Patent ID: 6105890
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: B02C,F16C

Abstract:
A support bearing for a nutating element, said support bearing adapted to constrain the nutating element for movement about a nutating axis and in a nutating motion about a stationary axis intersecting with the nutating axis at a point of nutation symmetry, said support bearing comprising:two pairs of bearing surfaces, each said pair comprising a stationary bearing surface which is adapted to be located on a stationary support member and a nutating bearing surface which is adapted to be located on the nutating element,each said stationary bearing surface making contact with the corresponding nutating bearing surface in a plane containing the stationary axis and the nutating axis,each pair of bearing surfaces tracing out complementary contact paths of circular form on the corresponding surfaces, the complementary contact paths in each of the pairs of bearing surfaces having substantially equal ratios of mean path length in the stationary bearing surface to the mean path length in the corresponding nutation bearing surface.