With Means For Blocking Slot Patents (Class 384/508)
  • Patent number: 11013566
    Abstract: A force transmission mechanism for a surgical instrument includes a worm drive, a lever arm, and an actuation element. The lever arm may include a follower member at a first end of the lever arm. The follower member engages the worm drive and is configured to be driven by the worm drive. The actuation element is connected the lever arm. The actuation element is configured to transmit force to actuate an end effector of the surgical instrument. Rotational movement of the worm drive imparts translational movement to the actuation element via the lever arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Diel, Bram Gilbert Antoon Lambrecht
  • Patent number: 10876614
    Abstract: A transmission component set has a bearing ring (1) and a strain wave gear mounted thereon. Said strain wave gear comprises an input or drive component (2), a flexible or resilient transmission component (4) having external teeth (3), and a gear (6) having an internal teeth (5). The transmission component (4) is fitted onto the drive component (2) and thereby is elliptically deformable such that the external teeth (3) of the transmission component (4) engage with the internal teeth (5) of the gear (6) in opposing areas of a major axis of the ellipse, wherein the gear (6) or the transmission component (4), via its bearing surface (7), can be mounted on a bearing surface (9) of the bearing ring (1) by means of rolling elements (8). The gear (6) or the transmission component (4) and the bearing ring (1) are each provided with at least one indentation or receptacle (10, 11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive AG
    Inventors: Matthias Mendel, Michael Schaffer
  • Patent number: 10605318
    Abstract: A ballscrew assembly may comprise a ballscrew having an axially distributed ballscrew groove about an interior circumference of the ballscrew, an extended top plate having an axially distributed extended top plate groove disposed on an outer circumference of the extended top plate, and an axially distributed thrust bearing. Further, a ballnut assembly may comprise a ballnut having an axially distributed ballnut groove about an interior circumference of the ballnut, an extended top plate having an axially distributed extended top plate groove disposed on an outer circumference of the extended top plate, and an axially distributed thrust bearing. Further still, a ballnut assembly may comprise a ballnut having an axially distributed ballnut groove about an outer circumference of the ballnut, an extended top plate having an axially distributed extended top plate groove disposed on an interior circumference of the extended top plate and an axially distributed thrust bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: David Bernard Drennen, Harald Klode
  • Patent number: 10584752
    Abstract: A plurality of balls inserted in the gap space between an outer ring raceway surface and an inner ring raceway surface are arranged at equally spaced intervals in a circumferential direction. The procedure of this ball arranging method for a ball bearing includes a ball holding step of holding any ball in the gap space by a ball holding mechanism provided at a tip of a robot arm and a ball moving step of moving the ball held by the ball holding mechanism along a pitch circle, and these steps are repeatedly performed for the plurality of balls based on a control program. Accordingly, the plurality of balls are arranged at equally spaced intervals on the pitch circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Norihito Akanuma, Hiroshi Araki
  • Patent number: 10487879
    Abstract: A ball bearing assembly device includes: an inner and outer ring holding unit which holds an outer ring and inner ring in a state where an outer ring raceway surface and inner ring raceway surface are eccentric to each other on a same plane so as to form a gap space; a stocker; a robot arm; a ball holding mechanism which is disposed at a tip of the robot arm; and a control unit. The control unit controls the ball holding mechanism to hold any ball from the stocker, controls the robot art to transport the held ball to a ball insertion position in the gap space corresponding to a kind of ball bearing, and inserts the held ball into the gap space, which are repeated by the number of balls of the ball bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Norihito Akanuma, Hiroshi Araki
  • Patent number: 9255607
    Abstract: A slewing bearing having two rings and rollers arranged between the rings, wherein one of the rings is provided with a through-hole for inserting the rollers for assembly and maintenance, and with a plug for closing the through-hole. The through-hole is formed as a bore including an inner portion with a smaller bore diameter and an outer portion with a larger bore diameter. The smaller diameter portion is reduced in order to facilitate the assembly, while avoiding an increased diameter in the innermost part of the thorough hole in order to secure stability and robustness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Cyril Bouron, Jean-Baptiste Magny, Pascal Ovize
