ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 12 -- United States Patent no. 12,297,866, issued on May 13, was assigned to NIPPON THOMPSON Co. LTD. (Tokyo).
"Follower bearing" was invented by Tomoaki Nakamura (Mino, Japan).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A follower bearing 1 includes: a shaft 30 having an outer peripheral surface including an annular first raceway surface 11; an outer ring 60 having an inner peripheral surface including an annular second raceway surface 41 facing the first raceway surface 11; and a plurality of rollers 70 disposed on an annular raceway along the first raceway surface 11 and the second raceway surface 41 to be in contact with the first raceway surface 11 and the second raceway surface ...