Ball transfer unit support systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9284128-B2
Application number	US-201414262017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Apr 25, 2014
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A ball transfer unit support may include a top ring, an upper portion adjacent to the top ring, a lower portion, and a shoulder located between the upper portion and the lower portion. The shoulder may be configured to support a ball transfer unit. The top ring may be in the shape of a truncated circle, and the top ring may snap into an aperture in a top skin of a ball panel. The top ring may include a retaining lip which snaps below the top skin. The truncated circle shape of the top ring may provide anti-rotation between the ball transfer unit support and the ball panel. The ball transfer unit support may transfer load on the ball transfer unit to a bottom skin of the ball panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ball transfer unit support comprising:
a top ring;
an upper portion adjacent to the top ring;
a lower portion; and
a shoulder between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the shoulder is configured to support a tapered neck of a canister of a ball transfer unit.

2. The ball transfer unit support of claim 1 , wherein the top ring comprises a truncated circle.

3. The ball transfer unit support of claim 1 , wherein the shoulder is configured to support a J-082269-6 ball transfer unit.

4. The ball transfer unit support of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the upper portion is greater than a diameter of the lower portion.

5. The ball transfer unit support of claim 1 , wherein the top ring comprises a retaining lip.

6. The ball transfer unit support of claim 5 , wherein the retaining lip is configured to contact a bottom surface of a top skin of a ball panel.

7. The ball transfer unit support of claim 1 , further comprising a ball transfer unit located within the ball transfer unit support.

8. The ball transfer unit support of claim 1 , wherein the top ring is configured to prevent rotation of the ball transfer unit support.

9. A ball transfer unit system comprising:
a ball panel comprising an aperture;
a ball transfer unit support located within the aperture, wherein the ball transfer unit support comprises a shoulder; and
a ball transfer unit located within the ball transfer unit support, wherein a tapered neck of a canister of the ball transfer unit is supported by the shoulder of the ball transfer unit support.

10. The ball transfer unit system of claim 9 , wherein the ball panel comprises a top skin, a bottom skin, and a corrugation, and wherein the ball transfer unit support is configured to transfer load from the ball transfer unit to a bottom section of the corrugation.

11. The ball transfer unit system of claim 9 , wherein the aperture comprises a truncated circle.

12. The ball transfer unit system of claim 9 , wherein the ball transfer unit support comprises a top ring including a retaining lip, and wherein the retaining lip is configured to snap into the aperture.

13. The ball transfer unit system of claim 9 , wherein a clearance between a ball in the ball transfer unit and a top skin of the ball panel is greater than 0.25 inches (0.64 cm).

14. The ball transfer unit system of claim 9 , wherein the ball transfer unit support comprises a top ring comprising a truncated circle.

15. The ball transfer unit system of claim 9 , wherein the aperture and a top ring of the ball transfer unit support comprise an anti-rotation feature.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Stegmiller Wesley K

Classifications

• B65G39/025 Primary

  having spherical roller elements · CPC title

• B65G39/12 Primary

  mounted on framework · CPC title

• F16C2326/58

  Conveyor systems, e.g. rollers or bearings therefor · CPC title

• F16C29/046

  with balls journaled in pockets · CPC title

• B65G13/00

  Roller-ways (storage devices comprising roller-ways B65G1/02; endless-chain conveyors comprising load-supporting rollers B65G17/00; rollers or arrangements thereof B65G39/00) · CPC title