Bearing balls escape and wear annunciator arrangement for ball screw
First Claim
1. An arrangement for detecting a load bearing failure, the arrangement comprising:
- a primary load-carrying system for bearing axially translatably a coaxial load, said primary load-carrying system having a rotor portion and an axially displaceable stator portion, there being further provided a plurality of bearing balls interposed between the rotor and axially displaceable stator portions;
a secondary load-carrying system for bearing the coaxial load upon the event of a failure of the primary load-carrying system; and
a detector for detecting a failure of the primary load-carrying system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for detecting a load bearing failure includes a primary load-carrying system for bearing axially translatably a coaxial load, said primary load-carrying system having a rotor portion and an axially displaceable stator portion. A plurality of bearing balls is interposed between the rotor and axially displaceable stator portions. A detector, which may include any of a laser measuring, an ultrasonic measuring, or a linear variable transformer or electrical contact detects wear or actual or impending failure of the primary load-carrying system. A secondary load-carrying system may be provided for bearing the coaxial load upon the event of a failure of the primary load-carrying system. The primary load-carrying system is a recirculating ball screw arrangement wherein the plurality of bearing balls is disposed in part in respective helical grooves of the rotor and axially displaceable stator portions. Wear or escape of the bearing balls is detected.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An arrangement for detecting a load bearing failure, the arrangement comprising:
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a primary load-carrying system for bearing axially translatably a coaxial load, said primary load-carrying system having a rotor portion and an axially displaceable stator portion, there being further provided a plurality of bearing balls interposed between the rotor and axially displaceable stator portions; a secondary load-carrying system for bearing the coaxial load upon the event of a failure of the primary load-carrying system; and a detector for detecting a failure of the primary load-carrying system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of determining failure of a primary load-carrying system, the method comprising the steps of:
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coupling a secondary load-carrying system to the primary load-carrying system, the secondary load-carrying system bearing no load prior to failure of the primary load-carrying system; transferring a load to the secondary load-carrying system upon the event of failure of the primary load-carrying system; and detecting an effect of the load on the secondary load-carrying system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An arrangement for detecting a load bearing failure, the arrangement comprising:
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a primary load-carrying system for bearing axially translatably a coaxial load, said primary load-carrying system having a rotor portion and an axially displaceable stator portion, there being further provided a plurality of bearing balls interposed between the rotor and axially displaceable stator portions; and a detector for measuring axial displacement between said rotor and stator portion of said primary load-carrying system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification