Ball Bearing Patents (Class 384/49)
  • Patent number: 7891877
    Abstract: A circular arc slide apparatus that achieves improved precision and a reduction in costs is provided. The circular arc slide apparatus comprises a lower plate, an upper plate, and a circular arc track provided between the lower plate and upper plate. Guide rail portions are provided in an upper surface of the lower plate and a lower surface of the upper plate, and circular arc curve-shaped guide grooves that constitute the circular arc track are provided in opposing planar surfaces of the guide rail portions. The guide groove cross-section describes a circular arc-shape, and a plurality of balls are rollably fitted between the opposing guide grooves in a preloading state. The lower plate and upper plate are integrally machined from a plate-like material and formed in a shape comprising the guide rail portions and guide grooves, and the inner surface of each guide groove is configured as a machined face produced by an end mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sigma Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Nomi, Makoto Kadoya, Katsunori Hoshiba, Masaharu Omori
  • Patent number: 7887239
    Abstract: A guide table device is provided with a lower-side plate 10 provided with a pair of rolling member rolling grooves 11 formed in a first (X) direction, an upper-side plate 30 provided with a pair of rolling member rolling grooves 31 formed in a second (Y) direction, an intermediate member 20 having rectangular configuration provided with four side portions to which four rolling member rolling grooves 21 are formed so as to be opposed to a pair of rolling member rolling grooves of the lower-side plate and a pair of rolling member rolling grooves of the upper-side plate, and a plurality of balls 40 disposed to be rollable between four rolling member rolling passages formed by the lower-side plate, the upper-side plate and the intermediate member. The four rolling member rolling grooves 21 formed to the four side portions of the intermediate member 20 are formed on the same plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Aida, Kentaro Yamamoto, Katsuya Iida, Hidekazu Michioka
  • Publication number: 20100316311
    Abstract: A linear guidance system having a guide rail and a carriage. The carriage is guided displaceably on the guide rail by way of at least two ball bearings, wherein the ball bearings respectively comprise a plurality of balls and a strip-shaped ball cage. The guide rail has running surfaces and the carriage has running surfaces for the rolling movement of the balls of the ball bearings. The ball cage has a plurality of substantially circular through openings which are arranged in succession in a row and into which the balls are inserted, wherein the inside diameter of the through openings tapers conically in the direction from a running surface of the guide rail to the associated running surface of the carriage to an inside diameter or is constricted by limiting means to an inside diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the balls so that the balls are secured in the through openings to prevent them from falling out of the through openings in the direction of the running surface of the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Accuride International GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhold Traiser
  • Publication number: 20100290725
    Abstract: A linear motion device, has a housing, an arm which is movably guided on the housing along a longitudinal axis and provided with two rolling surfaces composed of hardened steel and extending in direction of the longitudinal axis, the arm has a front end extending out of the housing, a separate receiving peg is fastened to the front end of the arm, a separate flange is fixed in position on the receiving peg in various rotary positions relative to the longitudinal axis, the rolling surfaces extend to a front end face of the arm, the flange is located in a region of the rolling surfaces directly adjacent to the front end face of the arm, and a separate orienting unit engages in a form-fit manner in the flange and in the rolling surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Gerd Spatschek, Thomas Vogt, Josef Dirschbacher
  • Publication number: 20100254638
    Abstract: A linear guidance system including a guide rail (1) and a carriage (2) which is guided displaceably on the guide rail by way of at least two ball bearings (3, 3?), wherein the ball bearings respectively comprise a plurality of balls (4) and a ball cage (5) and the guide rail (1) has running surfaces (9, 9?) and the carriage (2) has running surfaces (10, 10?) for the rolling movement of the balls (4) of the ball bearings (3, 3?), wherein the carriage (2) includes a profile member (11) which is substantially C-shaped in cross-section, wherein the running surfaces (10, 10?) are provided at the respective end portions (11?, 11?) of the C-shaped profile member (11) and the carriage (2) further includes a plate (12) which extends between the end portions (11?, 11?) of the C-shaped profile member (11) of the carriage (2) and is connected to said end portions (11?, 11?), forming a closed hollow profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: ACCURIDE INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: Reinhold Traiser
  • Publication number: 20100247006
