Linear bearing assembly with adjustable bearing pad
OwnerKory W. Longhurstinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A linear bearing assembly including a bearing slide with a multiple-sided cavity, such as a U-shaped cavity, with at least one bearing pad mounted to each wall thereof is disclosed. Each bearing pad may be adjustably secured with respect to a wall of the cavity with one or more retention members and one or more adjustment elements carried by the bearing slide and cooperating with the bearing pad. A method of adjusting bearing pad fit and a method of adjusting abutting force to a bearing pad in a linear bearing assembly are also disclosed.
Claims17
A linear bearing assembly, comprising:
- a bearing slide comprising a plurality of walls defining a cavity;
- a plurality of bearing pads, wherein each bearing pad is secured to a wall of the plurality with at least one retention member;
- and
- at least one adjustment element carried by the bearing slide in cooperation with at least one bearing pad of the plurality for adjusting a position of the at least one bearing pad relative to the wall to which the at least one bearing pad is secured.
A method of adjusting bearing pad fit in a linear bearing assembly, comprising:
- providing a linear bearing assembly including at least one bearing pad secured to a wall of a bearing slide with at least one retention member;
- releasing the at least one retention member to permit the at least one bearing pad to be displaced away from the wall;
- advancing at least one adjustment element carried by the bearing slide to contact a rear face of the at least one bearing pad.
A method of adjusting an abutting force to a bearing pad in a linear bearing assembly, comprising:
- providing a linear bearing assembly including at least one bearing pad secured to a wall of a bearing slide with at least one retention member;
- providing a guide rail having a side abutting the at least one bearing pad;
- applying a force to abut the at least one bearing pad against the side of the guide rail;
- and
- selectively adjusting the force abutting the at least one bearing pad against the side of the guide rail in contact therewith by way of adjusting at least one adjustment element carried by the bearing slide to contact a rear face of the at least one bearing pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.