# US 11,027,377 B2 · Ring installation device

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- Number: US 11,027,377 B2
- Document ID: US11027377B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/382,899
- Filed: 2019-04-12
- Published: 2020-10-15
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-12
- Assignees: Delphi Technologies IP Limited
- Applicants: Delphi Technologies IP Limited
- Inventors: Brian Mayes; Thomas J. Strauss
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027377B2

## CPC

- B23P 19/084: {for placing resilient or flexible rings, e.g. O-rings, circlips}
- B25B 27/0028: {Tools for removing or installing seals (B25B27/0092 takes precedence)}
- F02M 55/004: {Joints; Sealings}
- F02M 61/14: Arrangements of injectors with respect to engines; Mounting of injectors
- B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF

## Abstract

A ring installation device for installing a ring to a part includes an inner mandrel which is tapered in order to expand the ring. An outer mandrel is tubular such that the inner mandrel is received within the outer mandrel and such that the inner mandrel is moveable within the outer mandrel along an axis. A ring stripper is tubular such that the outer mandrel is receive within the ring stripper and such that the outer mandrel is moveable within the inner mandrel along the axis. The inner mandrel is moveable along the axis relative to the outer mandrel and the ring stripper from an inner mandrel first position to an inner mandrel second position. The outer mandrel is moveable by the inner mandrel along the axis relative to the ring stripper from an outer mandrel first position to an outer mandrel second position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A ring installation device for installing a ring to a part, said ring installation device comprising:
an inner mandrel which is tapered in order to expand said ring, said inner mandrel being configured to engage said part;
an outer mandrel which is tubular such that said inner mandrel is received within said outer mandrel and such that said inner mandrel is moveable within said outer mandrel along an axis, said outer mandrel being configured to receive said ring after being expanded by said inner mandrel; and
a ring stripper which is tubular such that said outer mandrel is receive within said ring stripper and such that said outer mandrel is moveable within said inner mandrel along said axis, said ring stripper being configured to strip said ring off of said outer mandrel;
wherein said inner mandrel is moveable along said axis relative to said outer mandrel and said ring stripper from an inner mandrel first position to an inner mandrel second position when said inner mandrel engages said part and said outer mandrel and said ring stripper are moved toward said part along said axis; and
wherein said outer mandrel is moveable by said inner mandrel along said axis relative to said ring stripper from an outer mandrel first position to an outer mandrel second position when said inner mandrel moves along said axis relative to said ring stripper from said inner mandrel second position to an inner mandrel third position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A ring installation device as in claim 1, further comprising:
an inner mandrel return spring which biases said inner mandrel toward said inner mandrel first position; and
an outer mandrel return spring which biases said outer mandrel toward said outer mandrel first position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A ring installation device as in claim 2, wherein said outer mandrel return spring circumferentially surrounds a portion of said inner mandrel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

A ring installation device as in claim 2, wherein said inner mandrel return spring and said outer mandrel return spring each have portions located within said ring stripper.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A ring installation device as in claim 1, wherein an end face of said outer mandrel axially engages a shoulder of said inner mandrel to limit travel of said inner mandrel relative to said outer mandrel in one direction along said axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A ring installation device as in claim 5, wherein an outer mandrel shoulder of said outer mandrel axially engages a ring stripper shoulder of said ring stripper to limit travel of said outer mandrel relative to said ring stripper in said one direction along said axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A ring installation device as in claim 1, wherein:
said inner mandrel includes an actuation member fixed thereto;
said outer mandrel includes an outer mandrel slot extending radially therethrough and extending in a direction parallel to said axis from an outer mandrel slot first end to an outer mandrel slot second end, said actuation member extending into said outer mandrel slot.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A ring installation device as in claim 7, wherein:
said actuation member moves freely within said outer mandrel slot when said inner mandrel moves between said inner mandrel first position and said inner mandrel second position, thereby allowing said outer mandrel to remain in said outer mandrel first position when said inner mandrel moves between said inner mandrel first position and said inner mandrel second position; and
said actuation member engages said outer mandrel slot second end when said inner mandrel is in said inner mandrel second position, thereby causing said actuation member to move said outer mandrel from said outer mandrel first position toward said outer mandrel second position when said inner mandrel moves from said inner mandrel second position toward said inner mandrel third position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A ring installation device as in claim 8, further comprising:
an emitter configured to emit a laser beam, said emitter being held in fixed position relative to said ring stripper; and
a receiver which is configured to selectively receive said laser beam, said receiver being held in fixed position relative to said ring stripper;
wherein said actuation member is tubular, thereby defining an actuation member bore which extends therethrough such that said actuation member bore is aligned with said emitter and said receiver to allow said laser beam to be received by said receiver when said inner mandrel is in said inner mandrel first position and such that said actuation member bore is not aligned with said emitter and said receiver, thereby preventing said laser beam from being received by said receiver when said inner mandrel is not in said inner mandrel first position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A ring installation device as in claim 9, further comprising an electronic controller in electric communication with said receiver such that said electronic controller is configured to receive a receiver signal from said receiver when said emitter receives said laser beam.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A ring installation device as in claim 10, further comprising an actuation arrangement in electrical communication with said electronic controller, said actuation arrangement being configured to move said ring stripper along said axis based on input from said electronic controller;
wherein said electronic controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a position of said ring stripper along said axis.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A ring installation device as in claim 11, wherein said electronic controller is configured to provide an alert when said actuation arrangement is posited at a location in which said receiver expects to receive said laser beam, but does not receive said laser beam.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

A ring installation device as in claim 11, wherein said actuation arrangement is configured to move said inner mandrel, said outer mandrel, and said ring stripper in a direction which is traverse to said first axis based on input from said electronic controller.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

A ring installation device as in claim 8, wherein said ring stripper includes a ring stripper slot extending radially therethrough and extending in a direction parallel to said axis from a ring stripper slot first end to a ring stripper slot second end such that said actuation member extends into said ring stripper slot.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A ring installation device as in claim 14, wherein said actuation member moves freely within said ring stripper slot when said inner mandrel moves between said inner mandrel first position and said inner mandrel third position.