Anti-vibration adaptor

• US 6,321,855 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George Edward Barnes
• Original Assignee: George Edward Barnes
• Inventors: Barnes, George Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/629,448
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 173/210, 173/211, 173/162.2, 173/162.1, 173/171, 173/157, 173/132, 409/141, 408/143, 408/238, 408/239.A, 408/239.R, 279/143, 279/145, 279/157
• US Class Current: 173/211
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/06 of socket type
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/00 Details of, or accessories for, spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers bolt tensioners B25B29/02
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0021 Prolongations interposed between handle and tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/3493 Protection means; e.g., cover, seal, overstress prevention, air blast
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/76 Tool-carrier with vibration-damping means

Abstract

Power drivers are commonly used in production to tighten fasteners such as nuts and bolts. The socket which engages the fastener is normally coupled to the drive shaft of the power driver by a square male end on the drive shaft and a complementary square female connector on the socket. These components are not produced to close tolerances and as a result there is substantial play permitting misalignment of the rotational axes of the drive shaft and the socket and some rotational freedom between the drive shaft and the socket. In accordance with the invention an anti-vibration adaptor is provided comprising a sleeve containing a cylinder of resilient material which surrounds a portion of the drive shaft and a portion of the socket, including the point of coupling, sufficiently closely to minimize misalignment of the rotational axes of the drive shaft and the socket and reduce rotational freedom.

Claims

1. An anti-vibration adaptor for use in association with a rotary driving means including a drive shaft having a cylindrical portion and an axis of rotation and an associated fastener driving device having a cylindrical portion and an axis of rotation coupled to said drive shaft to provide rotary motion to said driving device about its axis of rotation by means of a non-cylindrical releasable coupling said adaptor comprising:

a housing;

resilient damping means within said housing;

said damping means formed to tightly surround both a cylindrical portion of said drive shaft and a cylindrical portion of said fastener driving device including said releasable coupling there between to thereby minimize misalignment of the axis of rotation of said drive shaft and the axis of rotation of said fastener driving device.

2. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said damping means is formed to surround said drive shaft and said fastener driving device sufficiently tightly as to inhibit relative rotary motion between said drive shaft and said fastener driving device.

8. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in claim 1 including means to limit rotation of said housing with respect to said fastener driving device.

3. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in 1 wherein said fastener driving device comprises an extension shaft and a socket.

4. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in 1 wherein said damping means surrounds said drive shaft and said fastener driving device sufficiently tightly as to produce a slip fit.

5. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in 1 wherein said damping means is formed from a high molecular weight polystyrene.

6. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in 1 wherein said housing is a hollow cylinder.

7. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in 1 wherein said housing is a hollow cylinder formed from at least one of steel, stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, copper, brass, titanium, fibreglass, carbon fibre composites and plastics.

9. An anti-vibration adaptor for use in association with a rotary driver having a drive shaft, at least a portion of which is cylindrical, having an axis of rotation, with a square driving end and a socket, at least a portion of which is cylindrical, having an axis of rotation, releasably coupled to said drive shaft by a complementary square female drive connector said adaptor comprising:

a cylindrical housing;

a cylindrical resilient damping sleeve within said housing;

said damping sleeve having a first bore sized to tightly surround said cylindrical portion of said drive shaft and a second coaxial bore sized to tightly surround said cylindrical portion of said socket including said square female drive connector to thereby minimize misalignment of the axis of rotation of said drive shaft and said socket.

10. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in claim 9 wherein said damping sleeve is sized to constitute a press fit within said housing.

11. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in claim 9 wherein said first and second bores are sized to produce a slip fit with said drive shaft and said socket respectively.

12. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in claim 9 including means to limit rotation of said housing with respect to said socket.

13. An anti-vibration adaptor as claimed in claim 9 wherein said damping sleeve is formed from a high molecular weight polystyrene.

14. An anti-vibration adaptor for use in association with a rotary driving means including a drive shaft, at least a portion of which is cylindrical and has an axis of rotation and an associated fastener driving device, at least a portion of which is cylindrical and has an axis of rotation, coupled to said drive shaft by means of a releasable coupling said adaptor comprising:

a housing;

resilient damping means within said housing;

said damping means having a cylindrical inner surface formed to surround both at least a part of the cylindrical portion of said drive shaft and at least a part of the cylindrical portion of said fastener driving device, including said releasable coupling, with negligible clearance between the inner surface of said adaptor and said cylindrical portions of said drive shaft and said driving device to thereby minimize misalignment of the axis of rotation of said drive shaft and said fastener driving device.

15. An anti-vibration adaptor for use in association with a rotary driver having a drive shaft with a square driving end and a socket releasably coupled to said drive shaft by a complementary square female drive connector said adaptor comprising:

a cylindrical housing;

a cylindrical resilient damping sleeve within said housing;

said damping sleeve having a first bore sized to surround a portion of said drive shaft with negligible clearance and a second coaxial bore sized to surround a portion of said socket including said square female drive connector with negligible clearance to thereby minimize misalignment of the axis of rotation of said drive shaft and said socket.