Variable length shaft assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A steering shaft coupling comprising:
- an outer tubular shaft member;
a coaxial inner shaft member slidably inserted within the outer tubular shaft member;
a plurality of wedge shaped members between the inner shaft member and the outer tubular shaft member;
torque being transmitted between the inner shaft member and the outer tubular shaft member through at least one wedge shaped member;
a locking means for retaining a wedge shaped member in a fixed position between the inner shaft member and the outer tubular shaft member whenever torque is transmitted from one shaft member to the other shaft member through said wedge shaped member; and
a biasing means for biasing a pair of wedge shaped members together, the biasing means connecting the wedge shaped members together in pairs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A steering shaft coupling comprising: an outer tubular shaft member, a coaxial inner shaft member slidably inserted within the outer tubular shaft member, and a plurality of wedges located between the outer tubular shaft member and the inner shaft member. The plurality of wedges being locking wedges wherein the wedges tend to be retained in the spaces between the shaft members upon application of torque from one shaft member to the other shaft member through the wedges.
32 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A steering shaft coupling comprising:
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an outer tubular shaft member; a coaxial inner shaft member slidably inserted within the outer tubular shaft member; a plurality of wedge shaped members between the inner shaft member and the outer tubular shaft member; torque being transmitted between the inner shaft member and the outer tubular shaft member through at least one wedge shaped member; a locking means for retaining a wedge shaped member in a fixed position between the inner shaft member and the outer tubular shaft member whenever torque is transmitted from one shaft member to the other shaft member through said wedge shaped member; and a biasing means for biasing a pair of wedge shaped members together, the biasing means connecting the wedge shaped members together in pairs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An axially extensible torque transmitting steering shaft coupling comprising:
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an outer tubular first member; a coaxial inner second member, the first member and the second member constructed to transmit torque from one member to the other member; and a plurality of axially extending wedge shaped members interposed between the first member and the second member, the wedge shaped members being arranged in a plurality of pairs, each pair being connected by a means for biasing the connected wedge shaped members towards one another, the transmitted torque being transmitted through a plurality of wedge members. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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Specification