254results about How to "Limit wear" patented technology

A multi-piece disc replacement implant device for replacing a disc removed by a discectomy including an upper plate member, a lower plate member, and an intermediate resilient member providing movement between the two plate members replicating the natural movement of the spine including flexion / extension, lateral bending, and, in some embodiments, rotation. The plate members are rigid and have orthogonal sidewalls forming an enclosure. The resilient member is an elastic solid or a multi-chamber balloon structure of fluid-filled sacks that collectively define a non-uniform shape such as an oblate spheroid, or a helically coiled string of beads. Such an implant is capable of supporting the compressive and cyclic loads required of a natural disc. The upper and lower plate members are cooperatively formed to selectively limit the allowable range of motion in any given direction. Alternate embodiments of the invention may be employed in conjunction with removal of the nucleus pulposus when removal of the annulus fibrosus (annulotomy) is not required or desirable.

A wind energy plant comprising a rotor, a rotor shaft, a gear, and a generator, the generator embodied as a ring concentrically embracing the gear.

A magneto-resistive read / write tape head is provided for reading and writing to tape media along a tape head face. The tape head comprises a plurality of modules, each module comprising a read element and a write element spaced apart and terminating at the tape head face and formed over a substrate. The read element comprises a soft film bias layer and a hard film bias layer butted against the SFB layer. The write element comprises two pole tips spaced apart by a gap. The tape head further includes a plurality of activating conducting coil turns operatively associated with the write element and covered by a cross-linked photoresist and positioned between the gap and one of the pole tips and set back from the tape head face. The tape head has at least one of the following elements: (a) a wear shield between the read element and the write element for limiting wear of the gap between the two pole tips, the wear shield being grounded for decoupling read and write functions of the tape head, for allowing same module read / servo / write functions simultaneously, and for grounding static charge from the tape media; (b) a layer of electrically conductive and corrosion-resis tant material, such as rhodium, under the hard film bias layer to reduce its resistance; and (c) a non-activating dummy coil turn closer to the pole tips than the activating coil turns for defining a forward termination of the cross-linked photoresist between the activating coil turns and the tape head face to thereby provide improved ease of processability.

The injector includes a nozzle, a needle, a control chamber, a working fluid supply passage, an electric switching valve, a high-pressure gaseous fuel supply passage and a lubrication liquid fuel supply passage. The nozzle has an injection hole, through which high-pressure gaseous fuel is injected. The needle is axially reciprocably received in the nozzle to open and close the injection hole. The needle includes a sliding portion and a valve portion. The control chamber applies a pressure to the needle. The working fluid supply passage supplies liquid fuel to the control chamber. The electric switching valve controls an inflow / outflow of the liquid fuel to / from the control chamber. The high-pressure gaseous fuel supply passage supplies the high-pressure gaseous fuel to the injection hole. The lubrication liquid fuel supply passage supplies the liquid fuel from the working fluid supply passage to the sliding portion and the valve portion.

The shaft seal structure is based on a leaf seal that includes springs, disposed between the stator blades and the leaf seal ring, to force the leaf seal ring away from the rotation shaft, and pressure guiding grooves for guiding the fluid pressure, through a boundary of planar plates, to a space between the outer peripheral surface of the leaf seal ring and the inner peripheral surface of the stator blade. Also, a turbine may be provided with the leaf seal so as to reduce gas leakage from the high-pressure-region to the low-pressure-region as well as to control the frictional wear between the planar plates and the rotation shaft.

A dynamic pressure bearing motor includes a rotary shaft, a rotary hub coupled to the rotary shaft, a dynamic pressure bearing sleeve that supports the rotary shaft by dynamic pressure and has a fallout stopper flange section that protrudes outward in the radial direction, a thrust dynamic pressure bearing section formed in an axial direction between the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve and the rotary hub, and a circular ring-shaped member that surrounds an outer circumference surface of the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve. The circular ring-shaped member has a hub mounting section that connects to an end surface of the rotary hub in a region radially outside the thrust dynamic pressure bearing section, and a main body section that protrudes inward from the hub mounting section. An inner circumference surface of the hub mounting section of the circular ring-shaped member opposes in the radial direction an outer circumference surface of the fallout stopper flange section of the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve, and the main body section of the circular ring-shaped member opposes in the axial direction the fallout stopper flange section of the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve to prevent the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve from falling out in the axial direction.

