Importance

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Abstract

A ball screw and nut assembly includes an improved ball return system designed to avoid abrupt directional changes in the recirculation path of ball bearings from one end of a nut to the other. A return tube, secured to the nut, is formed in two sections, each having a major leg and a minor leg. The ends of respective major legs are adapted to butt together along the centerline of the ball screw nut. The minor legs, joined by elbows to the major legs, are disposed at angles equal to ninety degrees minus the helix angle of the ball screw and nut. The nut contains transverse apertures at its respective ends to provide counterbores for support of the minor legs, each leg also extending tangentially to the groove in the nut at the location of its interface with the groove. The result is a return tube system which avoids abrupt directional changes in the travel path of the balls.

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First Claim