Compact force applying device
AssigneeWagstaff, Inc.
InventorsBrett Thielman, Craig Cordill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for application of force in a compact form factor. An apparatus for application of force includes: a worm gear; a worm wheel gear engaged with the worm gear; a gear shaft coaxial to the worm gear and rotatably coupled to the worm wheel gear; a first threaded hole proximate a first end of the gear shaft; a second threaded hole proximate a second end of the gear shaft opposite the first end; a first threaded shaft received by the first threaded hole; and a second threaded shaft received by the second threaded hole, where the first threaded shaft and the second threaded shaft are configured to advance toward one another and away from one another responsive to rotation of the worm gear.
Claims20
An apparatus for application of force comprising:
- a worm gear;
- a first worm wheel gear engaged with the worm gear;
- a second worm wheel gear engaged with the worm gear;
- a first gear shaft coaxial to the first worm wheel gear and rotatably coupled to the first worm wheel gear;
- a first threaded hole proximate a first end of the first gear shaft;
- a second threaded hole proximate a second end of the first gear shaft, opposite the first end of the first gear shaft;
- a first threaded shaft received by the first threaded hole;
- a second threaded shaft received by the second threaded hole;
- a second gear shaft coaxial to the second worm wheel gear and rotatably coupled to the second worm wheel gear;
- a third threaded hole proximate a first end of the second gear shaft;
- a fourth threaded hole proximate a second end of the second gear shaft, opposite the first end of the second gear shaft;
- a third threaded shaft received by the third threaded hole;
- and
- a fourth threaded shaft received by the fourth threaded hole;
- wherein the first threaded shaft and the second threaded shaft are configured to advance toward one another or away from one another responsive to rotation of the worm gear which rotates the first worm wheel gear and in turn the first gear shaft relative to the first threaded shaft and the second threaded shaft, and
- wherein the third threaded shaft and the fourth threaded shaft are configured to advance toward one another or away from one another responsive to rotation of the worm gear which rotates the second worm wheel gear and in turn the second gear shaft relative to the third threaded shaft and the fourth threaded shaft.
An apparatus for application of force comprising:
- a gearbox housing, the gearbox housing containing:
- a worm gear;
- a worm wheel gear engaged with the worm gear;
- a gear shaft coaxial to the worm wheel gear and rotatably coupled to the worm wheel gear, the gear shaft defining:
- a first threaded hole proximate a first end of the gear shaft;
- a second threaded hole proximate a second end of the gear shaft, opposite the first end;
- a first threaded shaft received by the first threaded hole, wherein the first threaded shaft extends outside of the gearbox housing;
- and
- a second threaded shaft received by the second threaded hole, wherein the second threaded shaft extends outside of the gearbox housing,
- wherein the first threaded shaft and the second threaded shaft are configured to advance toward one another or away from one another responsive to rotation of the worm gear which rotates the worm wheel gear and in turn the gear shaft relative to the first threaded shaft and the second threaded shaft,
- wherein the first threaded hole comprises a first thread pitch and a first diameter, wherein the second threaded hole comprises a second thread pitch and a second diameter, wherein the first thread pitch is equal to the second thread pitch, and wherein the first diameter is different than the second diameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.