Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined varying curvature, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied axial load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force compnents arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact, said rolling element profile curvature varying from a reference datum extending transversely to the axis of the rolling element and disposed adjacent the longitudinal median of the rolling element and wherein said inner and outer raceway curvatures of constant radii are finite.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined varying curvature, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied axial load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force compnents arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact, said rolling element profile curvature varying from a reference datum extending transversely to the axis of the rolling element and disposed adjacent the longitudinal median of the rolling element and wherein said inner and outer raceway curvatures of constant radii are finite.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
206 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined varying curvature, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied axial load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force compnents arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact said inner and outer raceway profiles being concave and wherein said rolling element profile curvature includes radii of convex curvature on opposite sides of said datum which are smaller than the radius of curvature of said rolling element profile adjacent said datum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
206 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined varying curvature, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied axial load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force compnents arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact said inner and outer raceway profiles being concave and wherein said rolling element profile curvature includes radii of convex curvature on opposite sides of said datum which are smaller than the radius of curvature of said rolling element profile adjacent said datum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A bearing according to claim 2 wherein said reference datum is located at the longitudinal median of the rolling element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A bearing according to claim 2 wherein adjacent different radii of convex curvature of said rolling element profile curvature merge together at common tangents.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A bearing according to claim 2 wherein said smaller radii of convex curvature of said rolling element are of different magnitudes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
259 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined, varying curvature from a reference datum extending transversely to the axis of the rolling element, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii of curvature, the radius of convex curvature of the portions of the roller profile outboard of said transverse reference datum and adjacent the ends of the roller being less than the radius of curvature of the outer raceway, the radius of curvature of the outer raceway profile being less than the radius of curvature of the roller profile adjacent said datum and the radius of curvature of the inner raceway profile exceeding the radius of curvature of the roller everywhere along its length, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force components arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
259 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined, varying curvature from a reference datum extending transversely to the axis of the rolling element, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii of curvature, the radius of convex curvature of the portions of the roller profile outboard of said transverse reference datum and adjacent the ends of the roller being less than the radius of curvature of the outer raceway, the radius of curvature of the outer raceway profile being less than the radius of curvature of the roller profile adjacent said datum and the radius of curvature of the inner raceway profile exceeding the radius of curvature of the roller everywhere along its length, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force components arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
223 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined, varying curvature from a transverse reference datum extending perpendicular to the axis of the rolling element, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii of curvature; the radius of concave curvature of the inner raceway profile being greater than the radius of concave curvature of the outer raceway profile, said roller profile radii having common tangents at their juncture with one another at points on opposite sides of said datum, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force components arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
223 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween, a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined, varying curvature from a transverse reference datum extending perpendicular to the axis of the rolling element, said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii of curvature; the radius of concave curvature of the inner raceway profile being greater than the radius of concave curvature of the outer raceway profile, said roller profile radii having common tangents at their juncture with one another at points on opposite sides of said datum, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force components arising in each contact between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
227 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined varying curvature said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied axial load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force components arising in each contract between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact, said inner and outer ring raceway profiles being concave arcs having radii of curvatures R i and R o respectively and said roller profile has a minimum radius of convex curvature R r2 and a maximum radius of concave curvature R r1 and wherein the geometrical relationships of the various radii are as follows: R r2 <R o <R r1 <R i .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
227 words
In a bearing having inner and outer members with inner and outer raceways spaced apart to define a space therebetween a complement of rolling elements rotatable about their axes in the space between the raceways, the improvement wherein at least one rolling element has a profile with a predetermined varying curvature said inner and outer raceways having curvatures of constant radii, said rolling element profile producing a pressure distribution under load resulting in a residual frictional moment producing forces counteracting the externally applied axial load, said rolling elements having a skew angle when the axis of a rolling element and the axis of the bearing are not coplanar and said skew angle being positive when the friction force components arising in each contract between said rolling element and raceways and acting on said rolling element in the axial direction, are so directed that they are codirectional to the axial component of the normal contact force acting on said rolling element in the same contact, said inner and outer ring raceway profiles being concave arcs having radii of curvatures R i and R o respectively and said roller profile has a minimum radius of convex curvature R r2 and a maximum radius of concave curvature R r1 and wherein the geometrical relationships of the various radii are as follows: R r2 <R o <R r1 <R i .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A bearing according to claim 8 wherein said maximum radius of curvature of said rolling element profile is located adjacent the datum and the minimum radius of curvature of said rolling element profile is located outboard of said datum on opposite sides thereof.