# US 10,117,724 B2 · Bearing unit for air turbine

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- Number: US 10,117,724 B2
- Document ID: US10117724B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/538,806
- Filed: 2015-12-24
- Published: 2017-12-07
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-25
- Assignees: Nsk Ltd.
- Applicants: Nsk Ltd.
- Inventors: Toru Nakahara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117724B2

## CPC

- A61C 1/181: {Bearings or lubricating arrangements, e.g. air-cushion bearings}
- A61C 1/05: with turbine drive
- F16C 33/7823: {of sealing lips}
- F16C 33/7856: {with a single sealing lip}
- F16C 41/001: {Integrated brakes or clutches for stopping or coupling the relatively movable parts}
- F16C 19/06: with a single row or balls
- F16C 19/54: Systems consisting of a plurality of bearings with rolling friction (spindle bearings F16C35/08)
- F16C 2316/13: Dental machines
- A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00)
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

When compressed air does not act, a seal member is in contact with an outer periphery of an inner ring. When the compressed air acts, a contact area between the seal member and the outer periphery of the inner ring is reduced, as compared to when the compressed air does not act. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an air turbine bearing unit capable of promptly stopping rotation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bearing unit, comprising:
a turbine blade configured to be rotated by compressed air;
a rotary shaft to which the turbine blade is integrally fixed and to which a tool can be attached; and
a rolling bearing configured to rotatably support the rotary shaft with respect to a housing,
wherein the rolling bearing includes:
an outer ring fixed to the housing;
an inner ring fixed to the rotary shaft;
a plurality of rolling elements arranged to be freely rollable between the outer ring and the inner ring; and
a seal member fixed to an inner periphery of the outer ring and configured to seal a space between the outer ring and the inner ring,
wherein the seal member includes a base part which extends radially and a lip part which is elastically deformable and extends from a radially inner end of the base part and inclined in a supply direction of the compressed air toward a radially inner side, the lip part being deformed by the compressed air,
wherein an inner periphery of the lip part of the seal member is in contact with an outer periphery of the inner ring when the compressed air does not deform the lip part, and
wherein a contact area between the seal member and the outer periphery of the inner ring is reduced when the compressed air deforms the lip part, as compared to when the compressed air does not deform the lip part.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bearing unit according to claim 1,
wherein when the compressed air deforms the lip part, the seal member is in a non-contact state with the outer periphery of the inner ring.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A dental air turbine hand piece comprising the bearing unit according to claim 1.