Linear Motion Guides & Ball Screw Patents: Who Leads 2026
- Filing has already peaked. Annual filings rose to 105 in 2020 and have since drifted down toward single digits in the most recent partial year, with the 2022 midpoint of 85 confirming a flat-to-declining trend rather than a temporary dip.
- Gearing claims dominate the IPC mix. F16H gearing and transmission subclasses cover 1,249 of 2,169 families, well ahead of F16C bearing/coupling claims (677) and B23Q machine-tool fittings (621), showing where drafting effort has concentrated.
- Momentum has gone flat even among the largest holders. Recent-year filings from Nippon Seiko (NSK) and THK both show a 100% year-on-year drop to zero, while NTN still logged 2 filings in the latest year — a rare sign of continued activity at the top of the field.
Filing growth compares 2021 (67 records) with 2024 (37) — a three-year span. 2024 is the most recent year we treat as complete: publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so 2025 onwards are still filling in and any growth rate that ends there would understate the field. Top-5 share is the combined record count of the five largest assignees divided by all 2,169 records in scope (CR5), not by the ranked leaders only.
What this landscape covers
This dataset tracks 2,169 patent families filed between 2015 and 2026 whose title or abstract names a linear guide, ball screw or linear motion system, and whose claims address preload, positioning repeatability, lubrication interval, contamination sealing or rigidity — the mechanical performance parameters that separate a commodity slide from a precision one. The IPC scope spans F16C29 (linear bearings), F16H25 (screw and nut gearing) and B23Q1 (machine tool fittings), so it captures both the component makers and the machine-tool builders who integrate their own guideways.
Filing offices skew toward the United States, China and Japan, with Europe and a smaller PCT/Korean tail, reflecting a field where component IP is filed close to manufacturing bases and major machine-tool export markets rather than centralised in a single jurisdiction.
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Filing trend and technology composition
Annual filing counts and IPC subclass distribution for the 2,169 families in scope, drawn directly from publication records.
A field past its filing peak
Filings climbed from 64 in 2017 to a peak of 105 in 2020, held near that level through the 2022 midpoint of 85, then declined sharply into the most recent (partial) year. Because publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, the last one to two years will always look thinner than they eventually turn out to be, but the multi-year decline from the 2020 peak predates that lag effect.
Gearing claims outweigh bearing claims
F16H gearing and transmission subclasses account for the largest share of records (1,249), ahead of F16C shaft/bearing/coupling claims (677) and B23Q machine-tool fitting claims (621). Smaller pockets sit in H02K motors, B23B turning, B62D steering and F16D clutches/brakes — evidence that ball screw and linear guide IP is drafted as much around drive-train integration as around the guideway component itself.
Shares are the percentage of the 2,169 records in scope. A patent can carry several IPC classes, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Go deeper on Linear Motion Guides and Ball Screws with Eureka
This page is one run against one query. Ask Eureka your own question about linear motion guides and ball screws and every answer comes back with the patent numbers behind it.
Try EurekaRepresentative and most-cited filings
EP2436940A1 — Adjustable preload linear guide system
The filing describes a linear guide system for precision positioning in display, semiconductor, robotic and machine-tool applications, in which a base member and slide member are slidably connected and a linear actuator — a ball screw, hydraulic cylinder or linear motor — sits between them so the slide can move relative to the base. Its distinguishing feature is an adjustable preload mechanism built into the base member, aimed at holding positioning accuracy over the guide's service life rather than fixing preload at assembly.Abstract text as filed; claims govern actual scope.
| # | Publication no. | Patent title | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US4988244A | Six-axis machine tool | 147 |
| 2 | US5354158A | Six axis machine tool | 112 |
| 3 | US5809838A | Ball screw device with means for maintaining balance | 110 |
| 4 | WO1991003145A1 | Six axis machine tool | 107 |
| 5 | US4083272A | Omega-X micromachining system | 105 |
| 6 | US5689994A | Actuator and actuator system | 89 |
| 7 | US6161995A | Machine tool | 84 |
| 8 | US5704250A | Ball screw drive with dynamically adjustable preload | 81 |
| 9 | US6095009A | Ball screw having spacers | 75 |
| 10 | US5761960A | Actuator | 75 |
Citation counts favour older records simply because they have had longer to accumulate citations within this searched corpus; treat them as a measure of influence on later filings, not of current commercial relevance.
Each row carries its publication number; clicking a row searches Eureka by that number.
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Browse MCP servers →What the numbers say about the field
Four read-outs from the filing trend, IPC mix and citation data that matter for a freedom-to-operate or whitespace decision.
The peak has passed
Filings rose steadily to 105 in 2020, held near 85 at the 2022 midpoint, then fell off. Even allowing for publication lag understating the last two years, the multi-year decline from peak suggests the core mechanical claim space around preload and rigidity is largely staked out.
Gearing, not just guideways
More than half of records sit in F16H rather than the F16C bearing subclass most associated with linear guides. Ball-screw drive-train integration claims outnumber pure guideway-mechanics claims, which matters for anyone assuming this is purely a bearings landscape.