  • Patent number: 9206846
    Abstract: A ball bearing assembly having a bearing ball recirculation arrangement. The ball bearing assembly includes an outer ring having an inner surface, an inner ring having an outer surface and insertable inside the outer ring along a common longitudinal axis, and an insert removably fixed in a position between the outer ring and the inner ring. The outer ring, inner ring and insert define at least one ball bearing recirculation path. At least one set of bearing balls is disposed to travel along the at least one ball bearing recirculation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Nook Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Joseph Fehr, Daniel J. Piltz, Alexander S. Margolin
  • Patent number: 8944692
    Abstract: A slewing bearing assembly effective to suppress additional expenses such as a mold cost and to resolve the problem associated with insufficient strength brought about by voids and, also, a rotation section support apparatus for a wind powered turbine are provided. The slewing bearing assembly includes inner and outer rings having raceway grooves, and a plurality of balls interposed between the raceway grooves, and a spacer interposed between the neighboring balls. This slewing bearing assembly is a four point contact ball bearing, in which respective sectional shapes of the raceway grooves are so shaped as to represent shapes in which each balls contacts inner surfaces of the raceway grooves in the inner and outer rings at four points. The spacer is made of a resinous material having a melt viscosity within the range of 1000 to 2000 Pa·s at a temperature of 270° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Hori, Nurumu Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 8695732
    Abstract: A rotary cutter mount for an earth-boring cutter is provided which includes a ball bearing journal [100] adapted to be coupled to a cutter body [210], having a minimum [110] and a maximum [120] cylindrical diameter, and a first [115] and second [116] mounting ends. The maximum diameter [120] defines a journal body [122] which includes an exterior surface adapted to be rotationally coupled to the interior surface of the cutter body [210] so as to allow the cutter body [210] to rotate freely with respect to the bearing journal [110]. The minimum [110] diameter defines a shaft portion having sealing surfaces. The first [115] and a second [116] mounting ends are shaped to enable a rotationally fixed positioning of the bearing journal [100] in a yoke of a corresponding cutter head-plate support bracket. A row of ball-bearing races [126] is recessed to extend circumferentially about the exterior surface of the journal body [122].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Inventor: Stu Blattner
  • Patent number: 7547144
    Abstract: The thickness of a crossed roller bearing is reduced and attachment of a lid member 17 to a loading hole 16 from which rollers 15 are loaded is facilitated. Raceway grooves 13, 14 are respectively formed in an inner ring 11 and an outer ring 12. The rollers are loaded from the loading hole formed in the outer ring, and interposed between the raceway grooves. The axes of the adjacent rollers lie at right angles to each other. The loading hole is covered by the lid member. A flange 22 is provided on an outer periphery of the outer ring, and has an outer end face 22a that is approximately flush with an end face of the outer ring and an inner end face 22b that is either in a position in alignment with or in an inner position across outer ends of the raceway grooves in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumasa Kunimoto, Naoki Koshino
  • Patent number: 7308730
    Abstract: A base member for swivel caster comprises a fixed base, a rotation base and a hollow staff. The fixed base includes a ring member, and a plurality of first raceways lathed in an inward surface of the ring member. A support cavity is defined through a center of the rotation base. Assembling holes are defined in a connecting portion and communicate with the support cavity and the second raceways. During assembly, a plurality of rolling balls are extended through the assembling holes and loaded into the first raceways and the second raceways. Then a plurality of biasing balls is loaded into the assembling holes. The staff is inserted into the support cavity and blocks the assembling holes. The rolling balls contact the biasing balls instead of fixed components whereby the rolling balls swivel and rotate smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Haion Caster Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chuan-Hai Chou
  • Patent number: 6138948
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement is provided in which bearings (60) are held captive between opposing bearing surfaces of laces (24, 62). A closeable delivery hole (64) provides a route through which bearings can be inserted into or removed from the space between the races (24, 62). A ball rake (54) is moveable into engagement with the bearings (60) and is rotatable so as to sweep the bearings towards the delivery hole for removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Dowty Aerospace
