The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 05, 1997
Akira Inoue, Neyagawa, JP;
EXEDY Corporation, Neyagawa, JP;
Abstract
A ball-transfer mechanism 1 is movable along the surface of floor 9, having a main body 2, a large ball 5, a plurality of small balls 6 and a restriction member 20. The large ball 5 is spherical and contacts the floor 9. A plurality of small balls 6 are disposed within portions of the main body 2 and support the large ball 5. Some of the small balls 6 are in rolling contact with the large ball 5, but upon rolling some of the small balls 5 move to a space defined within the main body 2 away from the large ball 5, while other small balls 6 move from the space back into contact with the large ball 5. The restriction member 20 can restrict a movement of all or a part of small balls 6 by contacting balls in the space within the main body 2 thereby restricting movement of adjacent small balls 6. The ball-transfer mechanism 1 has at least one restriction member 20, but can have a plurality of restriction members such as the restriction members.