038
    Abstract: A rolling guide device comprises: a track rail formed with a rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof; a movable rail formed with a loaded rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof so as to oppose to the rolling member rolling surface of the track rail; a track rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the track rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; a movable rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the movable rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; and a number of rolling members disposed and arranged in the track rail side rolling member circulation passage and the movable rail side rolling member circulation passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramach, Takeki Shirai, Kaoru Hoshide
  • 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: 6513978
    Abstract: The present invention provides rolling element spacers used in a rolling guide unit provided with an endless circulating passage for balls; arranged with plural balls alternately therewith in the endless circulating passage; and circulated with these balls in the endless circulating passage. Each of the rolling element spacers has a pair of retaining seats which the balls contact, and is formed so that, on a ball cutting plane perpendicular to the center of rotation of each ball, each retaining seat and a relative ball contact each other at only the two portions of the retaining seat that are in the vicinity of both ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Hiroshi Niwa, Kentarou Nishimura, Yasuyuki Abe, Kiyomi Tamura
  • Publication number: 20020172436
    Abstract: A rolling guide apparatus includes a track rail having roller raceway surfaces and a roller circulation path including load roller raceway surfaces corresponding to the roller raceway surfaces, and plural rollers arranged and housed in the roller circulation paths and circulate in association with movement of a moving block relative to the track rail. Each roller has a ratio of approx. 1.5<L/Da<approx. 3. By setting the ratio of roller length to roller diameter to a value of approx. 1.5<L/Da, the basic static load rating of a rolling guide apparatus of roller type becomes greater than that of a rolling guide apparatus of ball type when the pieces of the apparatus are of same model. By setting the ratio to a value of L/Da<approx. 3, occurrence of skew is prevented without failure without involvement of rigorous dimensional control of the axial clearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Hiroaki Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 6478206
    Abstract: A method of forming a scribe line on a work surface is carried out by a scribing apparatus comprising a scribe body including an abutment member, such as cutter provided with an penetrator, having at least first and second ridgelines and a sharp tip end portion and a vibration generating member for periodically applying vibrations to the abutment member. A vibration is applied to the abutment member with the tip end portion thereof abutting against the work surface, and the scribe body is relatively moved along the work surface to thereby form a scribe line on the work surface. In this scribing method, a first angle constituted by the first ridgeline of the abutment member and the work surface and a second angle constituted by the second ridgeline thereof and the work surface are made different from each other and the first and second ridgelines are opposed in the moving direction of the scribe body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignees: THK Co., Ltd., Beldex Corporation
    Inventors: Gyo Shimotoyodome, Hirokazu Ishikawa, Takeki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20020090152
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball chain used by being integrated to, for example, a ball endless track of a linear guide device for endless sliding in which a number of balls are arranged in one row and rollably held, particularly to a ball chain which is most pertinent to a linear guide device having a ball rolling groove in a shape of a Gothic arch. According to the ball chain, the number of balls are arranged in one row and the balls are held rollably, each of the balls is pinched by a pair of spherical seats and the spherical seats are connected to each other by flange portions to thereby constitute a ball holding unit and a plurality of the ball holding units are connected in a shape of a rosary by a flexible connecting portion. Further, the spherical seats and the flange portions are molded by a resin material whereas the connecting portion is formed by a material having a tensile strength larger than that of the resin material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Shigeru Ebina, Mitsuaki Honma, Tomozumi Murata
  • Publication number: 20020079747
    Abstract: A linear motor system for a driving apparatus comprises a first linear motor having a primary side to which either one of first and second movable elements which are relatively movable with respect to each other, and a secondary linear motor having a secondary side mounted to this one of first and second movable elements so as to extend in the relatively movable direction to be continuous to the primary side of the first linear motor. The second linear motor has a primary side mounted to another one of the first and second movable elements, and the first linear motor also has a secondary side mounted to the another one of the first and second movable elements so as to extend in the relatively movable direction to be continuous to the primary side of the second linear motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramachi, Takeki Shirai, Kaoru Hoshide
  • Patent number: 6402381
    Abstract: A relative linear motion apparatus comprising: a first structure having at least a pair of inner wall surfaces opposing to each other; a second structure arranged between the pair of inner wall surfaces, the second structure being movable in linear motion relative to the first structure; at least two rectilinear guides arranged between the first structure and the second structure; and a displacement absorbing device arranged on at least one of the first structure and the second structure so as to allow at least one of the two rectilinear guides to move in a intersecting direction against the wall surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Tadashi Hirokawa, Akihiro Teramachi
  • Patent number: 6390678
