Alignment coupler for linear device
First Claim
1. An alignment coupler assembly for a linear device, comprising:
- a tooling plate having a cavity extending from an outer surface through a portion of the tooling plate, said cavity defining an inner, laterally-extending planar end wall and a sidewall extending longitudinally away from said endwall; and
an alignment coupler received in the tooling plate cavity, said alignment coupler including i) an end cap having a central aperture attached to the tooling plate and at least partially covering the opening to the cavity, ii) a bearing pad disposed within the cavity with a planar surface adjacent to the inner end wall in the cavity, and an outer curved surface facing away from the inner end wall, iii) an operating rod disposed within the cavity having a stem extending outwardly through the aperture in the end cap and a shoulder flange having an inner curved surface adjacent to and concentric with the outer curved surface of the bearing pad, and iv) a bearing washer disposed in the cavity between the shoulder flange of the operating rod and the end cap such that said operating rod shoulder flange can slide between and against the bearing pad and the bearing washer in rotational and angular relation with respect to the tooling plate;
said bearing pad, operating rod shoulder flange, and bearing washer having an outer peripheral dimension which is less than the inner dimension of the cavity defined by the sidewall such that the bearing pad, operating rod and bearing washer can also move laterally across the sidewall in the tooling plate cavity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A linear device includes a housing supporting a central hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of support shafts on either side of the central cylinder. The cylinder includes a longitudinally-moveable piston rod which is attached at its distal end to a tooling plate. An alignment coupler is received within a cavity in the tooling plate, and interconnects the cylinder piston rod and the tooling plate. The alignment coupler includes an annular bearing pad with an inner planar surface disposed adjacent an inner endwall of the cavity, and an outer convex curved surface facing away from the inner endwall. A T-shaped operating rod is disposed within the cavity having an annular shoulder flange with a concave curved inner surface adjacent to the curved surface of the bearing pad, and a convex curved outer surface. An annular bearing washer is disposed in the cavity against the shoulder flange of the operating rod and has a concave curved inner surface adjacent to the convex curved outer surface on the shoulder flange. A threaded end cap is received within the opening to the cavity in the tooling plate, and retains the bearing pad, the operating rod and the bearing washer within the cavity. The end cap includes a central aperture through which the stem of the operating rod extends. The distal end of the operating rod has a threaded opening to receive the threaded end of the cylinder drive piston. The configuration of the adjacent surfaces of the bearing pad, the operating rod shoulder flange, and the bearing washer enables the operating rod to move in rotational and angular relation within the cavity. Moreover, the outer peripheral dimensions of the bearing pad, the operating rod shoulder flange and the bearing washer are less than the inner diameter of the cavity, such that the operating rod can also move laterally between the sidewalls in the cavity.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An alignment coupler assembly for a linear device, comprising:
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a tooling plate having a cavity extending from an outer surface through a portion of the tooling plate, said cavity defining an inner, laterally-extending planar end wall and a sidewall extending longitudinally away from said endwall; and an alignment coupler received in the tooling plate cavity, said alignment coupler including i) an end cap having a central aperture attached to the tooling plate and at least partially covering the opening to the cavity, ii) a bearing pad disposed within the cavity with a planar surface adjacent to the inner end wall in the cavity, and an outer curved surface facing away from the inner end wall, iii) an operating rod disposed within the cavity having a stem extending outwardly through the aperture in the end cap and a shoulder flange having an inner curved surface adjacent to and concentric with the outer curved surface of the bearing pad, and iv) a bearing washer disposed in the cavity between the shoulder flange of the operating rod and the end cap such that said operating rod shoulder flange can slide between and against the bearing pad and the bearing washer in rotational and angular relation with respect to the tooling plate;
said bearing pad, operating rod shoulder flange, and bearing washer having an outer peripheral dimension which is less than the inner dimension of the cavity defined by the sidewall such that the bearing pad, operating rod and bearing washer can also move laterally across the sidewall in the tooling plate cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A linear device, comprising:
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i) a cylinder housing having longitudinal bores formed therein for a pair of support shafts; ii) a central cylinder mounted within said housing, said central cylinder having a longitudinally-moveable drive piston and sealing means surrounding said drive piston to prevent fluid from leaking around said piston, said drive piston also having lateral, angular and rotational components of motion as said drive piston moves longitudinally; iii) a pair of support shafts disposed on opposite sides of said central cylinder in said housing and extending through the bores for linear movement therein; iv) a plate attached to a distal end of each of the support rods and a distal end of the piston rod, said plate including a central cavity extending longitudinally through a portion of the plate, the central cavity defining an inner, laterally-extending endwall, and a cylindrical sidewall extending longitudinally away from said endwall; and v) an alignment coupler received in the plate cavity, said alignment coupler including a) a bearing pad disposed within the cavity with an inter, generally planar surface in sliding engagement with the inner endwall in the cavity, and an outer curved surface facing away from the inner endwall, b) an operating rod disposed within the cavity having a stem extending outwardly from the cavity and fixed to the drive piston of the central cylinder and a shoulder flange having an inner curved surface adjacent to and concentric with the outer curved surface of the bearing pad such that said operating rod can slide against the bearing pad in rotational and angular relation with respect to the plate, and c) a bearing disposed in the cavity adjacent the shoulder flange of the operating rod and retained in the cavity against longitudinal movement;
said bearing pad, operating rod shoulder flange and bearing having an outer peripheral dimension which is less than the inner dimension of the cavity defined by the sidewall such that the bearing pad, the operating rod, and the bearing can move laterally across the sidewall in the plate cavity. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A linear device, comprising:
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a cylinder housing having longitudinal bores formed therein for a pair of support shafts, a central cylinder rod mounted to said cylinder housing and having a longitudinally-moveable drive piston with sealing means surrounding said drive piston to prevent fluid from leaking around said drive piston, and a pair of support shafts disposed on opposite sides of said central cylinder and extending through the bores in the housing for linear movement therein, a plate attached to a distal end of each of the support rods and a distal end of said drive piston, said plate including a central cavity extending longitudinally through a portion of the plate which defines an inner, laterally-extending end wall, and a sidewall extending longitudinally away from said endwall, and an alignment coupler received in the cavity in the plate, said alignment coupler including i) a bearing pad disposed within the cavity having an inner, generally planar surface disposed adjacent to the inner endwall in the cavity, and an outer curved surface facing away from the inner endwall, ii) an operating rod disposed within the cavity having a stem extending outwardly from the cavity not more than 1/4 inch and being removably attached to the drive piston, and a shoulder flange having an concave curved surface adjacent to and concentric with the outer curved surface of the bearing pad such that said operating rod can move in rotational and angular relation with respect to the plate, said bearing pad and operating rod shoulder flange having an outer peripheral dimension which is less than the inner dimension of the cavity defined by the sidewall such that the operating rod can move laterally across the sidewall. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification