Cylindrical Or Quasi-cylindrical Roller Element (e.g., Inclined Roller, Etc.) Patents (Class 74/424.91)
  • Patent number: 11808329
    Abstract: There is provided a ball screw mechanism for which a return of a sphere, such as a conventional circulating ball screw, need not to be considered, and that can prevent vibration and noise and avoid an increase in heat by ensuring smooth movement of a sphere without causing ball jam or the like of a sphere on a screw shaft. The present invention includes a screw shaft 2 that has a spiral groove 2a and extends linearly, a housing 30 that surrounds a periphery of the screw shaft 2, and a plurality of spheres 4 and ball bearings 5 that transmits thrust of the screw shaft 2 to the housing 30. Each ball bearing 5 includes an outer ring 7 attached and fixed to the housing 30 at regular intervals along the spiral groove 2a of the screw shaft 2, and an inner ring 6 provided with a concave spherical contact surface 5a in contact with the sphere 4 on a side surface facing the screw shaft 2. Each inner ring 6 is rotatably disposed about rotation axes N1 to N4 orthogonal to a rotation axis O of the screw shaft 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Inventor: Hayato Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10968993
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an actuator has a roller, a helical track, and at least one track follower. The roller has a cylindrical body that has a first end, a second end that is offset from the first end along a central axis, and a cylindrical outer surface that extends from the first end to the second end. The helical track is disposed around the cylindrical outer surface in a helical pattern. The at least one track follower can be attached to a load, and rides along the helical track when the roller is rotated about the central axis so as to translate the load along an axial direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis. In some embodiments, the roller has an internal motor that is disposed within the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: William Scott Kalm
  • Patent number: 10663044
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an actuator having a planetary roller screw drive comprising a housing having a cylinder chamber and a fluid reservoir forming one common volume and the housing is filled with a hydraulic fluid. The planetary roller screw drive comprises a spindle having a profiling, which meshes with a plurality of planetary rollers, which are arranged around the spindle and are supported at both ends in a planetary roller carrier. The planetary rollers mesh with an inner profiling of an internal ring gear surrounding the planetary rollers and the planetary rollers are supported in a sleeve surrounding the internal ring gear. According to the disclosure, the planetary roller carrier and/or the sleeve comprise one or more flow ducts connecting the interior and the exterior of a chamber defined radially by the sleeve and axially by the planetary roller carriers to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Peter Greb, Alexander Dreher, Lars Schumann, Lászlo Mán
  • Patent number: 9188211
    Abstract: In a roller screw (1) having a screw shaft (2), a plurality of rollers (4) that roll on a flank face (21a) of the screw shaft; and a cage (3) that rotatably houses the plurality of rollers, a plurality of roller groups (40) each having a plurality of rollers arranged at equal intervals while contacting with the same flank face along a spiral groove of the screw shaft for one lead are provided, and the plurality of roller groups are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the screw shaft. With this configuration, the size of the nut portion in the axial direction of the screw shaft can be prevented from being bloated, and the load distribution in a circumferential direction of the screw shaft can be uniformized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamada, Isao Hayase
  • Patent number: 9039566
    Abstract: A planetary roller gear drive with a spindle nut (1) that is arranged on a threaded spindle (2) and with planets (3) that are arranged distributed around the periphery and are in rolling engagement with the spindle nut (1) and the threaded spindle (2). The planets (3) revolve on planetary orbits (P) that are arranged perpendicular to the spindle axis and the planets (3) are each divided into multiple planet parts arranged one behind the other in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dietmar Rudy
  • Publication number: 20140338487
    Abstract: In a roller screw (1) having a screw shaft (2), a plurality of rollers (4) that roll on a flank face (21a) of the screw shaft; and a cage (3) that rotatably houses the plurality of rollers, a plurality of roller groups (40) each having a plurality of rollers arranged at equal intervals while contacting with the same flank face along a spiral groove of the screw shaft for one lead are provided, and the plurality of roller groups are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the screw shaft. With this configuration, the size of the nut portion in the axial direction of the screw shaft can be prevented from being bloated, and the load distribution in a circumferential direction of the screw shaft can be uniformized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamada, Isao Hayase
