Low friction bearing assembly
View Patent ↗An bearing assembly comprises a housing having a tapered interior bore, a ball bearing element, a ball bearing retainer disposed within the housing, wherein the ball bearing retainer has an interior bore for receiving the ball bearing element. The sides of the ball bearing retainer comprise a plurality of slots defining a plurality of fingers. The ball bearing element is disposed within the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer. A spring mechanism for maintaining a prescribed tension of the ball bearing element within the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer is disposed within the tapered interior bore of the housing. The bearing assembly may also include a locking mechanism for retaining the ball bearing element, the ball bearing retainer and the spring mechanism within the housing.
1. A bearing assembly comprising:
a housing having a tapered interior bore;
a ball bearing element;
a ball bearing retainer disposed within the housing,
wherein the ball bearing retainer has an interior bore for receiving the ball bearing element,
wherein sides of the ball bearing retainer comprise a plurality of slots defining a plurality of fingers;
wherein the ball bearing element is disposed within the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer;
a spring mechanism for maintaining a prescribed tension of the ball bearing element within the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer disposed within the tapered interior bore of the housing; and
a locking mechanism for retaining the ball bearing element, the ball bearing retainer and the spring mechanism within the tapered interior bore of the housing.
2. The hearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ball hearing element comprises a counter bore traversing generally through a center of the ball hearing element and extending from one end to another opposite end of the ball bearing element.
3. The bearing assembly of claim 2 , wherein the tapered interior bore comprises a passageway traversing generally through a center of the housing and extending from a first opening to a second opposite opening of the housing.
4. The bearing assembly of claim 3 , wherein the counter bore of the ball bearing element is configured in general axial alignment with the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer and in general axial alignment with the passageway of the housing.
5. The bearing assembly of claim 2 , wherein the counter bore is configured to receive bearing spacer elements.
6. The hearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ball hearing element comprises a polished stainless steel ball.
7. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ball bearing retainer comprises a bearing race.
8. The bearing assembly of claim 7 , wherein the bearing race is non-metallic.
9. The bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the bearing race comprises acetal copolymer resin.
10. The hearing assembly of claim 9 , wherein the bearing race comprises a tensile strength up to about 6960 psi.
11. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spring mechanism is secured within the housing to maintain a close fitment between the ball bearing retainer and the ball bearing element.
12. The bearing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the hall bearing retainer is configured to retain the spring mechanism.
13. The bearing assembly of claim 12 , wherein the ball bearing retainer comprises a groove for receiving and retaining the spring mechanism.
14. The bearing assembly of claim 13 , wherein the shape of the groove is complimentary to the geometric shape of the spring mechanism.
15. The bearing assembly of claim 12 , wherein the spring mechanism is configured to impart about 110 lbs of compression on the ball bearing retainer to maintain the close fitment between the ball bearing retainer and the ball bearing element within the tapered interior bore.
16. The bearing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism retains the ball bearing element within the interior bore of the ball bearing retainer, the ball bearing retainer within the tapered interior bore of the housing, and the spring mechanism.
17. The bearing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the ball bearing retainer is compressed by the tapered interior bore around the ball bearing element in a final assembly.
18. The bearing assembly of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of fingers flex about the geometric shape of the ball bearing element.
19. The bearing assembly of claim 18 , wherein the ball bearing retainer snaps over the ball bearing element.
20. The bearing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a snap ring.
21. The bearing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the spring mechanism is disposed between the ball hearing retainer and the locking mechanism within the housing.
22. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein a body of the housing extends into an extended portion.
23. The bearing assembly of claim 22 , wherein the housing and the extended portion comprise 17-4 Grade Stainless Steel material.
24. The bearing assembly of claim 22 , wherein the extended portion is threaded.
25. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bearing assembly is configured to produce approximately 30 degrees of axial articulation and 360 degrees of rotational movement.