Patent US3900233A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3900233A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Linear motion ball bearing assembly and ball conforming shaft
Assignee: TGA North America Holdings III Inc
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Filing: 1973-01-19
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Granted: 1975-08-19
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Expires: 1993-01-19
Abstract
Abstract A linear motion ball bearing assembly and shaft having ball conforming portions are combined to support heavier-than-normal loads and provide torque resistance. The bearing shaft is provided with one or more ball conforming grooves. The bearing assembly is provided with one or more load-bearing surfaces, each of which also includes a ball conforming groove, which may move circumferentially a very slight amount for tolerance variations in the angular spacing and parallelism of the shaft grooves, thereby assuring perfect ball conformity and line contact on the load-bearing surface of both the shaft and bearing assembly. Alternative configurations and methods of forming the ball conforming grooves on the shaft are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 John B Thomson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:58
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C29/00; F16C29/04; F16C29/06; F16C29/0676; B; B21; B21H; B21H7/00; B21H7/18; B21H7/187; F16C29/005; F16C29/068; F16C29/0683; F16C29/0685; F16C29/069; F16C29/0692; F16C29/0695; F16C33/00; F16C33/30; F16C33/58; F16C33/64; F16C2226/00; F16C2226/30; F16C2226/32; F16C2226/34; F16C2226/40; F16C2300/00; F16C2300/02; F16C33/60; F16C43/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A linear motion ball bearing for axial movement along a shaft and which has at least one raceway formed in an inner retainer, said raceway having a load bearing portion and a load free portion and substantially filled with balls and a load-carrying plate provided in said load bearing portion of said raceway, characterized in that, means are provided for mounting said loadcarrying plate in said load bearing portion of said raceway so that said load-carrying plate is adapted to be movable within the inner ball retainer in directions circumferentially of the shaft on which said bearing is to be mounted.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
A linear motion ball bearing for axial movement along a shaft and which has at least one raceway formed in an inner retainer, said raceway having a load bearing portion and a load free portion and substantially filled with balls and a load-carrying plate provided in said load bearing portion of said raceway, characterized in that, means are provided for mounting said loadcarrying plate in said load bearing portion of said raceway so that said load-carrying plate is adapted to be movable within the inner ball retainer in directions circumferentially of the shaft on which said bearing is to be mounted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said load-carrying plate includes a longitudinal ball conforming groove on the inner surface thereof which extends axially of said inner ball retainer when said place is mounted in plate in said inner ball retainer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said load-carrying plate includes an intermediate thicker portion and is tapered from said intermediate thicker portion towards each end thereof, whereby said plate may rock about said intermediate thicker portion upon angular displacement of the shaft from coaxial alignment with said inner ball retainer when said bearing is mounted on the shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said load-carrying plate includes a longitudinally extending depression on its outer face whereby the plate may yield compliantly under load.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner ball retainer is enclosed within an outer shell and the means for mounting said loading carrying plate are apertures formed in the outer shell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner ball retainer is formed in a resilient moldable material having a lubriCant dispersed therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing is mounted in an adjustable diameter housing and means are provided for adjusting the clearance of the bearing on said shaft by varying the compression of the housing on the bearing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
148 words
A linear motion ball bearing for relative axial movement with respect to a shaft and which has at least one raceway formed in an inner ball retainer, said raceway having a load bearing portion and a load free portion and substantially filled with balls and a load-carrying plate provided in said load bearing portion of said raceway, characterized in that, means are provided for mounting said load-carrying plate in said load bearing portion of said raceway so that said load-carrying plate is adapted to be movable within the inner ball retainer in directions circumferentially of the shaft on which said bearing is to be mounted and which has a longitudinal opening extending from one end to the other of sufficient width whereby the shaft upon which the bearing is adapted to move may be supported along its length without inhibiting relative movement between the shaft and the bearing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
148 words
A linear motion ball bearing for relative axial movement with respect to a shaft and which has at least one raceway formed in an inner ball retainer, said raceway having a load bearing portion and a load free portion and substantially filled with balls and a load-carrying plate provided in said load bearing portion of said raceway, characterized in that, means are provided for mounting said load-carrying plate in said load bearing portion of said raceway so that said load-carrying plate is adapted to be movable within the inner ball retainer in directions circumferentially of the shaft on which said bearing is to be mounted and which has a longitudinal opening extending from one end to the other of sufficient width whereby the shaft upon which the bearing is adapted to move may be supported along its length without inhibiting relative movement between the shaft and the bearing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 8, in which the bearing is mounted in an adjustable diameter housing and means are provided for adjusting the clearance of the bearing or for preloading the bearing on said shaft by varying the compression from the housing on the bearing plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
121 words
