Tension-inducing shaft assemblies
AssigneeSealed Air Corporation (US)
InventorAndrew T. Wood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tension-inducing shaft system includes a shaft, two shaft caps, and a biasing mechanism. A bore extends through the shaft between two ends of the shaft. The shaft caps are positioned on the two ends of the shaft. Each shaft cap includes a collar having a size that is larger than the bore, a keyed end, and an anchor. The biasing mechanism is arranged inside the bore and is coupled to the anchors of the shaft caps so that the biasing mechanism exerts inward forces on the shaft cap. The keyed ends of the shaft caps can be coupled to a housing so that the shaft caps do not rotate with respect to the housing. The shaft is configured to rotate with respect to the shaft caps such that, when the keyed ends are coupled to the housing, the shaft is capable of rotating with respect to the housing.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft including a bore that extends through the shaft from the first end to the second end;
- a first shaft cap positioned on the first end of the shaft, wherein the first shaft cap includes a first collar having a size that is larger than the bore, a first keyed end, and a first anchor;
- a second shaft cap positioned on the second end of the shaft, wherein the second shaft cap includes a second collar having a size that is larger than the bore, a second keyed end, and a second anchor;
- a biasing mechanism arranged inside the bore of the shaft and coupled to the first anchor of the first shaft cap and to the second anchor of the second shaft cap so that the biasing mechanism exerts inward forces on the first and second shaft caps;
- wherein the first and second keyed ends are configured to be coupled to a housing so that the first and second shaft caps do not rotate with respect to the housing;
- and
- wherein the shaft is configured to rotate with respect to the first and second shaft caps such that, when the first and second keyed ends are coupled to the housing, the shaft is capable of rotating with respect to the housing;
- wherein at least one of the first anchor and the second anchor is configured to swivel.
A system comprising:
- a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft including a bore that extends through the shaft from the first end to the second end;
- a first shaft cap positioned on the first end of the shaft, wherein the first shaft cap includes a first collar having a size that is larger than the bore, a first keyed end, and a first anchor;
- a second shaft cap positioned on the second end of the shaft, wherein the second shaft cap includes a second collar having a size that is larger than the bore, a second keyed end, and a second anchor;
- a biasing mechanism arranged inside the bore of the shaft and coupled to the first anchor of the first shaft cap and to the second anchor of the second shaft cap so that the biasing mechanism exerts inward forces on the first and second shaft caps;
- wherein the first and second keyed ends are configured to be coupled to a housing so that the first and second shaft caps do not rotate with respect to the housing;
- and
- wherein the shaft is configured to rotate with respect to the first and second shaft caps such that, when the first and second keyed ends are coupled to the housing, the shaft is capable of rotating with respect to the housing;
- wherein the shaft includes a circumferential groove located proximate the first end of the shaft.
A system comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a shaft assembly comprising:
- a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft including a bore that extends through the shaft from the first end to the second end,
- a first shaft cap positioned on the first end of the shaft,
- a second shaft cap positioned on the second end of the shaft, and
- a biasing mechanism arranged inside the bore of the shaft and coupled to the first shaft cap and to the second shaft cap so that the biasing mechanism exerts inward forces on the first and second shaft caps;
- wherein the first and second shaft caps are coupled to the housing so that the first and second shaft caps do not rotate with respect to the housing;
- and
- wherein the shaft is configured to rotate with respect to the first and second shaft caps such that the shaft is capable of rotating with respect to the housing;
- wherein at least one of the first anchor and the second anchor is configured to swivel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.