A seat belt system, in one form, includes a buckle anchored along the side of the seat, a tongue slidably mounted on the seat belt for being latched in the buckle to define the shoulder and lap belt portions, and a retractor for pay in and pay out of the seat belt into and out from the retractor. The airbag is fixed to the tongue and configured for sliding along the seat belt so that with the tongue latched in the buckle the airbag extends along the same position irrespective of the size of the occupant. Alternatively, the airbag is fixed to a guide loop adjacent to the shoulder of the occupant and configured to allow for sliding of the seat belt relative thereto so that with the tongue latched in the buckle the airbag extends from the same position and across the occupant's torso irrespective of the size of the occupant.

A disconnect device for use as part of a tubing string downhole in an oil or gas well and which comprises a tubular body, at least one slip held within the tubular body, and a sleeve housed within the tubular body to hold the at least one slip in coupling engagement with at least one of a coupling component of an upper sub and a coupling component of a lower sub, in use, the sleeve being selectively moveable relative to the at least one slip to release the slip and thereby release the coupling, wherein the slip cooperatively engages with at least one of the coupling component of the upper sub and the coupling component of the lower sub by means of at least one localized protrusion on the slip or on the coupling component extending into a corresponding shaped local depression or hole in the other of the at least one slip and the coupling component whereby tensile load and torque may be transmitted by the coupling, that part of the device which is to be released and left downhole by releasing the coupling engagement having a fishneck configuration to enable subsequent retrieval by a fishing tool.

A method and an apparatus log an underbalanced open hole well without killing the well or causing formation damage to maintain well control during the process. The installation of the well logging equipment is accomplished while holding the underbalanced open hole at its optimal pressure, then conveying the logging string on a drill string into the open hole portion to total depth and logging while removing the logging string from the total depth to be logged with a cable side entry sub. The invention also provides a unique configuration of equipment to accomplish the logging using what is normally referred to as tough logging condition techniques.

A method and an apparatus log an underbalanced open hole well without killing the well or causing formation damage to maintain well control during the process. The installation of the well logging equipment is accomplished while holding the underbalanced open hole at its optimal pressure, then conveying the logging string on a drill string into the open hole portion to total depth and logging while removing the logging string from the total depth to be logged with a cable side entry sub. The invention also provides a unique configuration of equipment to accomplish the logging using what is normally referred to as tough logging condition techniques.

A granular thermal insulating material comprising rice hull ash, ceramic clay binder, rice bran and an exfoliating agent, and methods to produce the insulating material.

The injector includes a nozzle, a needle, a control chamber, a working fluid supply passage, an electric switching valve, a high-pressure gaseous fuel supply passage and a lubrication liquid fuel supply passage. The nozzle has an injection hole, through which high-pressure gaseous fuel is injected. The needle is axially reciprocably received in the nozzle to open and close the injection hole. The needle includes a sliding portion and a valve portion. The control chamber applies a pressure to the needle. The working fluid supply passage supplies liquid fuel to the control chamber. The electric switching valve controls an inflow / outflow of the liquid fuel to / from the control chamber. The high-pressure gaseous fuel supply passage supplies the high-pressure gaseous fuel to the injection hole. The lubrication liquid fuel supply passage supplies the liquid fuel from the working fluid supply passage to the sliding portion and the valve portion.

A modular member for a conveyer belt is provided that includes an elongated main base, at least one attaching rod and a plurality of hooks. The at least one attaching rod is coupled proximate a first side of the main base. The plurality of aligned hooks are coupled proximate a second side of the main base. Each hook includes a slot defined by an inner surface. The slot of each hook is configured to receive an attaching rod of another modular member. The inner surface that defines the slot of at least one hook has an attaching rod relief cutout section. The attaching rod relief cutout section limits wear between the attaching rod of another modular member that is received in the slot of the at least one hook and the inner surface of the slot of the at least one hook.

