Cam device
AssigneeZuiko Corporation
InventorMasaki Nakakado
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The cam device of the invention includes individually rotatable first and second cam followers performing predetermined movement along a groove defined by first and second sidewalls. The cam followers are positioned so that their axes extend in the same direction. Movement of the first cam follower is restricted by at least part of the first sidewall, and movement of the second cam follower is restricted by at least part of the second sidewall.
Claims24
A cam device, comprising:
- a surface of the cam device configured to define a curved cam groove associated therewith, wherein the cam groove is generally defined by a first sidewall, an oppositely-disposed second sidewall, and a bottom wall;
- a rotatable first cam follower, wherein the first cam follower is configured to contact the first sidewall along a first portion of the curved cam groove, and wherein the first cam follower is configured to generally not contact the second sidewall along the curved cam groove;
- a rotatable second cam follower, wherein the second cam follower is configured to contact the second sidewall along a second portion of the curved cam groove, and wherein the second cam follower is configured to generally not contact the first sidewall along the curved cam groove;
- and
- a shaft coupled to the first cam follower and the second cam follower, wherein the shaft is operable to perform a predetermined movement based on a movement of the first cam follower and the second cam follower with respect to the cam groove, and wherein the shaft is coupled to a block oriented about a circumference of a drum, wherein the block is further rotatably coupled to the drum, thereby defining a normal axis about which the block rotates.
A turning apparatus employing a cam device, comprising:
- a surface of the cam device configured to define a curved cam groove, wherein the cam groove is generally defined by a first sidewall, an oppositely-disposed second sidewall, and a bottom wall;
- a rotatable first cam follower, wherein the first cam follower is configured to contact the first sidewall along a first portion of the curved cam groove, and wherein the first cam follower is configured to generally not contact the second sidewall along the curved cam groove;
- a rotatable second cam follower, wherein the second cam follower is configured to contact the second sidewall along a second portion of the curved cam groove, and wherein the second cam follower is configured to generally not contact the first sidewall along the curved cam groove;
- a shaft coupled to the first cam follower and the second cam follower, wherein the shaft is operable to perform a predetermined movement based on a movement of the first cam follower and the second cam follower with respect to the cam groove;
- and
- a block coupled to the shaft wherein the block is oriented about a circumference of a drum, and wherein the block is rotatably coupled to the drum, thereby defining a normal axis about which the block rotates.
A cam device, comprising a cylindrical cam having an endless groove associated therewith, the groove defined by a first sidewall, an oppositely-disposed second sidewall, and a bottom wall, and
- individually rotatable first and second cam followers performing a predetermined movement along the groove;
- wherein the first sidewall comprises a first upper sidewall face and a first lower sidewall face, wherein the first upper sidewall face protrudes toward a center of the groove,
- the second sidewall comprises a second upper sidewall face and a second lower sidewall face, wherein the second lower sidewall face protrudes toward the center of the groove,
- the rotatable first cam follower is in contact with the first upper sidewall face,
- the rotatable second cam follower is in contact with the second lower sidewall face, and
- the first and second cam followers are positioned coaxially with respect to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.