Spring mechanism to connect, lock and unlock, members
AssigneeBal Seal Engineering, Inc.
InventorPeter J. Balsells
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanism for connecting and disconnecting, locking and unlocking, and holding members to one another, and at the same time providing mechanical, electromagnetic shielding, electrical conductivity, and thermal dissipation, coupled with environmental sealing, is provided by a body having a groove and a coil spring disposed within the groove. A housing, having an opening sized to accommodate the body, is provided, and a tapered bottom in the groove prevents the spring from turning past a vertical line, thus locking or connecting the body with the housing.
Claims16
A connect/disconnect, lock/unlock and hold mechanism for mechanical, electromagnetic shielding, electrical conductivity, and thermal dissipation coupling with environmental sealing, the mechanism comprising:
- a body having a groove therein with generally parallel side walls;
- a coil spring disposed in said groove with a portion thereof protruding from said groove;
- a housing having a means, defining an opening for accommodating said body and groove means, disposed in an inside surface of said opening, for receiving the protruding spring portion and for enabling assembly of the body within the opening when the body and housing are moved in one direction with respect to one another;
- and
- means, defining a tapered bottom in said groove, said tapered bottom being tapered with respect to the side walls, for preventing the spring from turning past a vertical line when the body and housing are moved in another direction with respect to one another in order to prevent disassembly of the body and housing.
A connect/disconnect, lock/unlock and hold mechanism for mechanical, electromagnetic shielding, electrical conductivity, and thermal dissipation coupling with environmental sealing, the mechanism comprising:
- a housing including means defining an opening therein having a groove with generally parallel side walls;
- a coil spring disposed in said groove with a portion thereof protruding from said groove;
- a body sized for insertion into said opening and groove means, disposed on an outside surface of said body, for receiving the protruding spring portion and for enabling assembly of the body within the opening when the body-and housing are moved in one direction with respect to one another;
- and
- means, defining a tapered bottom in said groove, said tapered bottom being tapered with respect to the side walls, for preventing the spring from turning past a vertical line when the body and housing are moved in another direction with respect to one another in order to prevent disassembly of the body and housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.