Patent US3722296A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3722296A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Antifriction bearing with compensating flexural pivot in a free axis gyroscope
Assignee: Bendix Corp
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Filing: 1971-01-19
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Granted: 1973-03-27
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Expires: 1991-01-19
Abstract
Abstract An antifriction bearing with compensating flexure pivot, including a shaft supporting a load and mounted in a suitable ball bearing arrangement with a flexural pivot device operatively connected in the shaft intermediate the load and the bearing so as to provide a free axis of a gyroscope. Thus one operative part of the flexural pivot is secured with an inner race of the bearing so as to permit large angular freedom of movement of one gimbal of the gyroscope relative to another gimbal of the gyroscope about the free axis provided by attaching the other operative part of the flexural pivot to one gimbal of the gyroscope, and an outer race of the bearing arrangement to the other gimbal of the gyroscope so that the deflection of the flexural pivot may in effect be always kept nearly at null so that torque transmitted to the load due to friction at the bearing may be considered of a negligible effect and the bearing substantially frictionless.
Inventors
- 👤 C Hurlburt
- 👤 M Lanni
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:36
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C11/00; F16C11/04; F16C11/12; G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/02; G01C19/04; G01C19/16; F16C2370/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32541; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/12; Y10T74/1293
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
In a gyroscope of a type including a gimbal angularly movable about a free axis relative to another part of the gyroscope; and a shaft supporting the gimbal for such angular movement about said free axis; wherein the improvement comprises the shaft including a flexural pivot device, a pair of operative elements for said flexural pivot device, said pair of operative elements being arranged in axial alignment, one of said operative elements being connected to said gimbal, bearing means mounted in said other part of the gyroscope for freely supporting the other of said pair of operative elements, said flexural pivot device being connected between said gimbal and the bearing means so as to carry radial and axial loads applied in relation to said free axis, the flexural pivot device including spring means connected between said pair of operative elements, said spring means permitting angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element, said spring means providing a relatively low torsional stiffness to such angular movement of said one operative element over a predetermined small angular range relative to said other operative element, means for drivingly coupling the pair of operative elements upon tHe angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element exceeding said predetermined small angular range, and said bearing means permitting large angular freedom of movement of the other operative element of the flexural pivot device freely supported by said bearing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
In a gyroscope of a type including a gimbal angularly movable about a free axis relative to another part of the gyroscope; and a shaft supporting the gimbal for such angular movement about said free axis; wherein the improvement comprises the shaft including a flexural pivot device, a pair of operative elements for said flexural pivot device, said pair of operative elements being arranged in axial alignment, one of said operative elements being connected to said gimbal, bearing means mounted in said other part of the gyroscope for freely supporting the other of said pair of operative elements, said flexural pivot device being connected between said gimbal and the bearing means so as to carry radial and axial loads applied in relation to said free axis, the flexural pivot device including spring means connected between said pair of operative elements, said spring means permitting angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element, said spring means providing a relatively low torsional stiffness to such angular movement of said one operative element over a predetermined small angular range relative to said other operative element, means for drivingly coupling the pair of operative elements upon tHe angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element exceeding said predetermined small angular range, and said bearing means permitting large angular freedom of movement of the other operative element of the flexural pivot device freely supported by said bearing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a gyroscope, the improvement defined by claim 1 in which the spring means connected between the pair of operative elements includes cross flat springs connected between the pair of operative elements and providing a relatively low torsional stiffness in opposition to the angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element over said predetermined small angular range, the means for drivingly coupling the pair of operative elements including at least one segmental tubular sleeve portion projecting axially from one of said pair of operative elements and engageable with the other operative element for drivingly coupling said pair of operative elements upon the angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element exceeding said predetermined angular range, and said bearing means upon said coupling means being rendered effective thereupon permitting large angular freedom of movement of the other operative element of the flexural pivot device supported by said bearing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
In a gyroscope, the improvement defined by claim 1 including the relatively low torsional stiffness provided by said spring means being less than that of the frictional forces applied at the bearing means and acting in opposition to angular flexure of the other operative element upon movement of said one operative element over said predetermined small angular range relative to said other operative element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
In a gyroscope, the improvement defined by claim 1 in which the bearing means includes an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of ball bearings carried between said inner and outer races, said outer race being mounted in said other part of the gyroscope, and said other operative element of the flexural pivot device being secured in said inner race of the bearing means for permitting the large angular freedom of movement of the other operative element upon the coupling means being rendered effective.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
212 words
In a gyroscope, the improvement defined by claim 1 in which the spring means connected between the pair of operative elements includes crossed flat springs connected between the pair of operative elements and providing a relatively low torsional stiffness in opposition to the angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element over said predetermined small angular range, the relatively low torsional stiffness provided by said spring means being less than that of the frictional forces applied at the bearing means and acting in opposition to angular flexure of the other operative element upon movement of said one operative element over said predetermined small angular range relative to said other operative element, the means for drivingly coupling the pair of operative elements including at least one segmental tubular sleeve portion projecting axially from one of said pair of operative elements and engageable with the other operative element for drivingly coupling said pair of operative elements upon the angular movement of said one operative element relative to said other operative element exceeding said predetermined angular range, and said bearing means upon said coupling means being rendered effective thereupon permitting large angular freedom of movement of the other operative element of the flexural pivot device supported by said bearing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
In a gyroscope, the improvement defined by claim 5 in which the bearing means includes an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of ball bearings carried between said inner and outer races, said outer race being mounted in said other part of the gyroscope, and said other operative element of the flexural pivot device beiNg secured in said inner race of the bearing means for permitting the large angular freedom of movement of the other operative element upon the coupling means being rendered effective.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-26 | 1976-09-25 | 1977-03-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-26 | 1980-09-25 | 1981-03-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-26 | 1984-09-25 | 1985-03-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |