Externally insertable self-retaining crossover for ball nut and screw assemblies
US6112610A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 24, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/19767
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A ball nut and screw system provides a helical raceway for load bearing balls disposed to occupy portions of the turns of the helical groove in the nut. The nut has a passage extending generally radially from its exterior surface to its interior to permit the balls to be fed into a ball-occupied portion of the turns. A snap-in crossover button inserted into the nut passage has an axially diagonal ball return channel in its underface for channeling the balls from one portion of one of the adjacent turns over an intervening land surface on the screw to a portion of another turn to recirculate them. The nut passage and snap-in button comprise a laterally compressible system with passage recesses and snap-in button projections received in the recesses which is operable automatically upon insertion of the button to a predetermined position to locate the button radially in a position in which the crossover channel aligns helically with the turns.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.