Molded shaft coupler with flat floor and button travel limiter

A male half coupler for use with a releasably engaged female half coupler to connect two rotatable shaft segments, comprising:

• a body having a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart along a lengthwise axis, a bore, running lengthwise within the body from the proximal end to a wall at the body distal end, the bore having
• an outer bore portion that is substantially circularly shaped, for receiving an end of one of said shaft segments, and
• an inner bore portion running from the outer bore portion to said distal end wall;
• a male half button coupler opening extending radially from the inner bore section to the exterior of the body;
• a button positioned within the male half coupler button opening, the button having a recess facing the lengthwise axis;
• a substantially flat floor running within the bore from said body proximal end to proximity of said distal end wall;
• a button travel limiter;
• a spring having a first end set within the recess of the button and a second end set to engage the button travel limiter;
• wherein, when the distal end of the male half coupler is positioned within the cavity of the female half coupler, the button is spring urged radially outward within the button opening of
• the male half coupler and within the button opening of the female half coupler, thereby holding the half couplers in engagement.

A method of fabricating a male half coupler which comprises:

• providing
• (a) a body having a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart along a lengthwise axis, the body having a bore running lengthwise within the body from the proximal end to a wall at the body distal end, the bore having an outer bore portion that is substantially circularly shaped, for receiving an end of one of said shaft segments, and an inner bore portion running from the outer bore portion to said distal end wall, a button opening extending radially from the inner bore section to the exterior of the body;
• and, a flat floor running within the bore from said body proximal end to proximity of said distal end wall;
• (b) a button shaped to fit within the male half coupler button opening, the button having opposing flanges with a recess therebetween;
• (c) a button travel limiter;
• and,
• (d) a spring having a first end shaped to fit within said button recess and a second end shaped to engage with the button travel limiter;
• and,
• compressing the spring and sliding the spring from the proximal end of the bore to the distal end of the bore with the spring second end in contact with the flat floor, and positioning the spring first end into the button recess and the second end to engage the travel limiter, and allowing the spring to expand;
• or
• inserting the second end of the spring into a recess of the button travel limiter, then compressing the spring and button travel limiter, placing the compressed spring with button travel limiter into the bore and sliding the compressed spring and button travel limiter from the proximal end of the body to the distal end of the body, and positioning the spring first end into the button recess and allowing the spring to expand.