Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.

Ushio Chemix Corporation

University of Yamanashi

Shigemasa Itabashi

Ayana Takemura

Kazuo Okamoto

Hiroyuki Otsuki

Yuichiro Haramoto

Akihiko Kamimura

Takeshi Matsui

Norimasa Agari

Toyohisa Ishihara

Takashi Yatsu

Provided is a lubricant composition including a bicyclic liquid crystal of formula (1), tricyclic liquid crystal compounds of formula (2), and formula (3). The composition is suitable for use in a clean environment, under a high vacuum, under high temperature and a bearing. Rand Rare the same or different from each other, and each is —OCHCHCH(R')CHCHOR. Rand Rare the same or different from each other, and each is —OR. R, R, Rand Rare the same or different from each other, and each is hydrogen or a group —OR. Rand Rare the same or different from each other, and each is —OCHCHCH(R')CHCHOR. R, R, R, and Rare the same or different from each other, and each is hydrogen or —OCHCHCH(R′)CHCHOR. R is a linear or branched CH, 1≤n≤20, and R′ is methyl or ethyl.

Electrically-conductive lubricant

Provided are a lubricant composition which is advantageous in that, when applied to a contact area of metal parts, the lubricant composition can suppress generation of rust and can exhibit excellent lubricating performance, and a bearing the lubricant composition having sealed therein. A lubricant composition comprising at least one dicyclic liquid crystal compound represented by the following formula (1), at least one tricyclic liquid crystal compound represented by the following formula (2), and halogen ions, wherein the content of the halogen ions in the lubricant composition is 1 to 900 ppm.

Lubricant composition and bearing having the same sealed therein

Provided is a lubricant composition including a bicyclic liquid crystal of formula (1), and a tricyclic liquid crystal compound of formula (2), and having a mixing mass ratio of the bicyclic liquid crystal compound and tricyclic liquid crystal compound of 95:5 to 15:85. The composition is suitable for use in a clean environment, under a high vacuum, under high temperature and a bearing. Rand Rare the same or different from each other, and each is &#x2014;OCHCHCH(R')CHCHOR Rand Rare the same or different from each other, and each is &#x2014;OR. R, R, Rand Rare the same or different from each other, and each is hydrogen or &#x2014;OR. R is a linear or branched CH, 1&#x2264;n&#x2264;20 and R&#x2032; is methyl or ethyl.

This is to provide an electrically-conductive lubricant having characteristics in combination that it shows liquid crystallinity in a wide temperature range, retains low dynamic friction coefficient, has electrical-conductivity, has almost no loss due to evaporation, decomposition and the like, has a clean appearance, and emits fluorescence, and can find deterioration or leakage immediately. This electrically-conductive lubricant comprises at least one kind of the compound (1) represented by the formula (1): 12:8 wherein,

A linear motion guide unit has sleeves which form return passages and are formed of a high temperature resistant resin material which allows use in a high temperature environment. In the linear motion guide unit, spaces serving as grease pools are formed in the sleeves inserted into insertion holes of a carriage. The sleeves are formed of a thermoplastic resin whose heat distortion temperature is higher than 80&#xb0; C. Each sleeve is formed by combining split circular members obtained by dividing a cylindrical member into two pieces along the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of grooves which become spaces are formed on the inner circumferential surfaces of the sprit circular members through cutting orthogonal to a parting plane between the split circular members.

Linear motion guide unit

The invention provides a guide unit in which a slider is provided on a rail. The slider comprises a casing and an end cap provided on one end of the casing. The end cap comprises a raceway path which is constituted jointly by the casing and the rail. A direction changing path is provided in the end cap and a return path is provided in the casing. An oil retaining sleeve of porous structure is inserted into the return path. The slider circulates rolling elements in the raceway path, direction changing path and oil retaining sleeve. In the guide unit, a cylindrical guide member is interposed between the direction changing path of the end cap and the oil retaining sleeve. The ratio of a length in the axis line direction of the guide member to the diameter of the rolling element may be between 0.3 to 3.0.

Guide unit

A linear motion guide unit is disclosed in which a joint tube connects between a turnaround and a return passage of a sleeve made of sintered resinous material to ensure smooth turnabout of rolling elements and further in which lubricant can be supplied to the rolling elements for a prolonged period, thereby refining the durability. A slider is comprised of a sleeve for a return passage held with clearance fit in a through-hole of a carriage in a way lining major area of the through-hole with only forward and aft ends of the through-hole being left naked, a spacer with a lug having a radially inside curved half for a turnaround and an inside part for a joint tube to make up for any one end of the return passage joining with the radially inside curved half, and an end cap having a radially outside half for the turnaround and an outside part for the joint tube to make up for any one end of the return passage joining with the radially outside curved half.

Linear motion guide unit with joint tube between return passage and turnaround

A linear motion guide unit is disclosed in which a slider moves relatively of and along a track rail by virtue of rolling elements of balls or rollers. The rolling elements are allowed to recirculate from a load raceway formed between the track rail and the slider to a non-loaded area composed of a turnaround formed in the slider to communicate with the load raceway, and a return passage formed in the slider to communicate with the turnaround. The return passage is encircled with a sintered resinous member of porous texture. Lubricant absorbed and held in voids in the sintered resinous member can be supplied over a prolonged period to the rolling elements, thereby lubricating the rolling elements to make the frictional resistance less, which might be encountered when the slider moves on the track rail, and ultimately helping ensure the improvement in durability.

A linear motion guide unit is disclosed wherein rolling elements are allowed to run smoothly through a turnaround and less subject to wear. Separators connected to elongated coupler members are allowed to travel ahead together with the rolling elements through a recirculating passage, which is composed of a load raceway, a return passage and turnarounds. The separator are each made unchanged in thickness at a limited zone over which a sliding contact point thereof with the associated rolling element changes place from S to S when the separator moves through the turnaround. The coupler member is made in the form of a flexible strip kept substantially constant in cross section throughout the overall length to bend uniformly with a fixed radius RB of curvature when moving in the turnaround. The coupler member in the turnaround travels along a curve having a radius RB of curvature, which is less than a radius RO of curvature of a locus of the center of the rolling element, but larger than a radius RS of curvature of a locus of the sliding contact point between the separator and the associated rolling element, which will change place from S to S when the separator moves through the turnaround.

Linear motion guide units with separator couplers

A linear motion guide unit is disclosed wherein lubricant-containing members of sintered resinous components are fixed to core metals with either of mechanical means and adhesives whereby the lubricant-containing members may be kept in an accurate sliding contact with the raceway grooves on the track rail. Lubricating plate assemblies attached on end caps by bolts are each composed of the lubricant-containing member of sintered resinous component, core metal and dustproof cover. The lubricant-containing members are each fixed on the associated core metal with adhesives or with mechanical means such as claws, grasping fingers or the like, which are formed on the core metals. The core metals have rigidity sufficient to protect the lubricant-containing members from deformation, resulting in keeping the highly accurate sliding contact relation of the lubricant-containing members with the raceway grooves on the track rail.

Linear motion guide unit with lubricating plate assembly

A relatively movable unit with rolling elements, or balls, adapted for use in a linear motion guide unit or a ball nut screw assembly. The relatively movable unit has lubricating rings disposed between any adjoining balls to thereby lubricate the balls. In the linear motion guide unit employing this relatively movable unit, the balls are confined in raceways at the interfaces between a track rail and a slider, while the lubricating ring is arranged between the adjoining balls. The lubricating ring is provided therein with spherical pockets opened to each other through a window at the center of the ring. The lubricating ring may be produced by forming a mixture of lubricant of turbine oil with resinous material of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene powder in a mold under pressure, and heating the molded mixture under pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Shigemasa Itabashi