Pivoting ball bearing system
AssigneeComponex Corporation
InventorCal Couillard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pivoting ball bearing. The ball bearing includes a first race and a second race and one or more rows of balls disposed therebetween. The first race includes a groove configured to have at least one row of balls track therein at a continuously variable circumferential tracking path while the first race rotates with respect to the second race. Pivoting of the first race with respect to the second race can occur by the balls shifting their circumferential tracking path within the groove of the first race. A collar on either the first race or the second race limits pivoting of the first race with respect to the second race.
Claims20
A pivoting ball bearing system comprising:
- a first race having a first circumferential surface and a first groove spanning a circumference of the first circumferential surface;
- a second race having a second circumferential surface and at least one second groove spanning a circumference of the second circumferential surface;
- at least one row of balls disposed between the first race and the second race;
- a ball spring plunger configured to connect one of the first race or the second race to a device by exerting a pressure on the device sufficient to substantially prevent rotation of the device with respect to the one of the first race or the second race and permit rotation of the device and the one of the first race or the second race with respect to an other of the first race or the second race, wherein the other of the first race or the second race is not the one of first race or the second race;
- and
- at least one collar extending from a race toward an opposing race, wherein the race is selected from the group consisting of the first race and the second race, wherein if the race is the first race the opposing race is the second race, and if the race is the second race the opposing race is the first race, wherein:
- the first groove is configured to have one of the at least one row of balls track therein at a continuously variable circumferential tracking path;
- each of the at least one second groove is configured to have the one of the at least one row of balls track therein at a single circumferential tracking path;
- the first race defines a first rotational axis, the second race defines a second rotational axis, and pivoting of the first rotational axis with respect to the second rotational axis is accompanied by a compensating shift in tracking path of the at least one row of balls within the first race;
- and
- the collar is configured to limit pivoting of the first rotational axis with respect to the second rotational axis at a predefined angle by contacting the opposing race or component connected thereto when the first rotational axis is pivoted with respect to the second rotational axis at the predefined angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.