  • Patent number: 8887343
    Abstract: A system and method for propelling a hose, including: a system housing and a tractor element disposed in the housing. The tractor element includes: a tractor housing with a through-bore; and a protrusion extending into the through-bore. The system includes: a hose assembly including a substantially helical coil disposed about a hose; and an actuator for rotating the tractor housing with respect to the system housing. The tractor element is fixed in the system housing with respect to axial movement; and the hose assembly can be disposed in the through-bore so that the protrusion contacts a portion of the coil. As the tractor housing is rotated in a rotational direction: the protrusion exerts a displacement force on the coil; and the hose assembly reacts to the displacement force by displacing in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Stoneage, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald P. Zink
  • Patent number: 8567279
    Abstract: A mechanism for converting rotary motion into linear motion includes a rod having a thread or threaded part at its outer peripheral surface, and a holder member on the outer peripheral surface of the rod, rotatable relative to the rod, and axially movable relative to the rod. Rollers are supported rotatably by the holder member and have annular grooves at their outer peripheral surfaces. Each roller is torsionally disposed at an axial angle greater than or equal to a lead angle of the thread with respect to a central axis of the rod. Both ends of the roller shaft are secured to the holder member, and the mechanism has a structure in which a hole having a diameter greater than that of the roller shaft is provided at one end of the holder member and the roller shaft is secured by a roller mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Seto, Isamu Tsubono, Kenji Hiraku
  • Patent number: 8485057
    Abstract: Push-pull controls utilizing linear and rotational inputs to create linear output are disclosed. One control includes an elongate push rod and a roller pin. The rod has an outer surface, a generally circular cross-section perimeter, a center axis, a proximal end with a user input, and a distal end configured to directly or indirectly interact with an apparatus to be controlled. The rod is rotatable and slidable along the rod axis. The roller pin has a center axis and an outer surface that contacts the push rod outer surface. The roller pin center axis is angularly offset from and non-intersecting with the push rod center axis. The amount of angular offset is greater than zero degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Horizon, LLC
    Inventors: David A. McFarlane, Ben Maples
  • Patent number: 8453530
    Abstract: Linear actuator device, comprising a housing (2), an externally threaded screw (5) mounted to a piston (9), an internally threaded extended nut (7) and a motor (16) comprising a stator (33) and a rotor element (30) positioned around the extended nut (7), wherein a plurality of first magnets (31) of the rotor element (30) are positioned in relation to the stator (33) such that the stator (33) lies between the extended nut (7) and the first magnets (31) of the rotor element (30). The advantage of the invention is that linear actuators with a high energy density can be manufactured in an easy and cost-effective manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Johannes Andrianus Maria Duits, Patric Eberle
  • Patent number: 8336414
    Abstract: Provided is a roller screw having an unloaded roller return path of new shape capable of moving rollers smoothly. The roller circulation path of the roller screw has the unloaded roller return path and a loaded roller rolling path. The unloaded roller return path 10 is twisted so that while each roller 4 moves in the unloaded roller return path 10 its central axis is inclined. In a cross sectional shape of the twisted part of the unloaded roller return path 10, each of paired side surface corresponding parts 25c and 25d facing respective side surfaces of the roller 4 is convex toward the inside of the unloaded roller return path 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soshi Miyahara, Masahiko Yoshino, Takashi Sakuyama
  • Patent number: 8082818