    Abstract: The invention concerns a guide system with rolling elements, in particular ball bearings, for slide devices having a first and a second slide members (11, 12) coupled and guided between them, where a slide member (12) is susceptible to alternative linear movements compared with the other slide member (11) with the interposition of two linear sets of ball bearings (31, 31?). One of said slide members (12), on at least one of its sides parallel with the movement direction, has an opening which is integrated by a variable clamping finishing cheek (28) to establish an adjustable preload of the two sets of ball bearings between the first and the second slide members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventor: Giuseppe MAFFEIS
  • Publication number: 20100239193
    Abstract: A sample container motion device is disclosed which may include a guide having a main channel, the main channel including at least one bearing channel; a carriage configured to move within the main channel of the guide, the carriage having at least one bearing groove corresponding to the at least one bearing channel; a slide system configured to enable linear movement between the carriage and the guide, the slide system including at least one bearing guide located in between each bearing groove and its corresponding bearing channel; wherein each bearing guide may include a plurality of ball bearings; a ball spacer having openings for the ball bearings and configured to confine centers of the ball bearings in a fixed relation to a structure of the spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventor: John Martin
  • Patent number: 7798719
    Abstract: A track rail is composed of a pair of rail members in which rolling contact surfaces for rolling bodies are formed, respectively, and a rail housing equipped with a pair of rail mounting grooves in which those rail members are fitted, respectively. Each of the rail members is fixed within a corresponding one of the rail mounting grooves via an adhesive layer. A reference projection, formed on a bottom of one of the pair of the rail mounting grooves, is in contact with a corresponding one of the rail members without the intermediary of the adhesive layer. The rail member fitted in the one of the rail mounting grooves is adhesively fixed in a state of being abutted against the reference projection. The rail member fitted in the other rail mounting groove is adhesively fixed at a predetermined distance from the reference projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Tomoyuki Aida, Katsuya Iida
  • Publication number: 20100189381
    Abstract: A linear ball bearing for longitudinally movable mounting of a shaft-like guide rail in a part surrounding the guide rail, which has a sleeve-like cage with recesses arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction holding ball circuits which have at least one supporting section with supporting balls which are supported such that they can roll on the guide rail. The supporting balls are also supported such that they can roll on a raceway of a supporting race element inserted indirectly or directly into the cage. The supporting race element has at least one radial outer surface, arched outward at least in one direction, for contact against an inner surface of the part which surrounds the guide rail. The outer surface is formed by at least one web-like projection extending in the longitudinal direction of the supporting race element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Rainer KLEBER, Thomas WINKLER, Dietmar RUDY, Lothar NEUFANG, Peter LUTZ, Anna KANIA, Matthias SCHMIDT
  • Publication number: 20100189382
    Abstract: A linear ball bearing with a substantially sleeve-like cage for receiving axial ball loops distributed across the circumference of the cage. Each ball loop has a first ball channel open radially to the inside and outside for the row of the carrying ball, and a second ball channel, open radially towards the outside for the row of the non-carrying balls and has deflection channels connecting the ball channels of a ball loop to each other. At least the first ball channel is covered on the outside by a load-bearing carrier plate. Individual support surfaces on the carrier plates rest on predetermined support regions on the outer lateral surface of the cage. The carrier plates are positioned via interacting positioning projections in the predetermined positions on the cage. The carrier plates, resting which rest against the cage, are fixed to the cage via holding rings that are slid over the carrier plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventor: Udo Klein
  • Patent number: 7740207
    Abstract: An aircraft flight control system advantageously is provided with a control rod which is spline-connected to a bearing assembly so as to permit simultaneous independent longitudinal and rotational movements of the control rod while isolating such movements from one another (e.g., so as to allow operative interconnection to an aircraft's aileron and elevator control surfaces). Thus, the control rod is moveable in longitudinal and rotational directions relative to a longitudinal axis of the control rod in response to pitch and roll command inputs, respectively. The control rod is splined operatively to the bearing assembly so as to allow for independent simultaneous longitudinal and rotational movements of the control rod relative to the longitudinal axis thereof to thereby allow the command inputs to be transferred to the aircraft's respective flight control surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Embraer - Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A.
