Method and system for on-demand retaining ring forming and installation

Abstract

A method for forming and installing a retaining ring comprises: feeding a wire in a linear path into a forming die having a circular bore; forming, using the forming die, the wire into a formed ring having a ring shape; transferring the formed ring from the forming die to a transfer puck; and installing the formed ring, as a retaining ring, in a tube of a product assembly. The formed ring is maintained in a constrained state between forming in the forming die and installation in the product assembly. A system for forming and installing a retaining ring into a product assembly includes a forming die configured to form a wire into a formed ring having a ring shape; and a transfer puck to transfer the formed ring from the forming die. The formed ring is maintained in a constrained state from forming through installation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.