    Inventor: Terence John Dix
  • Patent number: 6076972
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a track roller having inner and outer races of a large radial wall thickness, in which an insert hole close to a raceway passage and a rolling element feed hole crossing the insert hole and joined to the raceway passage are formed, whereby the loading of the rolling elements into the raceway passage can be done simply and speedily. In order to load balls which constitute the rolling elements into the raceway passage formed between a raceway groove of the outer race and that of the inner race, the inner race is provided in the portion thereof which is close to the raceway passage with the axially extending insert hole and the rolling element feed hole of a small length extending from an inner surface of the insert hole to the raceway groove of the inner race. The balls are loaded from the insert hole into the raceway grooves via the rolling element feed hole, and a plug is then fitted in the rolling element feed hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouhei Yuasa, Yoshitaka Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6019518
    Abstract: A cylindrical roller bearing is disclosed. Roller insertion slots are closed without forming a screw hole, but the closing of the insertion slot is firm, and the aesthetic appearance of the bearing is very perfect. Rollers 4 are inserted into operating channels 2c and 3c of inner and outer races 2 and 3 of the roller bearing 1. Insertion slots 2b and 3b are formed respectively on the collars 2a and 3a of the inner and outer races 2 and 3 to form a roller insertion hole 5 for inserting the rollers 4. The roller insertion holes 5 may be circular, rectangular, twin-arcuate or the like. After filling the rollers 4 into the operating channels 2c and 3c, a closing piece 6 is press-fitted into the insertion hole 5. The closing piece 6 may consist of two pieces 6a and 6b, and has a size larger than that of the insertion hole 5 by about 0.01 mm. Thus the closing pieces are firmly fitted into the insertion slots to such a degree that the closing pieces will never depart under any operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Inventor: Suk Tae Yoon
  • Patent number: 5711386
    Abstract: A drill string torque-reducing sub-assembly is disclosed comprising: a hollow longitudinally-extending mandrel (1) capable of being coupled between adjacent first and second drill pipes in the drill string; and a sleeve (2) capable of freely rotating about the mandrel (1), the sleeve having an external diameter (18) intended to be larger than that of any connection component of the first or second drill pipe, and the sleeve (2) being prevented by bearings (16) mounted internally of the sleeve from longitudinal displacement relative to the mandrel (1). The sub-assembly can reduce torque in a drill string, by reducing frictional losses between the wellbore and the rotating components in the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Inventor: George Swietlik
  • Patent number: 5413415
    Abstract: An outer sleeve of a rotary table deck bushing has an axial passage extending therethrough and within which is disposed an inner core, which has an axial passage extending therethrough to receive a drill string of a drilling tool. The inner surface of the outer sleeve and the outer surface of the inner core have cooperating bearing races to form raceways within which are disposed ball bearings to rotatably support the inner core within the outer sleeve. Each of the raceways communicates with an access passage extending through the outer sleeve to enable ball bearings to be supplied to the raceway and removed therefrom. The outer sleeve supports a slidable key for blocking each of the access passages when the slidable key is in its blocking position. The slidable key is retained in its blocking position on the outer sleeve by a set screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Inventor: Stephen M. Collinsworth
  • Patent number: 5097565
    Abstract: A caster bearing assembly attachable to a surface for facilitating the movement of a body along a roller plane located above the surface. The caster bearing assembly (10) includes a base part (16) mounted to the surface, a top part (18), bearings (20), and a roller assembly (22). The bearings fit within a bearing raceway (24) formed by an outer race (42) in the base part and an inner race (56) in the top part, thereby allowing the top part to fully and freely move relative to the base part. The bearings are inserted into the bearing raceway through an opening (58) extending from an exposed surface (54) of the top part to the bearing raceway. The opening is then sealed with a plug (60) having an inner surface (62) substantially matching the inner race at which the opening terminates. The roller assembly is fixedly attached to the top part so that the orientation of its rollers (26) may be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Thomas H. Shorey
  • Patent number: 5054937