    Inventor: Celso Dias Ferraz
  • Publication number: 20100142867
    Abstract: An auxiliary mounting device for linear rails includes a connecting rail and a ball-filling rail. Both sides of the connecting rail each have a first auxiliary groove. The ball-filling rail is formed on one end of the connecting rail and has two swinging arms and a flap. The two swinging arms are extending from one end of the connecting rail. The two swinging arms each have a second auxiliary groove and a pivoting portion. The two second auxiliary grooves correspond to the two first auxiliary grooves respectively. The two pivoting portions are formed between the two swinging arms and the connecting rail. The flap is provided between the two swinging arms. The flap has two lateral edges and an inward-folding crease. The two lateral edges connect both sides of the flap to the two swinging arms. The inward-folding crease is formed in the middle of the flap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventor: Hou-Yin Chen
  • Patent number: 7717794
    Abstract: A longitudinal plunging unit comprises a profiled sleeve with longitudinally extending first ball grooves, and a profiled journal with longitudinally extending second ball grooves. The profiled journal engages said profiled sleeve with balls arranged in groups in pairs of first ball groove and second ball grooves. A ball cage positioned between the profiled sleeve and the profiled journal fixes the balls in their axial position relative to one another. The ball cage is displaceable relative to the profiled journal between spaced axial stops. On the profiled journal, there is arranged a stop sleeve, which can abut the profiled journal or a component connected thereto. The stop sleeve delimits the displacement path of the ball cage towards the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: GKN Driveline International GmbH
    Inventors: Arne Berger, Olf Wolf, Stephan Maucher, Heiko Kossack, Robert Sandig
  • Publication number: 20100111456
    Abstract: A supporting track element for use in a linear ball bearing, with at least one outer surface which is outwardly curved in one direction, at least in some regions, and at least one track which is opposite the outer surface and is intended for at least partially receiving load-bearing balls of a linear ball bearing. In addition, the supporting track element in cross-section has at least one material interruption which forms two adjacent cross-sectional regions. The adjacent cross-sectional regions touch at least in the region of the outer surface. As a result, the supporting track element is produced cost-effectively without significant limitations to the functionality thereof occurring. A method for producing a supporting track element is also proposed. Furthermore, a linear ball bearing is equipped with supporting track elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventor: Udo Klein
  • Publication number: 20100065400
    Abstract: A ball transfer device is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the ball transfer device includes a chamber, a first ball, and a second ball. A first opening and a second opening extend into the chamber. A cavity extends from the chamber and has a cavity opening connected to the second opening. The first ball is movable within the chamber between a first position and a second position, wherein a portion of the first ball is movable into the first opening when the first ball is in the first position, and wherein the first ball is located between the first opening and the second opening. The second ball is located in the cavity, wherein the second ball is movable within the cavity between a first position and a second position, wherein a portion of the second ball is movable into the chamber when the second ball is in the first position, and wherein the first ball is located between the cavity and the cavity opening. The second ball is contactable with the first ball when the second ball is in the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: David Pruett, Raymond Middlemiss, Thomas Harding
  • Publication number: 20090263054
    Abstract: A guide table device is provided with a lower-side plate 10 provided with a pair of rolling member rolling grooves 11 formed in a first (X) direction, an upper-side plate 30 provided with a pair of rolling member rolling grooves 31 formed in a second (Y) direction, an intermediate member 20 having rectangular configuration provided with four side portions to which four rolling member rolling grooves 21 are formed so as to be opposed to a pair of rolling member rolling grooves of the lower-side plate and a pair of rolling member rolling grooves of the upper-side plate, and a plurality of balls 40 disposed to be rollable between four rolling member rolling passages formed by the lower-side plate, the upper-side plate and the intermediate member. The four rolling member rolling grooves 21 formed to the four side portions of the intermediate member 20 are formed on the same plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Aida, Kentaro Yamamoto, Katsuya Iida, Hidekazu Michioka