    Abstract: The present invention provides a roller connector rotatably retaining a plurality of rollers arranged in a line and capable of being incorporated into an endless roller-circulation path of an endless sliding type linear guide unit and it also provides an improved linear guide unit using such roller connector. The roller connector comprises a plurality of rollers arranged in a row with the axes of rotation of the rollers being held parallel with one another, a plurality of spacers interposed between a plurality of rollers and each provided with a pair of concave seats with which each of the rollers comes into sliding contact and an elongate flexible connecting portion adapted to connect the spacers together and characterized in that the connecting portion is connected to the spacers at a position at which the outer peripheral surface of each of the rollers is divided into two substantially equal parts in the axial direction and that the connecting portion is provided only one side of the line of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20020050504
    Abstract: A method of forming a scribe line on a work surface is carried out by a scribing apparatus comprising a scribe body including an abutment member, such as cutter provided with an penetrator, having at least first and second ridgelines and a sharp tip end portion and a vibration generating member for periodically applying vibrations to the abutment member. A vibration is applied to the abutment member with the tip end portion thereof abutting against the work surface, and the scribe body is relatively moved along the work surface to thereby form a scribe line on the work surface. In this scribing method, a first angle constituted by the first ridgeline of the abutment member and the work surface and a second angle constituted by the second ridgeline thereof and the work surface are made different from each other and the first and second ridgelines are opposed in the moving direction of the scribe body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Applicant: THK CO.,LTD.,Tokyo-to.Japan and BELDEX CORPORATION Tokyo-to-Japan
    Inventors: Gyo Shimotoyodome, Hirokazu Ishikawa, Takeki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20020034346
    Abstract: There are provided a rail 10 in which a rolling member rolling surface 11 is formed along the longitudinal direction, a block 20 in which a loaded rolling member rolling surface 27 is formed in an opening 25 comprising a through hole, a plurality of balls 70 disposed and housed between the rolling member rolling surface 11 and the loaded rolling member rolling surface 27 which circulate according to the relative motion of the rail 10 and the block 20. A sectional shape at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the rail 10 and a sectional shape of the opening 25 are formed into a mutually geometrically similar longitudinal shape. The block 20 is a box type with high rigidity. A contact angle of the ball 70 can be optionally changed by changing the positions alone of the rolling member rolling surface 11 and the loaded rolling member rolling surface 27 to be machined on one type of the block 20 and the rail 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramachi, Masakazu Uesugi, Takeki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20020031285
    Abstract: The present invention provides rolling element spacers used in a rolling guide unit provided with an endless circulating passage for balls; arranged with plural balls alternately therewith in the endless circulating passage; and circulated with these balls in the endless circulating passage. Each of the rolling element spacers has a pair of retaining seats which the balls contact, and is formed so that, on a ball cutting plane perpendicular to the center of rotation of each ball, each retaining seat and a relative ball contact each other at only the two portions of the retaining seat that are in the vicinity of both ends thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Hiroshi Niwa, Kentarou Nishimura, Yasuyuki Abe, Kiyomi Tamura
  • Patent number: 6334370
    Abstract: A ball rolling groove 1c is defined in an inner peripheral surface of A ball screwed nut 1 by a rolling process, not by a grinding process so that a ball screwed nut having small diameters or large leads can be manufactured. The surface of the ball rolling groove 1c is finished to be sharp without concave and convex by a plastic working by the rolling process, so that the surface is less rough. By rolling the surface by the rolling process excellent in durability, the precision of R shape of the ball rolling groove 1c can be made excellent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sonoda, Takeki Shirai, Shigeru Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20010022868
    Abstract: A rolling guide device comprises: a track rail formed with a rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof; a movable rail formed with a loaded rolling member rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction thereof so as to oppose to the rolling member rolling surface of the track rail; a track rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the track rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; a movable rail side rolling member circulation passage formed to the movable rail so as to circulate the rolling members rolling between the track rail and the movable rail; and a number of rolling members disposed and arranged in the track rail side rolling member circulation passage and the movable rail side rolling member circulation passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Publication date: September 20, 2001
    Applicant: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramach, Takeki Shirai, Kaoru Hoshide
  • Patent number: 6286383
    Abstract: This invention relates to improvement of a ball screw unit in which a nut member meshes with a screw shaft via a plurality of balls circulating endlessly. The balls are disposed freely rotatably in line at a predetermined interval in a ball arranging member formed in a belt-like shape. If a relative rotation occurs between the nut member and screw shaft, the balls circulate in the infinite circulation path with the ball arranging member. Guide pieces are projected to both sides of the ball arranging member and guide grooves for accommodating each of the guide pieces are formed along the entire circumference of the infinite circulation path. Therefore, the ball arranging member is introduced by the guide grooves and circulates in the infinite circulation path without being fluttered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeki Shirai, Hidekazu Michioka, Shigeru Ebina, Ryuji Takeda