Back to results
US 9,850,930 B2Granted
Shaft adapter
AssigneeParatech, Incorporated
InventorWilliam O. Teach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shaft adapter configured to be removably-coupled to shafts of differing diameters. The shaft adapter may have a stepped cylinder cavity with multiple inner diameters. The shaft adapter may further have a spring-loaded adapter ring configured to translate along an inner wall of the stepped cylinder cavity, and may be configured to support an outer wall of a first shaft received into the shaft adapter, or may be configured to be urged into a compressed position when the shaft adapter receives a second shaft.
Claims20
A shaft adapter, comprising:
- a stepped cylinder structure comprising a first outer diameter extending along a first axial length from a first end, and stepping down to a second outer diameter, less than the first outer diameter, extending along a second axial length to a second end;
- a first bore, centered at the first end, and comprising a first bore diameter extending in an axial direction from the first end to a first depth;
- a second bore, concentric with the first bore, and comprising a second bore diameter, less than the first bore diameter, extending in the axial direction from the first end to a second depth, greater than the first depth;
- and
- a spring-loaded adapter ring comprising a ring outer diameter approximately equal to the first bore diameter, and a ring inner diameter approximately equal to the second bore diameter, the spring-loaded adapter ring configured to translate along an inner wall of the first bore from the first end to a step surface between the first bore and the second bore,
- wherein the second axial length is configured to be received into a socket comprising a diameter approximately equal to the second outer diameter,
- wherein the first end of the adapter is configured to optionally receive a first shaft comprising a first shaft diameter approximately equal to the first bore diameter, or a second shaft comprising a second shaft diameter approximately equal to the second bore diameter,
- wherein upon receiving the first shaft, the spring-loaded adapter ring is urged towards the step surface such that an outer wall of the first shaft is supported against the inner wall of the first bore, and
- wherein upon receiving the second shaft, the spring-loaded adapter ring is held at the first end by a spring force, and an outer wall of the second shaft is supported against an inner wall of the spring-loaded adapter ring at the first end, and an inner wall of the second bore.
6 more elements
A shaft adapter, comprising:
- a cylindrical housing comprising a first end spaced apart in an axial direction from a second end;
- a first bore comprising a first bore diameter extending in the axial direction from a first opening in the first end of the cylindrical housing to a first depth;
- a second bore, concentric with the first bore, comprising a second bore diameter less than the first bore diameter, extending in the axial direction from the first end to a second depth, greater than the first depth;
- and
- a spring-urged adapter ring comprising a ring outer diameter approximately equal to the first bore diameter, and a ring inner diameter approximately equal to the second bore diameter, the spring-urged adapter ring slidably-coupled to an inner wall of the first bore, and configured to be movable between the first end of the cylindrical housing and a step surface between the first bore and the second bore,
- wherein the first opening is configured to optionally receive a first shaft comprising a first shaft diameter approximately equal to the first bore diameter, or a second shaft comprising a second shaft diameter approximately equal to the second bore diameter,
- wherein upon receiving the first shaft, the spring-urged adapter ring is urged towards the step surface such that an outer wall of the first shaft is supported against the inner wall of the first bore, and
- wherein upon receiving the second shaft, the spring-loaded adapter ring is held at the first end by a spring force, and an outer wall of the second shaft is supported against an inner wall of the spring-urged adapter ring at the first end, and an inner wall of the second bore.
5 more elements
A shaft adapter, comprising:
- a housing comprising an opening into a stepped cylinder cavity, the stepped cylinder cavity comprising a first diameter extending in an axial direction from the opening to a first depth, and stepping down to a second diameter, concentric with and less than the first diameter, the second diameter of extending in the axial direction from the first depth to a second depth;
- and
- a spring-urged adapter ring comprising a ring outer diameter approximately equal to the first diameter, and a ring inner diameter approximately equal to the second diameter, the spring-urged adapter ring slidably-coupled to an inner wall of the stepped cylinder cavity between the opening and the first depth,
- wherein the opening is configured to optionally receive a first shaft comprising a first shaft diameter approximately equal to the first diameter, or a second shaft comprising a second shaft diameter approximately equal to the second diameter,
- wherein upon receiving the first shaft, the spring-urged adapter ring is urged towards a step surface at the first depth such that an outer wall of the first shaft is supported against the inner wall of the stepped cylinder cavity between the opening and the first depth, and
- wherein upon receiving the second shaft, the spring-loaded adapter ring is held at the opening by a spring force, and an outer wall of the second shaft is supported against an inner wall of the spring-urged adapter ring at the opening, and an inner wall of the of the stepped cylinder cavity between the first depth and the second depth.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.