    Abstract: A sun shaft, planetary shafts, and a ring shaft having respective axes of rotation in parallel with one another are provided. A helical sun gear, helical planetary gears, and a helical ring gear are provided on the sun shaft, the planetary shafts, and the ring shaft, respectively, and cooperatively constitute a first planetary gear mechanism. A screw sun gear, screw planetary gears, and a screw ring gear 44 are provided on the sun shaft, the planetary shafts, and the ring shaft, respectively, and cooperatively constitute a second planetary gear mechanism. Either of the gear ratio of the screw sun gear to the screw planetary gears and the gear ratio of the screw ring gear to the screw planetary gears differs from the gear ratio of the helical sun gear to the helical planetary gears and from the gear ratio of the helical ring gear to the helical planetary gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Sugitani
  • Patent number: 8020463
    Abstract: A rotation/linear motion converting mechanism includes a shaft 1 having an external thread 1a on an outer circumferential surface, a nut 2 having an internal thread 2a on an inner circumferential surface, and a roller 3 arranged between the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 1 and the inner circumferential surface of the nut 2. The roller has a thread 3a threaded to the external thread 1a and the internal thread 2a. A spur gear 3b and a spur gear 3c are provided in portions of the roller 3. A spur gear 1b is provided in a portion of the shaft 1. The spur gear 1b is meshed with the spur gear 3b of the roller 3. Internal teeth 4a are provided in a portion of the nut 2. The internal teeth 4a are meshed with the spur gear 3 of the roller 3. This improves the lead accuracy of the shaft 1 when the nut 2 is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Kinoshita, Toshiaki Hamaguri, Motohiro Tsuzuki, Koji Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8011264
    Abstract: Revolving rollers, each provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof with revolving roller grooves extending therearound, are caused to mesh with a rack rod thread of a central rack rod with an axial angle over a lead angle of the rack rod thread and arranged for rotation on a holder member to be twisted. The holder member is rotated round the rack rod by a motor to translate the rack rod. A large thrust can be generated while ensuring a high reliability since a high efficiency is achieved by realizing rolling contact in set points of mesh of the rack rod thread and the revolving roller grooves, points of mesh are made planar, and interference in other points than the points of mesh can be suppressed. Also, play can be restricted by assembling the revolving rollers to the rack rod thread while applying torque in a direction, in which the axial angle is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isamu Tsubono, Junichi Tamamoto, Makoto Yamakado, Tooru Takahashi, Yukio Sudo
  • Patent number: 7950304
    Abstract: A roller screw of the present invention has a screw shaft 1 having a roller rolling surface 1a spirally formed with a lead on an outer surface thereof; a nut 2 having a roller rolling surface 2a spirally formed on an inner surface thereof to face the roller rolling surface 1a of the screw shaft 1; and a plurality of rollers 4 arranged in a rolling path 3 between the roller rolling surface 1a of the screw shaft 1 and the roller rolling surface 2a of the nut 2 and moving around the screw shaft while rotating on rotation axes of the rollers. In this roller screw, each of the rotation axes 4a of the rollers 4 substantially crosses a center line 1b of the screw shaft 1. Since each of the rotation axes 4a of the rollers 4 crosses the center line 1b of the screw shaft 1 (in other words, the rollers 4 arranged in the rolling path 3 are not skewed from the beginning) even when the rolling path 3 has the lead, the roller 4 are allowed to move smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Makoto Iizumi, Satoshi Fujita, Akimasa Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090301246
    Abstract: The present invention provides a screw device which takes a heavy load in one direction along the axis of the screw shaft and only a light load in the opposite direction, the screw device capable of providing ease of control of preloading. The screw device of the present invention has a screw shaft 1 with an outer surface having a ball rolling groove 1a for rolling balls 7 and a roller rolling groove 1b for rolling rollers 6 both spirally formed thereon; a ball nut 4 with an inner surface having a ball rolling groove 4a spirally formed thereon facing the ball rolling groove 1a of the screw shaft 1; a roller nut 5 with an inner surface having a roller rolling groove 5a spirally formed thereon facing the roller rolling groove 1b of the screw shaft 1; a plurality of balls 7 arranged between the screw shaft 1 and the ball nut 4; and a plurality of rollers 6 arranged between the screw shaft 1 and the roller nut 5. The ball nut 4 and the roller nut 5 are connected along an axis of the screw shaft 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akimasa Yoshida, Masakazu Uesugi, Kentaro Nishimura, Satoshi Fujita, Satoru Nagai, Hiroyuki Arai
  • Publication number: 20090249912