  • Patent number: 7577555
    Abstract: A method of designing a roller bearing is disclosed upon clarifying mechanisms of damage patterns in respect of two kinds of brinelling, involved in the bearing, wherein white-banded flaking (brittle flaking) is a plastic instability phenomenon appearing under high-speed deformation accompanied by adiabatic shear deformation status with the resultant occurrence of adiabatic shear band (also called white band) inside material of the bearing. This enables all of the damage patterns to be determined upon making comparison between shear strain and shear strain rate, occurring inside the bearing, and discriminated values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Umeda, Tsutomu Shiga, Kouichi Ihata
  • Publication number: 20090180855
    Abstract: A method for making a robot pivot arm assembly includes forming from a rigid, machinable material a circular disk, and forming a circular aperture through the center of the disk. An outer bearing track is formed integrally in the inside surface which defines the aperture, and the apertured disk is positioned in a machining device with a fixturing portion that engages the outer bearing track. An integral outer race, an arm and a gear segment with teeth are then machined into the disk to form the outer portion of the pivot arm assembly. An inner race with an inner bearing track is positioned inside the integral outer race, and rolling bearing elements are inserted into the first and second bearing tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: William Daniel Schmidt, Scott A. Hansen, Gregory A. Clary, David S. Dailey
  • Publication number: 20090080816
    Abstract: A method of making a bearing assembly and a bearing assembly is provided. The method includes the steps of extruding a support rail, providing a mounting surface on the support rail, mounting a bearing rail on the mounting surface and machining a bearing surface on the bearing rail. The bearing assembly includes an extruded support rail and a bearing rail. The bearing rail is of a harder material than the material of the support rail to which the bearing rail is mounted. The bearing rail further provides a machine polished linear contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: Pacific Bearing Company
    Inventor: Jonathan R. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7455470
    Abstract: A swivel bearing assembly consists of an outer housing, a ball and a shaft, a cover, and ball bearings, wherein a free-zone channel. A free-zone channel allows the ball bearings to roll freely in the assembly as they follow the motion of the ball and shaft. The ball bearings eliminate friction between ball and outer housing. The ball and shaft can have simultaneous rotational and angular motion. Only unidirectional load can be applied to the bearing in the direction of the mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Inventor: John Brodowski
  • Patent number: 7445387
    Abstract: A ball bearing includes a ball supporting member having a hemispherical concave surface, small balls freely disposed on the hemispherical concave surface, a large ball disposed on the small balls so as to be rotatable in all directions, and a casing that has an aperture through which an upper portion of the large ball projects, the casing accommodating the ball supporting member, the small balls, and the large ball; the small balls include primary small balls contacting the large ball so as to support the large ball, and auxiliary small balls, which are smaller than the primary small balls, for supporting the large ball and not contacting the large ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Iguchi Kiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaoru Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20080253703
    Abstract: Provided are a linear guide device and a method of manufacturing a track rail of the linear guide device which make it unnecessary to finish rolling contact surfaces for rolling bodies for the purpose of ensuring parallelism between the rolling contact surfaces after fixing a plurality of rail members, in which the rolling contact surfaces for the rolling bodies are formed, to a rail housing while making it possible to achieve a maximum possible improvement in production efficiency and a reduction in production cost in producing the track rail. The track rail is composed of a pair of the rail members in which rolling contact surfaces for rolling bodies are formed, respectively, and the rail housing equipped with a pair of rail mounting grooves in which those rail members are fitted, respectively. Each of the rail members is fixed within a corresponding one of the rail mounting grooves via an adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Tomoyuki Aida, Katsuya Iida
  • Publication number: 20080232728
