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US 6,378,816 B1Granted
Linear motion table leg
OwnerJoel W. Pfisterinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Linear motion table leg whereby a linear motion assembly is located between a base and a table top mounting plate. Arrays of rollers, some of which are spring loaded, are spaced at 120° and disposed between a configured inner tube and an outer tube to provide for rollerable interfacing between the configured inner tube and the outer tube. A gas spring is centrally located to provide for linear positioning and for locking of the configured inner tube with respect to the outer tube. An alternate embodiment features a ball bearing array disposed between opposing races of the configured inner tube and outer tube to reference the configured inner tube to the outer tube.
Claims37
A linear motion system comprising:
- a. a first elongated member, said first elongated member being tubular and having an inner cylindrical circumferential surface;
- b. a second elongated member, said second elongated member having an outer circumferential surface and being positioned concentrically within said first elongated member;
- c. a plurality of roller and race cage assemblies, each roller and race cage assembly including a race cage and a set of rollers contained by the race cage, each roller and race cage assembly being positioned between said first and second elongated members with each roller of the set of rollers thereof being in rolling engagement with said inner cylindrical circumferential surface and with said outer circumferential surface such that said second elongated member is rollingly displaceable linearly with respect to said first elongated member;
- and,
- d. wherein each of the rollers of one of said sets of rollers is a spring loaded roller composed of two opposed segments and a spring between the two opposed segments, and wherein each of the rollers of all of the other sets of rollers is a solid roller of one-piece construction.
2 more elements
A linear motion system comprising:
- a. an outer tube having an inner circumferential surface;
- b. an inner tube positioned concentrically within said outer tube, said inner tube having an outer circumferential surface provided with a number of straight longitudinally extending tracks spaced at equal intervals thereabout, each of said tracks including a concave arcuate surface portion;
- and,
- c. race cages corresponding in number to the number of tracks, each race cage being aligned with a respective one of said tracks and each race cage containing a plurality of rollers in rolling engagement with said inner circumferential surface of said outer tube and with the concave arcuate surface portion of the track on the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube with which it is aligned, whereby said inner tube is rollingly displaceable linearly with respect to said outer tube.
1 more element
A linear motion system comprising:
- a. an outer tube having an inner circumferential surface;
- b. an inner tube positioned concentrically within said outer tube, said inner tube having an outer circumferential surface provided with three straight longitudinally extending tracks spaced at equal intervals thereabout, each track including a concave arcuate surface portion;
- c. three race cages each containing a plurality of rollers, each of said three race cages being aligned with a respective one of said three tracks with the rollers thereof being in rolling engagement with the concave arcuate surface portion of the respective track and with said inner circumferential surface of said outer tube, whereby said inner tube is rollingly displaceable linearly with respect to said outer tube;
- and,
- d. each of said plurality of rollers of two of said three race cages being solid rollers of one-piece construction, and each of said plurality of rollers of the third of said three race cages being spring loaded rollers formed of two opposed segments and a coil spring located between the two opposed segments.
2 more elements
A linear motion system comprising:
- a. an outer tube having an inner circumferential surface provided with a straight longitudinally extending track having a concave arcuate surface;
- b. an inner tube positioned concentrically within said outer tube, said inner tube having an outer circumferential surface provided with three straight longitudinally extending tracks spaced at equal intervals thereabout, one of said three tracks including a concave arcuate surface portion matching and facing said concave arcuate surface of said track on the inner circumferential surface of said outer tube, and the other two of said three tracks each including a concave arcuate surface portion;
- c. three race cages each containing a plurality of rollers, each of said three race cages being aligned with a respective one of said three tracks provided on said outer circumferential surface of said inner tube, each of the plurality of rollers of one of said three race cages being in rolling engagement with the concave arcuate surface of the track provided on the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube and with the matching and facing concave arcuate track surface portion on the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube, and each of the plurality of rollers of the other two of the three race cages being in rolling engagement with said inner circumferential surface of said outer tube and with a respective one of the concave arcuate surface portions of said other two of said three tracks on said outer circumferential surface of said inner tube, whereby said inner tube is rollingly displaceable linearly with respect to said outer tube;
- and,
- d. each of said plurality of rollers of said one of said three race cages being ball bearings, each of said plurality of rollers of another of said three race cages being solid rollers of one-piece construction, and each of said plurality of rollers of the third of said three race cages being spring loaded rollers formed of two opposed segments and a spring located between the two opposed segments.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.