    Abstract: The present invention provides a roller screw capable of circulating rollers smoothly. A roller screw of the present invention has a screw shaft 1 having a roller rolling surface 1a spirally formed with a lead on an outer surface thereof; a nut 2 having a roller rolling surface 2a spirally formed on an inner surface thereof to face the roller rolling surface 1a of the screw shaft 1; and a plurality of rollers 4 arranged in a rolling path 3 between the roller rolling surface 1a of the screw shaft 1 and the roller rolling surface 2a of the nut 2 and moving around the screw shaft while rotating on rotation axes of the rollers. In this roller screw, each of the rotation axes 4a of the rollers 4 substantially crosses a center line 1b of the screw shaft 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Makoto Iizumi, Satoshi Fujita, Akimasa Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090013812
    Abstract: A roller screw structure comprises a nut, a screw and a rolling assembly. The rolling assembly is movably disposed between the nut and the screw and includes at least one rolling cone. The slantwise rolling surface of the rolling cone contacts the spiral groove surfaces of the nut and the screw in a line-to-line manner, and the angle between the rolling surface and the self-rotation axis of the rolling cone is from 0 degree to 6.3 degrees. Thereby, making the distance between the self-rotation axis and the rolling surface of the rolling cone of the rolling assembly different can prevent the occurrence of speed difference caused at different rolling paths of the rolling assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Wen-Chia Wu, Yan-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 7004045
    Abstract: A high thrust operator for gate valves employs an inverted satellite roller screw assembly driven by an internally threaded cylinder carried within a bearing case. The cylinder is sized to provide a relief plenum within the case into which the roller screw assembly can be over extended to expose tool engagement flats for attachment and release of a mating stem in the valve gate actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Minarik Corporation
    Inventor: Ted Ernest Cox
  • Patent number: 6925901
    Abstract: A device for converting rotational movement into axial movement includes planetary rollers driven by a drive shaft projecting from a drive device and maintained peripherally at a same distance, in addition to a push body axially displaced by the planetary rollers. These planetary rollers are peripherally fixed on a support which is driven around the axis thereof, the rollers being rotationally mounted and provided with peripheral grooves or threaded grooves; the support is connected in a fixed manner to the drive shaft rotating around its axis; the planetary rollers engage in at least one thread-like groove of the push body that is displaced along the axis of the support by means of their peripheral grooves or threaded grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Wittenstein AG
    Inventors: Michael Butsch, Jörg Henle
  • Patent number: 6684728
    Abstract: In a rectilinear motion driving apparatus, a shaft is fitted into a cylindrical body in a coaxial state, and a plurality of cylindrical coil rollers are interposed between the cylindrical body and the shaft by press fit so as to roll at a predetermined inclined angle to the axial direction. These cylindrical coil rollers are contacted with an outer peripheral surface of the shaft and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body with a pressure contact force, and the cylindrical body or the shaft is rotated so that the shaft or the cylindrical body makes a rectilinear motion toward an axial direction. A pressure contact force of both inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical coil roller to the cylindrical body and the shaft is set either higher or lower in the vicinity of the end portion thereof than the intermediate portion of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Pubot Giken Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Higuchi, Tatsurou Hirayama
  • Patent number: 6655228
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a dual directional power feed for use with handheld drills or stationary frame mounted power sources. The device comprises a housing, two pairs of wheel bearings rotatably mounted to the housing, a cap rotatably mounted to the housing, and a biasing bearing rotatably mounted to the cap. The cap is rotatable to a first position such that rotation of the threaded cable in a first direction causes the threaded cable to translate along its longitudinal axis in a first direction. The cap is further rotatable to a second position such that rotation of the threaded cable in the first direction causes the threaded cable to translate along its longitudinal axis in a second direction, opposite the first direction. Further, the present invention discloses a bearing and support assembly for coupling a power feed device to a power unit comprising a support plate and a bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Spartan Tool, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David Margherio, Donald J. Borelli