Low spring rate multi-convoluted collapsible spacer
First Claim
1. A low spring rate collapsible spacer comprising:
- a substantially tubular body compressible in an axial direction thereof from a predetermined free length to a substantially shorter length;
said body including a yielding zone and a elastic zone adjacent to said yielding zone;
said yielding zone having at least one convolution and said elastic zone having at least one convolution curved in the same radial direction;
wherein an average thickness of said body in said elastic zone is different than an average thickness of said body in said yielding zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low spring rate multi-convoluted collapsible spacer adapted for use as a bearing preloading element. The collapsible spacer comprises a substantially tubular body compressible in an axial direction thereof from a predetermined free length to a substantially shorter length. The tubular body includes a yielding zone and an elastic zone adjacent to said yielding zone. Each of the yielding and elastic zones has at least one convolution curved in the same radial direction. An average thickness of the body of the spacer in the elastic zone is substantially greater than an average thickness of the body in the yielding zone that provides the collapsible spacer a substantially higher resiliency in the axial direction in the elastic zone than in the yielding zone. As a whole, the collapsible spacer has a relatively low spring rate, thus larger amount of “spring back”, hence less sensitivity to wear and maladjustment.
20 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A low spring rate collapsible spacer comprising:
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a substantially tubular body compressible in an axial direction thereof from a predetermined free length to a substantially shorter length;
said body including a yielding zone and a elastic zone adjacent to said yielding zone;
said yielding zone having at least one convolution and said elastic zone having at least one convolution curved in the same radial direction;
wherein an average thickness of said body in said elastic zone is different than an average thickness of said body in said yielding zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A low spring rate collapsible spacer comprising:
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a substantially tubular body compressible in an axial direction thereof from a predetermined free length to a substantially shorter length, a thickness of said body varying in said axial direction;
said body including a yielding zone and a elastic zone adjacent to said yielding zone;
said yielding zone is adjacent to one end portion of said tubular body of said collapsible spacer and said elastic zone is adjacent to the other end portion thereof;
each of said yielding zone and said elastic zone having a convex convolution interconnected through a central concave convolution;
wherein an average thickness of said body in said elastic zone is greater than an average thickness of said body in said yielding zone, and wherein an outside diameter of said at least one convex convolution of said body in said elastic zone equals to an outside diameter of said at least one convex convolution of said body in said yielding zone.
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12. A low spring rate collapsible spacer comprising:
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a substantially tubular body compressible in an axial direction thereof from a predetermined free length to a shorter length, a thickness of said body varying in said axial direction;
said body including a yielding zone and a elastic zone adjacent to said yielding zone;
said yielding zone is adjacent to one end portion of said tubular body of said collapsible spacer and said elastic zone is adjacent to the other end portion thereof;
each of said yielding zone and said elastic zone having a convex convolution interconnected through a central concave convolution;
wherein an average thickness of said body in said elastic zone is greater than an average thickness of said body in said yielding zone, and wherein an outside diameter of said at least one convex convolution of said body in said elastic zone is greater to an outside diameter of said at least one convex convolution of said body in said yielding zone.
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Specification