    Abstract: A linear motion guide device includes a slider and two end caps attached to side portions of the slider, one or more guide beams attached to the slider and engaged between the end caps for retaining a ball bearing device to the slider, and one or more retaining devices attached to the end caps and engaged with the guide beam for attaching the guide beam to the slider without fasteners or tools, one of the end caps includes a latch device for engaging with one end of the retaining device and for securing the retaining device to the end cap, and the retaining device may include one or more protrusions for engaging with the other end cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Tsung Jen Chen, Yu Wen Tsai
  • Publication number: 20080232727
    Abstract: A linear motion guide device includes a slider slidably attached onto a guide rail and each having one or more longitudinal grooves for forming a ball guiding channel between the slider and the guide rail, and two end caps attached to the ends of the slider, the slider includes two end portions each having two notches communicating with the longitudinal grooves, and two plates are disposed between the slider and the end caps and each include two or more ears engaged into the notches of the slider for anchoring the plates to the slider and each ear having an inclined surface for reducing the noises that may be generated by the movement of the ball bearing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Hsin Tsun Hsu, Yun Yi Lin
  • Patent number: 7393139
    Abstract: A linear guide unit comprising a guide carriage (3) that is mounted through rolling elements (2) for sliding on a guide rail (1), said guide carriage (3) comprising a carrier body (4) and end caps (5) arranged on front ends of the carrier body (4), the linear guide unit comprising at least one endless rolling element channel (6) comprising a load-bearing channel (7) for load-bearing rolling elements (2), a return channel (8) for returning rolling elements (2) and two deflecting channels (9) that connect the load-bearing channel (7) and the return channel (8) endlessly to each other and are defined by the end caps (5), a support rail (10) arranged along the load-bearing channel (7) and supported on the carrier body (4) comprising a raceway (16) for the rolling elements (2) that defines the load-bearing channel (7) the support rail (10) comprising a support member (11) and a saddle member (12), the support member (11) being received on the carrier body (4), and the saddle member (12) comprising the raceway (16)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Ralf Moseberg, Dietmar Rudy, Michael Heid, Henning Dombek
  • Publication number: 20080101737
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for preventing displacement of a retainer in a rolling guide by making use of the property of the retainer of moving half the distance of a moving object, such as a table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: TAKANOBU AKIYAMA
  • Patent number: 7344310
    Abstract: A linear motion guide unit has a stopper plug that is first set on any one of the forward and aft ends of the guide rail in place and then fastened to the guide rail against turning around its own lengthwise direction by using just one screw. The stopper plug has horn-like projections at areas corresponding to the raceway grooves on the guide rail, the horn-like projections spreading sidewise beyond contour of the guide rail. The horn-like projections are made with raised portions. Upon movement of the slider relatively to the guide rail, the retainer collides at forward and aft ends thereof against the raised portions of the stopper plugs, which fit in the raceway grooves on the guide rail, to keep the retainer against escape out of the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akitomo Mine
  • Patent number: 7341525
    Abstract: The linear rolling bearing for transmitting torques about its longitudinal axis has an inner profile element and an outer profile element a first circulatory channel having roller bodies and a second circulatory channel having roller bodies. Each circulatory channel having a loadbearing channel, a return channel, and two deflection channels which connect the loadbearing channel and the return channel to one another in an endless manner. The inner profile has longitudinal teeth and each circulatory channel is positioned between separate teeth. The loadbearing channel of both the first and second circulatory channel bear against the same tooth. The first and second circulatory channel can transmit torque in the same direction by changing the return channel to a load bearing channel such that there are two loadbearing channels both on different teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Alexander Zernickel
  • Patent number: 7296930
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Akihiro Teramachi, Masakazu Uesugi, Takeki Shirai
  • Patent number: 7182515
