- Rolamite
Rolamite is a technology for very low
friction bearings developed bySandia National Laboratories in the 1960s. Invented by Sandia engineer Donald F. Wilkes and patented by him on June 24, 1969 [cite web|last=Wilkes|first=Donald F.|title=US Patent #3,452,175: Roller-Band Devices|date=June 24, 1969|publisher=Rex Research|url=http://www.rexresearch.com/wilkes/1wilkes.htm#usp|accessdate=2007-12-11] these devices use a stressed metal band and counter rotating rollers to create a bearing device that loses very little energy to friction. One source claims it is the only basic mechanical invention of the 20th century [cite news | first = Carlisle | last = Norman | author = Norman Carlisle | title = The Amazing Rolamite – It Opens the Door for 1000 Inventions | work =Popular Mechanics | date = February 1968] . Tests by Sandia indicated that Rolamite mechanisms demonstratedfriction coefficient s as low as .0005, an order of magnitude better thanball bearing s at the time.(U.S. patent #5,462,363)Sandia Atomic Labs tried for years to make a rotary version because most all mechanics is rotary. In the 1990s the "Rolamite Principle" finally displayed "Continuous Rotary Motion" with friction so low that it needs no lubrication. This successfully completes the task begun in 1968 by Sandia Atomic Labs with the first mechanical principle to emerge in 300 years (since the clutch)....
When Sandia National Labs made the linear version they used Copper Berylium (Beryl) for their bands. The Rotary Rolamite shown has 4 identical wheels rotating within a wheel. When it rolls, although the 4 wheels turn, the ScrollerWheel itself does not turn. It seems very strange but there is no slipping, sliding or rubbing so for the first time in history, it provides virtually frictionless rotary motion.
ee also
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scrollerwheel References
LINEAR
* cite web|last=Nelson|first=Robert A.|title=Rolamite|publisher= [http://www.rexresearch.com/1index.htm Rex Research]
url=http://www.rexresearch.com/wilkes/1wilkes.htm|accessdate=2007-12-11ROTARY
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External links
LINEAR
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-1Drlfuoi4 Video of a homemade rolamite]ROTARY
* [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,462,363.PN.&OS=PN/5,462,363&RS=PN/5,462,363 U.S. Patent #5,462,363]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-BK_iEJ7Go Rotary rolamite video]
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