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US 5,474,156 AGranted
Module connection alignment system
AssigneeArctco, Inc.
InventorWayne G. Schantzen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alignment ball which is disposed within a channel of a vehicle part such as a brake caliper. The vehicle part is connected to a rigid vehicle support such as a chaincase by means of a fastening member such as a nut and bolt. The alignment ball is connected to the fastening member for properly aligning the brake caliper with the rigid vehicle support.
Claims5
An apparatus for simultaneously connecting and aligning a vehicle part, comprising:
- a) a fastening member connected to a substantially rigid vehicle support;
- b) the vehicle part fitted over the fastening member, the vehicle part defining a channel for retaining the fastening member with the vehicle part;
- c) an alignment ellipsoid having a hole extending through a center thereof;
- e) said alignment ellipsoid substantially disposed within the channel of the vehicle part, the fastening member passing through the alignment ellipsoid for aligning the vehicle part;
- f) the vehicle part fitted onto a second fastening member, the vehicle part defining a second channel for retaining the second fastening member with the vehicle part;
- g) a second alignment ellipsoid having a hole extending through a center thereof;
- h) said second alignment ellipsoid substantially disposed within the second channel of the vehicle part, the second fastening member passing through the second alignment ellipsoid for aligning the vehicle part;
- and
- i) the vehicle part defining predetermined gaps between the fastening members and the channels for providing sufficient fastening member movement inside the vehicle part to align the vehicle part.
6 more elements
A method of using a device for simultaneously connecting and aligning a vehicle part, comprising the steps of:
- a) connecting a first fastening member to a substantially rigid vehicle support;
- b) fitting an alignment ellipsoid having a hole extending
- through the center thereof into a first channel of the vehicle part, the first alignment ellipsoid being substantially disposed within the first channel of the vehicle part;
- c) fitting the first channel with the first alignment ellipsoid onto the first fastening member such that a predetermined gap is defined between the first channel and the first fastening member to allow the vehicle part to be aligned;
- d) connecting a second fastening member to the vehicle support;
- e) fitting a second channel of the vehicle part onto the second fastening member such that a predetermined gap is defined between the second channel and the second fastening member;
- and
- f) fitting a second alignment ellipsoid having a hole extending through the center thereof over the second fastening member, the second alignment ellipsoid being substantially disposed within the second channel of the vehicle part for aligning the vehicle part.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.