US 4,375,305 AGranted

Circulating type ball spline bearing

OwnerHiroshi Teramachiinventor

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Abstract

A circulating type ball spline bearing is characterized by: U-shaped channels formed axially on the inner periphery of the outer sleeve and each having a pair of concave raceways substantially of the same curvature as the ball bearings on and along opposite side walls thereof; non-load carrying ball grooves formed axially on the inner periphery of the outer sleeve at a predetermined distance from the U-shaped channels such that the balls in the non-load carrying grooves have a small contact angle close to the torque direction; U-shaped turn grooves formed on the inner periphery of the outer sleeve continuously to the concave raceways and non-load carrying ball grooves for turning the direction of circulating balls; U-shaped turn grooves formed in each one of the end lids fixedly fitted on the opposite ends of the outer sleeve for reversing the direction of load carrying or non-load carrying balls; and a number of slits formed in the retainer in projected wall portions in engagement with the U-shaped channels of the outer sleeve in face-to-face relation with the concave raceways, each one of the slits having a curved guide tongue at the opposite ends thereof to cover the open ends of the non-load carrying ball grooves; the raceways constituted by the outer sleeve, end lids and retainer being filled with the ball bearings.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A circulating type ball spline bearing including an outer sleeve, opposite end lids, a retainer and ball bearings, characterized in that said bearing comprises:

U-shaped channels formed axially on the inner periphery of said outer sleeve and each having a pair of concave raceways substantially of the same curvature as the ball bearings on and along opposite side walls thereof;
non-load carrying ball grooves formed axially on the inner periphery of said outer sleeve at a predetermined distance from said U-shaped channels such that the balls in said non-load carrying ball grooves have a small contact angle lying close to the torque direction;
U-shaped turn grooves formed on the inner periphery of said outer sleeve continuously to said concave raceways and non-load carrying ball grooves for turning the direction of circulating balls;
U-shaped turn grooves formed in each one of said end lids fixedly fitted on the opposite end faces of said outer sleeve for reversing the direction of load carrying or non-load carrying balls;
and
a number of slits formed in said retainer in projected wall portions in engagement with said U-shaped channels of said outer sleeve in face-to-face relation with said concave raceways, each one of said slits having a curved guide tongue at the opposite ends thereof to cover the open ends of said non-load carrying ball grooves;
the raceways constituted by said outer sleeve, end lids and retainer being filled with said ball bearings.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.