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US 2013/0160585 A1Published application
Nut with Flexible Fingers and Radial Compression Members
AssigneePacific Bearing Company
InventorsRobert Schroeder, Jonathan R. Schroeder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nut and lead screw assembly is disclosed. The nut includes a plurality of flexible fingers for adjusting the engagement of a threaded or unthreaded portion of the nut with corresponding threads of a lead screw. The engagement between the nut and the lead screw is adjusted by installing at least one radial compression member into a circumferential groove formed in the outer surface of the flexible fingers.
Claims27
A nut for linear movement along a lead screw, the nut comprising:
- a base;
- a plurality of flexible fingers joined to the base and extending axially from the base between a fixed end joined to the base and a free end;
- at least one radial compression member defining an opening and having the plurality of flexible fingers extending through the opening;
- and
- an axial locator structure formed by at least a portion of an outer surface of the flexible fingers, the at least one radial compression member being installed proximate the axial locator structure to apply a radially inward directed compressive force to the plurality of flexible fingers.
2 more elements
A method of installing a nut onto a lead screw comprising:
- compressing a plurality of flexible fingers radially inward;
- mounting at least one radial compression member into a groove formed in an exterior surface of the plurality of flexible fingers;
- and
- inserting the lead screw into a channel formed by inner surfaces of a base portion and the plurality of flexible fingers and engaging threads provided by at least a portion of the surfaces defining the channel with the lead screw.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.