Flexible drive rod for access to enclosed locations

• US 20020139208A1
• Filed: 04/03/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CRAY Incorporated (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: CRAY Incorporated (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Yatskov, Alexander I.
• Granted Patent: US 6,513,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/424.77
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/021 the closing member being operable remotely, e.g. by cables, chains or rods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1973 Shaft thread is spirally wound wire

Abstract

A flexible metallic bolt assembly including a flexible threaded rod formed of a helical tension coil spring is engaged by a rotationally fixed threaded hole, such as a nut, that defines a first longitudinal axis of the assembly. A guide positionally fixed relative to the threaded nut also engages the threaded rod. The guide defines a second longitudinal axis different from the first longitudinal axis. A rotary drive interface is provided, preferably at one end of the threaded rod.

Claims

1. A flexible bolt assembly comprising:

a rotationally fixed threaded nut aligned along a first axis;

a guide positionally fixed relative to said threaded nut and aligned along a second axis different from said first axis; and

a flexible threaded rod engaged with said rotationally fixed threaded nut and aligned along said first axis and engaged with said guide and aligned along said second axis, the flexible threaded rod composed of a coiled wire having a plurality of coils wound in a direction such that rotation of said threaded rod to advance said threaded rod relative to said threaded nut tends to increasingly compress the coils.

2. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 1, wherein said coiled wire has coils that define a diameter and a pitch of said threaded rod.

3. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 2, wherein said coiled wire further comprises a torsional spring.

4. The flexible bolt assembly of claims 1, wherein the coils are preformed in a compressed relationship such that adjacent coils are compressed to contact each other when the rod is at rest.

5. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional guides disposed along a length of said threaded rod.

6. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 4, wherein one of said guides further comprises a second rotationally fixed threaded nut.

7. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 4, wherein said guide further comprises an external wall disposed within a cavity in said threaded rod defined by said coils.

8. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 4, wherein said guide further comprises a tubular guide having an internal wall disposed about said threaded rod.

9. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 4, wherein said rotary drive interface further comprises a knob rotationally fixed relative to said threaded rod.

10. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 4, wherein said coiled wire further comprises one of a wire having a substantially round cross-section, and a wire having a substantially polygonal cross-section.

12. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 10, further comprising a rotary drive interface fixed to one end of said coiled wire for receiving a drive torque to said coiled wire.

13. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 10, wherein said coiled wire further comprises a helical coil spring.

11. A flexible bolt assembly comprising:

a relatively stationary threaded member having a predetermined diameter and pitch and defining a first longitudinal axis;

a guide engaging said coiled wire, said guide positionally fixed relative to said threaded member and defining a second longitudinal axis different from said first longitudinal axis; and

a coiled wire having a diameter and pitch sized to cooperate with said predetermined diameter and pitch of said stationary threaded member, said coiled wire formed with compressively contacting adjacent coils wound in a direction relative to said threaded member such that advancingly rotating said coil spring relative to said stationary threaded member against a resistance tends to increase said compressive contact.

14. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 11, further comprising one or more additional guides disposed along the length of said coiled wire.

15. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 12, wherein one of said additional guides further comprises a second relatively stationary threaded member.

16. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 12, wherein said guide further comprises a tube disposed about said coiled wire.

17. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 12, wherein said guide further comprises a rod disposed within a cavity formed within said coils.

18. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 13, wherein said coiled wire further comprises an attachment fixed thereto.

19. The flexible bolt assembly of claim 13, wherein said coiled wire further comprises one of a wire having a substantially round cross-section, and a wire having a substantially rectangular cross-section.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising orienting one or more additional guides defining respective longitudinal axes coincident with one of said first and second longitudinal axes.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein one of said guides further comprises a second threaded nut;

and further comprising spatially fixing said second threaded nut relative to said first threaded nut.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising passing a portion of said coiled wire into one or more additional guides oriented along respective longitudinal axes coincident with one of said first and second longitudinal axes.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein one of said guides further comprises a second threaded nut spatially fixed relative to said first threaded nut.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said threading further comprises applying a torque at a rotary drive interface rotationally fixed relative to said coiled wire.

20. A method for curvingly advancing and retracting a threaded rod, the method comprising:

spatially fixing a first threaded nut defining a first longitudinal axis;

orienting a first guide defining a second longitudinal axis different from said first longitudinal axis;

forming a coiled wire of a plurality of adjacent coils compressively contacting another adjacent coil, said coils forming threads compatible with said threaded nut; and

threading said coiled wire through each of said first threaded nut and said first guide.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said threading said coiled wire through each of said first threaded nut and said first guide further comprises:

providing a handle fixed to said coiled wire; and

applying a rotary drive force to said handle.

24. A method for curvingly advancing and retracting a threaded rod, the method comprising:

threading a coiled wire through a first threaded nut spatially fixed along a first longitudinal axis, said coiled wire formed of a plurality of adjacent coils compressively contacting another adjacent coil and forming threads compatible with said threaded nut;

curving a portion of said coiled wire into alignment with a second longitudinal axis; and

passing a portion of said coiled wire into a first guide oriented along a second longitudinal axis different from said first longitudinal axis.