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US 2002/0153459 A1Published application
Device for clamping a shaft
AssigneeInertia Dynamics, Inc.
InventorKevin L. Maurice
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamping system is disclosed and includes a hollow shaft for interlocking with a shaft. The hollow shaft is integral with a device so that when the hollow shaft and the shaft are coupled, the device rotates therewith. The hollow shaft has slots to allow a two-piece clamping mechanism to simultaneously contact the hollow shaft and the shaft to accomplish the desired coupling. The clamping mechanism includes two shells with mating surfaces and wing portions for generating compressive force to couple the mating surfaces to the hollow shaft and the shaft.
Claims25
A system for clamping a shaft, the system comprising:
- (a) a hollow shaft sized and configured to operatively slide onto the shaft, the hollow shaft having opposing slots;
- (b) a first portion comprising:
- a bridge ;
- and
- a first arm and a second arm which oppose each other, each arm depending from the bridge and having an inner contact face, where the first arm has a shoulder, the shoulder including a first structure for receiving a first fastener;
- and
- (c) a second portion comprising:
- an inner surface adapted and configured to engage the hollow shaft;
- and
- a first member and a second member which oppose each other, the first member including a second structure for receiving the first fastener such that upon placing the first portion and the second portion about the opposing slots of the hollow shaft, deploying the first fastener draws the first portion and the second portion together such that the inner surface couples to the hollow shaft and the first portion compresses thereby affixing the inner contact faces of the first and second arms to a portion of the shaft exposed by the opposing slots.
7 more elements
A clamp for coupling a slotted tube to a shaft, comprising:
- (a) a lower portion defining:
- a slot profiled to operatively receive the slotted tube;
- and
- structure for receiving fasteners;
- and
- (b) an upper portion having:
- a depending face profiled to operatively receive the slotted tube, the depending face opposing the slot;
- two opposing arms for engaging the shaft, the upper portion defining two voids intermediate the two arms and the depending face to allow the two arms to flex;
- and
- two shoulders including structure for receiving the fasteners, each shoulder extending from the arms such that when the fasteners are deployed therein to couple the upper portion and the lower portion, the slot and the depending face engage the tube and the two arms are urged together to engage the shaft.
7 more elements
A device for affixing a tube around a shaft, comprising:
- a first element including:
- a middle portion for engaging the shaft;
- a first arm and a second arm depending from the middle portion in a flexible manner;
- a first flange integral with and inclined at an angle to the first arm, the first flange having a first hole;
- and a second flange integral with and inclined at an angle to the second arm, the second flange having a second hole;
- and
- a second element including:
- a central portion, opposing the middle portion, for engaging the shaft;
- a first end, upstanding from the central portion, defining a first bore in alignment with the first hole;
- and a second end, upstanding from the central portion, defining a second bore in alignment with the second hole whereby deploying a first fastener in the first hole and the first bore and employing a second fastener in the second hole and the second bore brings the first arm and the second arm closer together to engage the shaft as well as bringing the middle portion and the central portion closer together to engage the tube thereby affixing the tube to the shaft.
7 more elements
A device for operatively connecting a tube and a shaft comprising:
- a first member comprising a bridge and at least two opposing arms operatively connected to the bridge, each arm including a shoulder, each shoulder having connection means operatively positioned therein;
- and
- a second member comprising a center portion for engaging the tube and at least two opposing members, each opposing member having connection means operatively positioned therein for cooperating with the connection means of the first member such that upon operatively positioning the first member and the second member relative to the tube and operatively connecting the first member and the second member, the tube is operatively connected to the shaft.
A method for linking a hollow shaft having opposing slots to a shaft, the method comprising the steps of:
- sliding the hollow shaft about the shaft;
- aligning a top element and a bottom element about the hollow shaft intermediate the opposing slots such that arms of the top element are in contact with the shaft and an inner central surface of the top element and an inner central surface of the bottom element are in contact with an outside surface of the hollow shaft;
- and
- coupling the top element to the bottom element with fasteners such that as the top element and the bottom element are pulled together, the inner central surface of the bottom element engages the hollow shaft and a wedging mechanism is created between angled inside contact faces of the bottom element and the arms of the top element, wherein the wedging mechanism urges the arms of the top element inward forcing opposing inside contact faces of the arms to couple with a portion of the shaft exposed by the opposing slots of the hollow shaft.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.