Filing follows manufacturing base
The United States, China and Japan each carry a substantial share of filings, with Europe a clear fourth and PCT/Korean filings a small tail. Freedom-to-operate work needs coverage in at least three jurisdictions, not one.
Even leaders have gone quiet
Nippon Seiko (NSK) and THK, historically two of the most active filers in this space, show zero filings in the latest year with a -100% year-on-year change. NTN is the one major holder still filing, with 2 records in the latest year.
Eureka can read the same corpus for gaps instead of for coverage: under-claimed branches adjacent to linear motion guides and ball screws, with the prior art for and against each one.
Who holds the ground, and where it's thinning
Assignee ranking is built on the 2,169-family set; recent-year momentum shows which of the historically dominant filers are still active versus coasting on prior grants.
NTN is the last one still moving
Against a field where the other major bearing and linear-guide makers have dropped to zero recent filings, NTN's 2 filings in the latest year make it the only top-tier holder showing continued activity, worth watching for where it directs new claims.
Two long-time leaders have stopped filing
Both NSK and THK, names closely associated with ball screw and linear guide IP, show zero filings in the latest year and a full year-on-year drop. That does not erase their existing portfolio's blocking power, but it signals they are not adding new claim layers right now.
One inventor-assignee pair dominates co-filing
Of 10 identified co-assignee pairs, the strongest links an individual inventor, Teramachi Hiroshi, to a matching entity across 31 filings — far ahead of the next pairs. Co-assignment elsewhere in the dataset is thin, meaning most portfolios here are filed by a single entity rather than jointly developed.
| Assignee | Recent year | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| NTN Corporation | 2 | — |
| Nippon Seiko Co., Ltd. (NSK) | 0 | -100% |
| THK Co., Ltd. | 0 | -100% |
| Hiwin Technologies Corp. | 0 | — |
| TERAMACHI HIROSHI | 0 | — |
| JTEKT Corporation | 0 | — |
| SMC Corporation | 0 | — |
| Teramachi Hiroshi | 0 | — |
Where to take this
The trend and assignee data point to a maturing claim space with pockets still worth checking before committing to a filing strategy.
Map claim density in the smaller IPC pockets
H02K, B23B, B62D and F16D each carry a fraction of the F16H/F16C/B23Q volume. Before assuming those branches are open, check whether the low count reflects genuine white space or simply narrower search scope.
Explore IPC branches in Eureka →Track whether NTN's continued filing signals a new claim direction
With NSK and THK both flat, NTN is the one large holder still active. Its latest filings are worth reading in full to see whether it is defending existing preload/sealing claims or opening new ground.
Follow assignee activity in Eureka →Common questions on linear guide and ball screw patents
Filing activity in this space has historically concentrated among Japanese and Taiwanese precision component makers, with Nippon Seiko (NSK), THK and Hiwin among the names most associated with dense preload, rigidity and sealing claim portfolios. However, recent-year data shows NSK and THK both at zero filings with a -100% year-on-year change, while NTN Corporation continues to file. A ranking based on raw historical volume can therefore mislead about who is currently active versus who is defending an older portfolio.
No — filings rose from 64 in 2017 to a peak of 105 in 2020, held near 85 at the 2022 midpoint, then declined into the most recent years. Publication lag of roughly 18 months means the last one to two years understate true filing activity, but the multi-year decline from the 2020 peak is a real trend, not just a reporting artefact. This points to a field where the core mechanical claim space is largely staked out rather than one still in early growth.
Preload refers to the internal compressive force applied between the guide's rolling elements and rails (or the ball screw's nut and shaft) to eliminate backlash and increase rigidity. It is one of the core claim parameters searched in this dataset alongside positioning repeatability, lubrication interval, contamination sealing and rigidity, because these are the performance attributes that differentiate a precision linear motion product from a commodity one. Adjustable-preload designs, such as the mechanism described in EP2436940A1, are patented specifically because fixed preload degrades as components wear.
This dataset draws on F16C29 for linear bearings, F16H25 for screw and nut gearing, and B23Q1 for machine tool fittings, and the resulting composition shows F16H carrying the largest share of records (1,249 of 2,169), ahead of F16C (677) and B23Q (621). A search limited to F16C alone — the class most narrowly associated with 'linear guides' — would miss more than half the relevant filings, since drive-train and machine-tool integration claims are classified under F16H and B23Q respectively.
The smaller IPC pockets in this dataset — H02K (motor integration), B23B (turning/boring), B62D (steering) and F16D (clutches/brakes) — each carry a small fraction of the volume seen in F16H, F16C and B23Q, suggesting less claim density where linear guide or ball screw mechanics overlap with those adjacent fields. That does not guarantee an easy filing, since low counts can also reflect narrower technical need, but it is a reasonable starting point for a freedom-to-operate check before committing to a core preload or sealing claim that is likely already occupied.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.
Machine translation. Assignee and organisation names originally recorded in Chinese, Japanese or Korean have been rendered into English by an AI translation step so that the tables stay readable. These renderings are best-effort and may not match a company’s registered English name; the original name is what the underlying patent record carries, and it is what any Eureka query launched from this page uses.