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US 7,841,257 B2Granted
Compensator for cables
AssigneeGrand Rapids Controls Company, LLC
InventorMark G. Tomandl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compensator for cables includes a housing and a spring wrapped around inside the housing to form a loop. An inner strand of a Bowden cable or the like extends through the coil spring, and thereby forms a loop. The looped configuration of the coil spring provides a higher effective spring constant, and thereby permits a smaller coil spring to be used. The dimensions of the compensator can also be reduced, thereby reducing the space required for the compensator.
Claims12
A compensator for cables, comprising:
- a housing structure having first and second cable connection portions;
- a cable assembly including a first outer sheath section connected to the first cable connection portion of the housing structure, a second outer sheath section connected to the second cable connection portion, and an elongated flexible inner strand disposed within the first and second outer sheath sections;
- a coil spring connected to the housing structure, the coil spring defining an inside and comprising a series of first loops that in turn form an enlarged loop, and wherein:
- a portion of the flexible inner strand is disposed within the first loops of the coil spring and extends around inside the coil spring to form a loop, whereby the flexible inner strand contacts the inside of the coil spring and compresses the coil spring when the flexible inner strand is tensed.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.