    Abstract: A mounting structure is provided for mounting a member to be fixed, on a stationary member, while always accomplishing high position precision even in such cases of fastening of members that a tightening work of bolt is carried out several times, that the members are fixed after repetition of fine adjustment of the fixing position of the member to be fixed, and so on. A screw hole for fixing according to the present invention is shaped so that on a fixing surface of the stationary member provided with the screw hole a region of an annular recess is continuous from the screw hole and annular in the external edge part of the opening portion of the screw hole, and so that when an inside diameter of the through hole in the fastened member is ?a and a nominal diameter of the screw hole is b, a width c of the recess in the radial direction of the screw hole satisfies the relation of 0.5×(?a?b)<c?2.0×(?a?b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Soichiro Kato, Hideyuki Tajimi, Yoshinori Mizumura
  • Patent number: 7147375
    Abstract: A linear guide for transmitting a torque between a tubular housing, which is defined by a longitudinal axis and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and a shaft, which is received in the housing and movable in the direction of the axis in relation to the housing, includes a bearing assembly received in the housing for support of the shaft and attached to the housing by swaging a housing portion. The bearing assembly has two bearing members and a set of rolling bodies disposed between the bearing members. One bearing member is constructed as bushing which is retained in the housing and defines a center axis which is oriented out-of-alignment with a normal upon a longitudinal shaft axis, and the other bearing member has a cup-shaped configuration to define a convex surface for support by a surface area of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Alexander Zernickel, Horst Döppling
  • Patent number: 7104692
    Abstract: A ball sleeve coupled between inner sliding rail and outer sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly is disclosed having four longitudinal rows of openings for accommodating balls, a narrow thin wall portion longitudinally extended on the middle between two distal ends of the top wall thereof through which the user can expand said sleeve body for easy installation of the balls in the openings and easy coupling of the ball sleeve to the inner sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly, and a plurality of recessed bearing portions respectively disposed at two sides of each of opening for supporting the balls in the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Inventor: Chun-Min Lu
  • Patent number: 7066077
    Abstract: A device for supporting and for at least contributing to the activation of an actuating element. An outer thin-walled bearing ring defines a pressure space to which pressure is applied. The outer thin-walled bearing ring at least partially bounds a circumference of the pressure space. A piston supports the actuating element and moves longitudinally within the pressure space with respect to the outer thin-walled bearing ring. Roller bodies configured to roll on the outer thin-walled bearing ring for supporting the actuating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Peter Schnapp, Melanie Belatscheck
  • Patent number: 7008107
    Abstract: A linear motion guide unit has a guide rail made of a thin plate, and a stopper construction installed detachably to the guide rail to prevent a slider from becoming untethered while on a sliding movement relative to the guide rail. A linear motion guide unit is disclosed in which a slider fits for linearly sliding movement in a guide rail made of a thin steel material formed in an U-shape in cross section, and there is provided a stopper construction to keep the slider against getting out of the guide rail. The stopper construction is comprised of a stopper pin installed detachably to the guide rail at any lengthwise end thereof to cause the stopper pin to bear against any fore-and-aft end of widthwise opposing side walls of the slider, whereby the slider comes to rest to prevent it from becoming untethered from the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 7001173
    Abstract: A mold guiding device includes a tube having a hole in an end thereof and a threaded recess is defined in an inner end of the hole. A positioning member and a first end of a sleeve are inserted in the hole in sequence. A rod extends through the passage of the sleeve and the central hole of the positioning member and is threadedly engaged with the threaded recess in the tube. The diameter is the same as the sleeve when the sleeve is positioned in still, and is movable when the diameter of the positioning member is smaller than the passage of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: En Te Chu
  • Patent number: 6966698
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a clip-chain module of rolling unit, which structure had the spacers, the end-part and the link-belt. The characteristic of the clip-chain module of rolling unit was made up of one or upward half clip-chains, thereby can reduce the friction of the rolling element and improve the difficulty of the process. Therefore, this invention can enhance the competitiveness of this product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies
    Inventors: Chun-Liang Wu, Chin-Pei Wang