A method for surface processing at least a portion of a component of zirconium or hafnium alloy, including at least one operation of nanostructuring a surface layer of the alloy so as to confer on the alloy over a thickness of at least 5 μm a grain size which is less than or equal to 100 nm, the nanostructuring being carried out at a temperature which is less than or equal to that of the last thermal processing operation to which the component was previously subjected during its production.Component of zirconium or hafnium alloy processed in this manner.

A multistage gear pump assembly includes first and second gear pumps that use common shafts and are axially separated by a spacer plate secured within a common bore and secured to the housing. Pressurized bearings are provided at opposite axial ends of the first and second gear pumps. The second gear pump handles cruise and idle operations of the aircraft while the first gear pump stage assists in meeting higher demand modes of engine operation. Otherwise, the first gear pump is maintained at a minimal pressure to reduce energy consumption and still provide desired stability and eliminate issues associated with bearing oil whirl associated with prior known arrangements. However, when additional assistance is required, such as during takeoff, climb, or windmill relight, the first gear pump advantageously contributes to the increased pressure.

A dynamic pressure bearing motor includes a rotary shaft, a rotary hub coupled to the rotary shaft, a dynamic pressure bearing sleeve that supports the rotary shaft by dynamic pressure and has a fallout stopper flange section that protrudes outward in the radial direction, a thrust dynamic pressure bearing section formed in an axial direction between the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve and the rotary hub, and a circular ring-shaped member that surrounds an outer circumference surface of the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve. The circular ring-shaped member has a hub mounting section that connects to an end surface of the rotary hub in a region radially outside the thrust dynamic pressure bearing section, and a main body section that protrudes inward from the hub mounting section. An inner circumference surface of the hub mounting section of the circular ring-shaped member opposes in the radial direction an outer circumference surface of the fallout stopper flange section of the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve, and the main body section of the circular ring-shaped member opposes in the axial direction the fallout stopper flange section of the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve to prevent the dynamic pressure bearing sleeve from falling out in the axial direction.

The present invention relates to mass confinement cells that may be used in retaining walls and earth retention systems that has a natural earthen appearance or other aesthetic design and is resistant to damage and wear caused by the environment. The mass confinement cells are generally light-weight and include a continuous chamber that at least partially aligns with confinement cells positioned above and below, thereby allowing the intermingling of fill material between adjacent cells. The mass confinement cells are capable of accepting and retaining any type of filling material. The filling material provides weight, stability and security to a retaining wall constructed of such mass confinement cells.

A multistage gear pump assembly includes first and second gear pumps that use common shafts and are axially separated by a fixed spacer within the housing. Pressurized bearings are provided at opposite axial ends of the first and second gear pumps. The second gear pump handles cruise and idle operations of the aircraft while the first gear pump stage assists in meeting higher demand modes of engine operation. Otherwise, the first gear pump is maintained at a minimal pressure to reduce energy consumption and still provide desired stability and eliminate issues associated with bearing oil whirl associated with prior known arrangements. When additional assistance is required, such as during takeoff, climb, or windmill relight, the first gear pump advantageously contributes to the increased pressure.

A seat adjusting apparatus (20) for a vehicle includes a supporting member (8) pivotally supported at a base member (21) by means of a first bearing (23), a pinion gear (25) driven by a driving device (12), a sector gear (24) engageable with the pinion gear and a restriction mechanism (27, 37) formed at the sector gear for restricting a relative rotation between the pinion gear and the sector gear. The restriction mechanism includes a contact portion (27, 37) coming in contact with the pinion gear so that a component force of a reaction force (F2, F4), which works in a direction in which the first bearing is separated from the second bearing (28), acting on the pinion gear is reduced. A thickness (T) of a first tooth root (24d) of a tooth (24c) included in the teeth formed at the sector gear is larger than a thickness (t) of a second tooth root of the other teeth formed at the sector gear.