    Abstract: In combination, a guide post having a longitudinal slot and a ball bearing cage adjustably receiving the post and adapted for relative longitudinal and rotary movements, there being an internal annular recess in said cage inwarly of one end. A truncated roller bearing with opposed hemispherical surfaces and opposed flat sides is guidably positioned within the slot with the roller bearing maintaining a rolling point contact with the bottom wall of the slot and with the roller flat sides loosely and slidably registerable with the side walls of the slot. One of the hemispherical surfaces of the bearing being positioned and retained within an internal annular recess within the ball cage. There being a transverse arcuate slot through the cage in registry with its annular recess and an arcuate pull plug nested and retained within the slot and having an internal arcuate recess forming a continuation of the cage recess. A set screw in the cage retainingly engages the pull plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Inventor: Ronald L. Hanaway
  • Patent number: 5033873
    Abstract: A rolling contact type rotary bearing assembly includes a pair of inner and outer rings and a plurality of rolling members interposed therebetween. When an insertion hole for feeding the rolling members into a guide space defined between the inner and outer rings is provided in an inner ring, a recessed portion is formed in the outer guide surface of the inner ring over a predetermined distance around the insertion hole such that the end surface of the plug defines a part of and flush with the guide surface of the inner ring when set in position in the insertion hole. Such a recessed portion can also be provided in the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Osamu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5026177
    Abstract: A rolling contact type rotary bearing assembly includes a pair of inner and outer rings and a plurality of rolling members interposed therebetween to provide a relative rotation between the inner and outer rings. An insertion hole is provided in at least one of the inner and outer rings such that the plurality of rolling members may be inserted into the annular path defined between the inner and outer rings. A closure member is also provided to close the insertion hole after insertion of the rolling members into the annular path. The closure member is formed with a lubrication hole so that a lubricant may be provided to the annular path to allow a smooth rolling movement of the rolling members. A lubricant supply hole may also be provided in either of the outer and inner rings in communication with the lubrication hole of the closure member so as to allow to supply a lubricant to the annular path from the exterior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ichiro Masuda
  • Patent number: 4949368
    Abstract: A rotating anode type X-ray tube device comprises a bearing assembly for supporting a rotating member. The bearing assembly includes a first member having a cylindrical configuration, and a second member having at least a portion concentrically disposed in said first member and at least one separation-type ball bearing is interposed between the first and the second member for supporting a relative rotating motion therebetween. The separation-type ball bearing has an inner race and an outer race with one of the inner and the outer race being open at an axial end thereof. A through-hole serves as a ball-introduction passageway when assembling the separation-type ball bearing from a position near the open end of the one race to a radially outer surface of the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiro Kubo
  • Patent number: 4787758
    Abstract: A roller bearing having cylindrical rollers between inner and outer coaxial rings, each of the rings being an integral piece, is fully loaded by insertion of cylindrical rollers through a feed notch. To retain the cylindrical rollers against dropping back through the feed notch, a retaining ring closed in a loop is provided to rest on or in a rim retaining the rollers axially and having the feed notch. The retaining ring, which can also have a sealing part closing the end of the bearing, is mounted such that the retaining ring, the sealing ring and/or a filler piece adapted to fit directly in the feed notch, rests against the open end face of the cylindrical rollers behind the feed notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Inventor: Werner Jacob
  • Patent number: 4568205
    Abstract: In a race wire bearing comprising two undivided, concentrically disposed race rings having race wires which are disposed in facing grooves and on which rolling members roll, the first race ring having two race wires, a carrying or support wire receiving the main axial load and a retaining wire receiving only the disengaging tilting moment, and being formed at a place on its periphery with a filling orifice closed by a plug, the improvement comprising the filling orifice (7,16) being disposed as to interrupt only one race wire, the interrupted race wire being a retaining wire (6,18) and the plug (3) having a raceway (8) which replaces the retaining wire (6,18) missing at the filling orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Helmut Basener