A ball bearing as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means mounting said load-carrying plate includes resilient longitudinal lips located on each side of the apertures in the outer shell, aperture means in said ball retainer slightly wider than said load-carying plate and having longitudinally extending supporting surfaces along the sides thereof, and the load-carrying plate having projections extending from its longitudinal sides and adjacent the inner surface thereof adapted to overlap said supporting surfaces of the aperture means, and engage said resilient longitudinal lips, whereby said plate is mounted in said aperture means by pressing the plate radially into said aperture means whereupon said plate projections are freely slidably engaged by said longitudinal lips allowing circumferential movement of the plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
117 words
A linear motion ball bearing and shaft assembly wherein said bearing moves axially of said shaft and has at least one raceway formed in a ball retainer, said raceway having a load bearing portion and a load free portion and substantially filled with balls and a load-carrying plate provided in said load bearing portion of said raceway, characterized in that, means are provided for mounting said load-carrying plate in said load bearing portion of said raceway so that said load-carrying plate is movable in directions circumferentially of said shaft; and further characterized in that, said shaft includes at least one axially extending metal ball conforming groove in registry with said load bearing portion of the retainer raceway.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
117 words
A linear motion ball bearing and shaft assembly wherein said bearing moves axially of said shaft and has at least one raceway formed in a ball retainer, said raceway having a load bearing portion and a load free portion and substantially filled with balls and a load-carrying plate provided in said load bearing portion of said raceway, characterized in that, means are provided for mounting said load-carrying plate in said load bearing portion of said raceway so that said load-carrying plate is movable in directions circumferentially of said shaft; and further characterized in that, said shaft includes at least one axially extending metal ball conforming groove in registry with said load bearing portion of the retainer raceway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said shaft is formed of a hardened metal and said ball conforming groove is formed in the surface of the shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the shaft is formed of hardened metal and has at least one axial extending ground ball conforming groove.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said ball conforming groove is formed in an elongated hardenable metal strip member and means are provided for fixedly securing said strip member to said shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said shaft is formed of solt metal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said shaft is provided with an axially extending slot having a strip member located in said slot, said ball conforming groove being formed on the outer surface of said strip member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claImed in claim 16, wherein said slot and said strip member are generally rectangularly shaped.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein said slot is generally rectangularly shaped and said strip member is generally T-shaped, the up-right leg portion of the T-shaped strip member having a shape corresponding to that of said slot.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said shaft is provided with an axially extending slot having a dovetail-shape and said means includes a slip fit of said strip member into said slot, said ball conforming groove being formed on the outer surface of said strip member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein said slot and said strip member are generally rectangularly shaped.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein said slot is generally rectangularly shaped and said strip member is generally T-shaped, the up-right leg portion of the T-shaped strip member having a shape corresponding to that of said slot.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said strip member is bonded directly to the surface of said shaft.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein said strip member is adhesively bonded to said shaft.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein said strip member is brazed to said shaft.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein said strip member is silver soldered to said shaft.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
82 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the bottom surface of said strip member has a plurality of teeth and the bonding material is adapted to partially flow into the spaces between said teeth upon bonding said strip member to said shaft, whereby said teeth and bonding material serve to anchor said strip member to said shaft and the spaces between the teeth have sufficient volume to allow for variations in the amount of bonding material applied.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
A ball bearing and shaft asssembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the bottom surface of said strip member has a longitudinally extending depression which forms a compliant area under load.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the strip member is adhesively secured to said shaft.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the shaft has a brazed strip member.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 27, wherein the shaft has a silver soldered strip member.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the shaft has a cold formed ball conforming groove.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein the shaft is made of non-hardened metal and has a work hardened and cold formed ball conforming load bearing groove.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
63 words
A ball bearing and shaft assembly as claimed in claim 32, in which each longitudinal edge of the cold formed ball conforming groove of the shaft includes metal raised above the surface of the shaft resulting from cold flow of the metal during cold forming of the groove in the shaft to provide increased area of ball support within the ball conformed groove.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-18 | 1979-02-17 | 1979-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-18 | 1983-02-17 | 1983-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-18 | 1987-02-17 | 1987-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |