Ball bearing for longitudinal movements

US6068404A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• SKF Linearsysteme GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Ludwig Edelmann · Premich, DE
• Andreas Geyer · San Secondo di Pinerolo, IT
• Hermann Glockner · Schweinfurt, DE
• Holger Kristandt · Euerbach, DE
• Zoltan Laszlofalvi · Schweinfurt, DE
• Uwe Mayer · Schweinfurt, DE
• Henryk Velde · Werneck, DE
• Lothar Walter · Schweinfurt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 18, 1998
• Grant date: May 30, 2000
• Expiry date: Sep 18, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F16C29/084
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A ball bearing for permitting longitudinal movements with respect to a shaft includes a cage provided with at least two longitudinally extending guide tracks having opposite ends that are connected by semicircular turn around tracks. A plurality of balls are positioned in the guide tracks, with balls positioned in one of the guide tracks forming load-bearing balls and balls positioned in another one of the guide tracks forming non-load-bearing balls. The longitudinally extending guide track for the load-bearing balls is provided with a slit that is open radially inwardly for passage of the balls in a direction radially inwardly towards the shaft. The longitudinally extending guide track for the non-load-bearing balls has an interior wall which, in cross-section, possesses at least two substantially diametrically opposed first sections having a circular contour and at least two substantially diametrically opposed second sections laterally offset from the first sections and having a base that is set back from the circular contour.