Bearings – Linear bearing – Ball bearing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-29
2002-06-25
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Linear bearing
Ball bearing
C016S029000, C193S0350MD
Reexamination Certificate
active
06409388
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ball support, and more particularly to a ball support having a cleaning structure for cleaning the ball support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical ball supports or ball units have been widely developed and used today. U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,583 to Gorges and U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,490 to Masciarelli disclose two of the typical ball supports and include a large ball and a number of small balls rotatably received in an enclosed housing which are enclosed for retaining the balls therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,738 to Tifre disclose the other typical ball support also having a large ball and a number of small balls rotatably received in a housing. The housing includes an access hole formed therein for receiving a tool which may be used to disengage the large ball from the housing. However, the typical ball supports have no cleaning structure formed therein such that the ball supports may not be suitably cleaned. Dirt or the like may enter into the ball support and may damage the ball support if the ball support may not be suitably cleaned.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional ball supports.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a ball support including a cleaning structure for cleaning the ball support and for maintaining the bearing effect of the ball support.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a ball support comprising a cup including a peripheral portion having a peripheral flange laterally extended outward therefrom, and including a chamber formed therein, and including a passage formed through the cup and communicating with the chamber of the cup, and including an outer peripheral portion having a cut-off portion formed therein and communicating with the passage of the cup, a rotary member received in the chamber of the cup, a plurality of balls received in the chamber of the cup and engaged between the rotary member and the cup, and means for retaining the rotary member and the balls in the cup. The passage and the cut-off portion of the cup are communicating with the chamber of the cup for allowing a cleaning agent to flow into the chamber of the cup to clean the ball support.
The peripheral flange of the cup includes a recess communicating with the passage and the cut-off portion of the cup.
An object includes a cavity formed therein for receiving the cup, and includes a port communicating with the cavity thereof for receiving the cleaning agent and for allowing the cleaning agent to flow into the chamber of the cup via the passage and the cut-off portion of the cup.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1582795 (1926-04-01), Smith
patent: 3739894 (1973-06-01), Hinman
patent: 4696583 (1987-09-01), Gorges
patent: 4732490 (1988-03-01), Masciarelli
patent: 4996738 (1991-03-01), Tifre
patent: 5516211 (1996-05-01), Barnes et al.
patent: 5540314 (1996-07-01), Coelln
patent: 6279716 (2001-08-01), Kayatani et al.
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