US 5,177,854 A · Distortion-free method of mounting an end piece on a thin-walled hollow tube

Abstract

Distortion-free method of mounting an end piece member on a thin-walled hollow tube member, particularly in the assembly of photoreceptor drums and the like, includes the steps of supporting an expandable end piece member within the chamber of an air centering device with its central axis aligned vertically; applying a layer of flowable adhesive to the interior surface of an open end of the hollow tube member; freely suspending the tube member above the end piece member with the open end remaining free of radial distortion and directed toward the end piece member; centering the tube member, by means of the air centering device, to concentrically align the tube member with the end piece member; inserting the end piece member into the tube member; deformingly expanding the end piece member until the layer of flowable adhesive is sufficiently compressed between an outer peripheral edge of the end piece member and the interior surface of the tube member, so as to absorb any dimensional discrepancies therebetween; ceasing the expansion of the end piece member once the radial distortion of the tube member reaches a predetermined distortion value; and curing the flowable adhesive to affix and maintain the end piece member concentrically within the tube member.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of mounting an end piece member on an open end of a thin-walled hollow tube member without inducing radial distortion of the hollow tube member, wherein one of said members is freely insertable within the other of said members, and each of said members has a central axis, the method comprising the steps of:

supporting the end piece member with the central axis of the end piece member oriented vertically;
suspending the hollow tube member in a manner which enables controlled longitudinal movement of the hollow tube member while providing freedom of universal lateral and angular movement of the hollow tube member, the hollow tube member being suspended above the end piece member with the central axis of the hollow tube member oriented vertically, and with said open end remaining free of radial distortion and directed toward the end piece member;
centering the hollow tube member to concentrically align the hollow tube member with the end piece member;
inserting said one of said members into said other of said members, said one of said members having an outer peripheral edge spaced from and surrounded by an interior surface of said other of said members;
and
securing the outer peripheral edge of said one of said members to the interior surface of said other of said members while maintaining the concentric alignment of the hollow tube member with the end piece member.

3 more elements

supporting the end piece member with the central axis of the end piece member oriented vertically;
centering the hollow tube member above the end piece member with the hollow tube member concentrically aligned with the end piece member and said open end directed toward the end piece member, the centering step being performed while the hollow tube member is suspended in a manner which enables controlled longitudinal movement of the hollow tube member and which provides freedom of universal lateral and angular movement of the hollow tube member;
inserting said one of said members into said other of said members, said one of said members having an outer peripheral edge spaced from and surrounded by an interior surface of said other of said members;
applying a layer of flowable adhesive between the outer peripheral edge of said one of said members and the interior surface of said other of said members;
and
curing the flowable adhesive to affix said one of said members concentrically within said other of said members.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Distortion-free method of mounting an end piece on a thin-walled hollow tube

Life of this patent

Distortion-free method of mounting an end piece on a thin-walled hollow tube

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20