  • Patent number: 6948401
    Abstract: In a linear guide for transmitting a torque between a tubular housing, rotatable about a longitudinal axis, and a shaft, received in the housing and movable in the direction of the axis in relation to the housing, a plurality of axial rolling bearings are received in the housing in surrounding relationship to the shaft. The axial rolling bearings are disposed in two radial planes in axial spaced-apart relationship, wherein the axial rolling bearings in each of the two radial planes have each two bearing members and a set of rolling bodies disposed between the bearing members. One bearing member is constructed as bushing retained in the housing and defining a center axis which is shifted parallel at an offset to a normal upon a longitudinal shaft axis, while the other bearing member has a cup-shaped configuration to define a convex surface for support by a surface area of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Alexander Zernickel, Horst Döppling
  • Patent number: 6935785
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Soichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 6918700
    Abstract: A ball bearing rail assembly includes a first slide member (100), a second slide member (200), and a plurality of ball bearings (300) movably retained in the first slide member. The first slide member includes a plurality of spoon-like tabs (12), each tab forming a recessed portion (120) at a free end thereof. A plurality of slots (14) is defined in the first slide member, each slot having a generally oval end portion (140). The recessed portions of the tabs fittingly and resiliently press the ball bearings against the first slide member at the oval portions of the slots respectively. Each ball bearing is partially exposed out of the first slide member at a corresponding oval portion of the slot. The second slide member is slidably engaged with the exposed portions of the ball bearings. Thus the first slide member can be reliably moved relative to the second slide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: I-Fee Chen
  • Patent number: 6908394
    Abstract: A shaft coupling for a drive shaft (3), with a driving and a driven coupling component in which the driving or the driven coupling component is configured to form a cylindrical hollow coupling outer member (8) and the other coupling component configured to form a cylindrical coupling inner member (9), the two members being disposed so as to be coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the shaft coupling, and in which axially parallel grooves (27, 28) that are provided with right- and left-sided side walls (19, 20, 21, 22) are formed on the inner circumference of the coupling outer member (8) and on the outer circumference of the coupling inner member (9) for receiving rolling members (11) that drivingly and axially slidably interconnect the coupling outer member (8) and the coupling inner member (9), whereby the right- and left-sided side walls (19, 20, 21, 22) of the coupling inner member (8) and of the coupling outer member (9) are disposed side by side and mesh together thereby in such a manner that, together
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: Petert Amborn
  • Patent number: 6893353
    Abstract: A rolling ball spline type of slip joint includes a first tubular member having a plurality of inwardly extending regions formed therein. The first tubular member has a wall thickness that is essentially uniform throughout the circumference thereof. The slip joint also includes a second tubular member having a plurality of outwardly extending regions formed therein. The inwardly extending regions of the first tubular member are radially aligned with the outwardly extending region of the second tubular member to define a plurality of longitudinally extending raceways. The second tubular member has a wall thickness that is essentially uniform throughout the circumference thereof. A plurality of balls is disposed in each of the raceways for transmitting rotational force between the first and second tubular members, while accommodating a limited amount of relative axial movement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Dutkiewicz, Daniel W. Gibson, Mark S. Williams
  • Patent number: 6883965
    Abstract: A support for use with a ball transfer unit associated, in use, with a double-skinned deck panel, the support being characterised by being elongate, rigid, and adapted at one end to receive the housing of a ball transfer unit and to seat beneath a peripheral shoulder of the housing which is presented in use towards the lower skin of the panel, the support further being shaped at its opposite end to present to the lower skin of the panel, in use, a “foot-print” which includes and exceeds the “foot-print” presented in use by the ball transfer unit housing to the lower skin of the panel, the length of the support being such that, in use, with the “foot-print” of the support engaging the lower skin of the panel, the ball of the ball transfer unit protrudes from the upper skin of the panel by a predetermined, desired amount. There is also disclosed a support and unit combination, a deck panel, and a method of repairing a deck panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Craig Gasal, Mark Lyle Olson