The wear-compensation device for a gear comprises a fixed support capable of being fixed axially on an external element in order to keep the device on the said external element, a bearing designed to be mounted on a shaft comprising one of the wheels of the gear, an eccentric mounted on the bearing and designed to be in contact with the external element, the said eccentric being able to move angularly relative to the fixed support. The device also comprises a torsion spring mounted axially between the fixed support and the eccentric and capable of exerting a circumferential preload force on the said eccentric, the said spring comprising a first end mounted inside a recess of the eccentric and a second end interacting with the fixed support.

Pump for dispensing a dose of a fluid product, comprising a tubular body including an intake orifice; an end member associated with the body and including a rest abutment and an end-of-stroke abutment; a compression member mounted so as to move inside the body between a rest position in which said compression member is in abutment against the rest abutment, and an end-of-stroke position in which said compression member is in abutment against the end-of-stroke abutment, said compression member being elastically returned toward the rest position and including an exhaust orifice; a metering chamber; and an intake valve and an exhaust valve adapted to selectively close off the intake orifice and the exhaust orifice, respectively.

An image forming apparatus (1) forms a toner image by using toner which includes external additives to develop a latent image which is formed via charging and exposure on a surface of a photosensitive drum (18), and transfers the toner image onto a transfer material, and includes: a static elimination unit (19) that irradiates static elimination light onto the surface of the photosensitive drum before the surface of the photosensitive drum is charged, and removes any charge remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum after it has completed the transfer; and a static elimination intensity adjustment device (74) that, compared with inner side areas of the paper feed width, lessens the amount of static elimination light irradiated onto areas which, when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum, are on an outer side of the paper feed width and are also on an inner side of the developing width.

A crawler track is provided which is improved in the service life of bushings engaging a driving wheel (sprocket) of a track type vehicle, thereby reducing the running cost and which can be used under high loading conditions and therefore has a wide range of applications covering all types of machines from small-sized to large-sized work machines. In the crawler track of the track type vehicle having a track chain composed of a plurality of track links each having a pair of links spaced apart from each other in a lateral direction and a pin for coupling the pair of links, the track links being connected in the form of a loop by their pins, each bushing engaging the driving wheel (sprocket) is rotatably mounted to its associated pin and a beam for coupling the pair of links is disposed at the center of the space between every adjacent pins.

A belt drive device includes a plurality of rollers and an endless belt stretched around the rollers, and configured to drive the endless belt by rotating the rollers. The belt drive device further includes a roller-shaft shifting member that shifts at least one end of a shaft of at least one roller of the above described rollers in accordance with the movement of the endless belt in the axial direction of the roller.

To provide a bearing device for a rotary shaft which can further restrain the damage to a sliding bearing, by determining the position of a parting surface of the sliding bearing taking into account the position of the maximum pressure of an oil film. A bearing device includes a pair of sliding bearings for rotatably bearing a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, and an oil supply passage for supplying a lubricating oil into clearances between the crankshaft and the sliding bearings. The sliding bearings are each composed of bearing halves bisected at a parting surface located on a flat plane, substantially orthogonal to the direction of the maximum pressure of the oil films, formed of the lubricating oil in the clearances. The bearing device is applicable to an internal combustion engine including a cylinder having an inclined cylinder axis, which reduces the vibration and noise of the internal combustion engine arising from vibration of a crankshaft, without depending on the angle of inclination of the cylinder axis, and which restrains abrasion and damage of end portion main bearings.

The sharpening unit (50) comprises a grinding wheel unit (80) with at least two grinding wheels (51, 53) opposed to act on two sides defining a cutting bevel of the blade (19). The grinding wheel unit is provided with at least a degree of freedom to center the grinding wheels (51, 53) in respect of a lying surface of the portion of the cutting bevel of the blade (19) on which said grinding wheels act.

A vibration-damping shim configured to be interposed between a platform of a fan blade and a fan disk, including a radially external surface fitted with plates in contact with the fan blade platform, and a radially internal surface formed by an upstream surface, configured to be facing the disk, and a downstream surface separated from the upstream surface by a break in alignment. The upstream surface includes a zone protruding radially towards the interior, initiated at some distance from its upstream end.