Thrust bearing to be used in a contaminated environment

• US 6,280,092 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1997
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronco Acquisition Corporation (Ronco Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advantage Partners Limited Liability Partnership
• Inventors: Backus, Alan L., Popeil, Ronald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Footland, Lenard A.
• Application Number:
  US08/889,562
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 384/138, 384/369, 384/908, 384/912, 384/420, 384/425, 384/426, 384/427, 425/203, 425/205, 425/209, 425/196, 425/190, 425/188, 993/48, 360/77, 360/98, 360/99, 360/307, 360/347
• US Class Current: 384/425
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/06 with horizontally-mounted mixing or kneading tools; Worm or screw mixers
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/14 Structural elements of mixing or kneading machines; Parts; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/144 Discharge mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/149 Receptacles, e.g. provided with means for carrying or guiding fluids, e.g. coolants
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 11/20 with worms
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 3/04 Dough-extruding machines ; Hoppers with moving elements, e.g. rollers or belts as wall elements for drawing the dough
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 9/005 combined with extrusion or molding
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/70 with paddles, blades or arms
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/512 characterised by surface properties, e.g. coated or rough
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/752 with arrangements for converting the mechanism from mixing to discharging, e.g. by either guiding a mixture back into a receptacle or discharging it
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/754551 using helical screws
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/04 for axial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2314/00 Personal or domestic articles, e.g. household appliances such as washing machines, dryers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/08 Attachment of brasses, bushes or linings to the bearing housing

Abstract

A simplified trust bearing to be used in a dry powder contaminated environment such as a pasta maker, with the bearing comprising two plates contacting each other face-to-face and through such face-to-face contact transmitting an axial thrust load.

Claims

1. A thrust bearing device in combination with a pasta maker or other dry powder contaminated environment comprising:

a cavity for receipt of dry powder materials;

a rotating shaft carrying an axial thrust load extending into said cavity;

a first plate coupled to and rotating with said rotating shaft and said first plate receiving said axial thrust load, and said first plate exposed to dry powder materials in said cavity; and

a second plate in said cavity which does not rotate with said rotating shaft having a face contacting a face of said first plate, said second plate also exposed to dry powder materials in said cavity, whereby said thrust bearing device may support said axial thrust load while being exposed to dry powder materials through face-to-face contact between said plates; and

wherein either the first plate or the second plate includes a concentric depression.

2. The thrust bearing device of claim 1 further including at least said first plate or said second plate having depressions in its face configured to receive dry powder material.

3. The thrust bearing device of claim 2 wherein said depressions are concentric and plural.

4. The trust bearing device of claim 1 wherein the plate that includes the concentric depression includes a plurality of concentric depressions.

5. The thrust bearing device of claim 1 wherein both the first plate and the second plate include a concentric depression.

6. The thrust bearing device of claim 1 wherein both the first plate and the second plate include a plurality of concentric depression.