  • Patent number: 6851858
    Abstract: A multi-helical ball sleeve structure includes a cylindrical ball sleeve formed with a plurality of through holes, and a plurality of balls each received in a respective one of the through holes. The through holes are arranged in an oblique and helical manner. Thus, the multi-helical ball sleeve structure can enhance the lifetime and increase the working efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Inventor: En Te Chu
  • Patent number: 6848326
    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: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Akiyama, Soichiro Kato, Shinya Nakamura, Shiroji Yabe
  • Patent number: 6830378
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a rolling element string wherein a smaller rolling element string can be manufactured easily at low cost, and a rolling element string being superior in the tensile strength and the flexural strength even after downsizing can be manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Yasuhiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Nakabayashi, Katsuya Iida, Daisuke Yatsushiro
  • Publication number: 20040234179
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a length-expandable linear guideway, which main includes a slide way that can change the distance. The main characteristic of it is the slideway of the linear guideway has the function of the expanded and contracted. Thereby this model can cut down the install space of the linear guideway, and can enlarge the application scope of the linear guideway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Hsin-Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 6814212
    Abstract: The present invention relates to transport devices for use with transport guides in conveyor systems. The transport device includes a transport guide stabilizer. The invention further relates to a conveyor assembly including a plurality of transport devices, each of which includes a transport guide stabilizer. The present invention increases the stability of transport guides in conveyor systems and enhances conveyance operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Frantz Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Jay S. Ebersole
  • Patent number: 6802781
    Abstract: A longitudinal plunging unit (11) for torque transmitting purposes in a shaft assembly, comprising an outer profiled sleeve (21) having circumferentially distributed, inner, longitudinally extending first ball grooves (22) to be connected to a first attachment part, a profiled journal (31) positioned inside the outer profiled sleeve (21) and having circumferentially distributed, outer, longitudinally extending second ball grooves (32) to be connected to a second attachment part, groups of balls (41) arranged in pairs of first and second ball grooves (22, 32), and a sleeve-shaped ball cage (42) which is positioned in the annular space between the profiled sleeve (21) and the profiled journal (31) and which fixes the groups of balls (41) in their respective positions relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: GKN Lobro GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Schwärzler, Herbert Cermak, Arne Berger
  • Publication number: 20040184686
    Abstract: A guide rail for a linear bearing has at least one rail element with a guideway for rolling bodies. The rail element is connected to a plastic body or borders the plastic body, with the plastic body forming the base body of the guide rail. To increase the precision of the guide rail, especially when used in an environment involving a wide temperature range, the rail element is connected to a metallic support frame which is surrounded at least partially by the material of the plastic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: AB SKF
    Inventors: Uwe Mayer, Ludwig Edelmann, Henryk Velde, Anita Gransow
  • Patent number: 6793583
    Abstract: A longitudinal plunging unit for a shaft assembly used for torque transmitting purposes. The unit includes a profiled sleeve (11) with circumferentially distributed, longitudinally extending first ball grooves (12), a profiled journal (21) with circumferentially distributed, longitudinally extending second ball grooves (22), balls (31, 32, 33) which are arranged in groups of balls in pairs of first and second ball grooves (11, 21), and a ball cage (41) which is positioned between the profiled sleeve (11) and the profiled journal (21) and axially fixes the balls in their positions relative to one another, wherein in the region of the ball grooves (12, 22), the profiled sleeve (11) and the profiled journal (21) include the same torsional stiffness, such that, during the introduction of torque, they are subject to the same angles of torsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: GKN Lobro GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Heinrich Welschof