US 2026/0309180 A1Published application

Load Bearing Shaft Connector

OwnerChristopher Andrew Plate, Matthew Royston +1inventors

InventorsChristopher Andrew Plate, Matthew Royston, Chad Allen Flint

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Abstract

A load-bearing shaft connector configured to engage a shaft having an inner surface, a shaft longitudinal axis, and at least one shaft opening. The shaft connector comprises at least one engagement member, at least one expansion body, and at least one displacement body. Upon actuation of the engagement member, the expansion body and displacement body are drawn axially toward one another along the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the expansion surface of the displacement body deforms the expansion body against the shaft inner surface, thereby securing the connector in place.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A load bearing shaft connector configured to engage a shaft having a shaft inner surface, a shaft longitudinal axis, and at least one shaft opening positioned along the shaft longitudinal axis, the load bearing shaft connector comprising:

At least one engagement member, having an engagement member first end and an engagement member second end;
At least one expansion body, having an expansion body inner surface configured to accept at least a portion of the at least one engagement member, an expansion body outer surface configured to facilitate positioning of the expansion body at least partially within the shaft, an expansion body longitudinal axis, an expansion body first end positioned along the expansion body longitudinal axis, and an expansion body second end positioned along the expansion body longitudinal axis, and an expansion body deformation surface positioned at the expansion body second end;
At least one displacement body, having a displacement body inner surface being configured to accept at least a portion of the at least one engagement member, a displacement body longitudinal axis, a displacement body first end configured to fit at least partially within the at least one expansion body and positioned along the displacement body longitudinal axis, a displacement body second end configured to fit at least partially within the shaft and positioned along the displacement body longitudinal axis, and a displacement body expansion surface positioned between the first displacement body end and second displacement body end;
wherein when the expansion body first end of the at least one expansion body is at least partially positioned within the shaft, and the expansion body second end of the at least one expansion body is positioned towards the shaft opening, and the displacement body first end of the at least one displacement body is at least partially positioned within the at least one expansion body, and the displacement body expansion surface of the at least one displacement body is positioned at the expansion body deformation surface of the at least one expansion body, and with the at least one engagement member first end positioned at the at least one expansion body first end, and with the at least one engagement member second end positioned at the at least one displacement body, and as the at least one engagement member draws the at least one expansion body and the at least one displacement body axially toward each other, thereby applying an axial compressive force such that the displacement body expansion surface deforms the expansion body deformation surface to the shaft inner surface and applies a sufficient force to provide a mechanical connection of the load bearing shaft connector to the shaft.

1 more element

A method of using a load bearing shaft connector to engage a shaft having a shaft inner surface, a shaft longitudinal axis, and at least one shaft opening positioned along the shaft longitudinal axis, with the load bearing shaft connector comprising at least one engagement member, having an engagement member first end and an engagement member second end,

At least one expansion body, having an expansion body inner surface configured to accept at least a portion of the at least one engagement member, an expansion body outer surface configured to facilitate positioning of the expansion body at least partially within the shaft, an expansion body longitudinal axis, a first expansion body end positioned along the expansion body longitudinal axis, and an expansion body second end positioned along the expansion body longitudinal axis, and an expansion body deformation surface positioned at the expansion body second end,
At least one displacement body, having a displacement body inner surface being configured to accept at least a portion of the at least one engagement member, a displacement body longitudinal axis, a displacement body first end configured to fit at least partially within the at least one expansion body and positioned along the displacement body longitudinal axis, a displacement body second end configured to fit at least partially within the shaft and positioned along the displacement body longitudinal axis, and a displacement body expansion surface positioned between the displacement body first end and displacement body second end, the method comprising:
A. positioning the displacement body first end of the at least one displacement body at least partially within the at least one expansion body, such that the displacement body expansion surface of the displacement body is positioned at the expansion body deformation surface of the expansion body;
B. positioning the engagement member first end of the at least one engagement member at the expansion body first end of the at least one expansion body, and the engagement member second end of the engagement member at the at least one displacement body;
C. positioning the at least one expansion body and the at least one displacement body at least partially within the shaft, with the expansion body second end of the at least one expansion body positioned toward the shaft opening;
D. engaging the at least one engagement member to draw the at least one expansion body and the at least one displacement body axially toward each other thereby applying an axial compressive force such that the displacement body expansion surface deforms the expansion body deformation surface to the shaft inner surface and applies a sufficient force to provide a mechanical connection of the load bearing shaft connector to the shaft.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

At least one engagement member, having an engagement member first end and an engagement member second end;
At least one expansion body, having an expansion body inner surface configured to accept at least a portion of the at least one engagement member, an expansion body outer surface configured to facilitate positioning of the expansion body at least partially within the shaft, an expansion body longitudinal axis, an expansion body first end positioned along the expansion body longitudinal axis, and an expansion body second end positioned along the expansion body longitudinal axis, and an expansion body deformation surface positioned at the expansion body second end;
At least one displacement body, having a displacement body inner surface being configured to accept at least a portion of the at least one engagement member, a displacement body longitudinal axis, a displacement body first end configured to fit at least partially within the at least one expansion body and positioned along the displacement body longitudinal axis, a displacement body second end configured to fit at least partially within the shaft and positioned along the displacement body longitudinal axis, and a displacement body expansion surface positioned between the first displacement body end and second displacement body end;
wherein when the expansion body first end of the at least one expansion body is at least partially positioned within the shaft, and the expansion body second end of the at least one expansion body is positioned towards the shaft opening, and the displacement body first end of the at least one displacement body is at least partially positioned within the at least one expansion body, and the displacement body expansion surface of the at least one displacement body is positioned at the expansion body deformation surface of the at least one expansion body, and with the at least one engagement member first end positioned at the at least one expansion body first end, and with the at least one engagement member second end positioned at the at least one displacement body, and as the at least one engagement member draws the at least one expansion body and the at least one displacement body axially toward each other, thereby applying an axial compressive force such that the displacement body expansion surface deforms the expansion body deformation surface to the shaft inner surface and applies a sufficient force to provide a mechanical connection of the load bearing shaft connector to the shaft.

1 more element