Clamping bushing

• US 8,944,718 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C-Flex Bearing Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: C-Flex Bearing Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Wayne A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILEY, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/889,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20120076575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 403/371, 403/367, 403/366, 403/372
• US Class Current: 403/371
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/0847 with radial clamping due to a radial screw
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2001/062 characterised by adaptors where hub bores being larger than the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/53 Split end with laterally movable opposed portions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7058 Split or slotted bushing

Abstract

There is set forth herein a bushing comprising a longitudinally extending cylindrical body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the longitudinally extending cylindrical body further having a longitudinally extending slit. In one embodiment the bushing can comprise a longitudinally extending formation formed on the longitudinally extending cylindrical body. The longitudinally extending formation can be located at a radially position of the cylindrical body spaced apart from a radial position of the longitudinally extending slit. The longitudinally extending cylindrical body can be configured so that the longitudinally extending cylindrical body preferentially deforms along the longitudinally extending formation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a bushing, wherein the bushing includes;

a longitudinally extending hollow cylindrical body defining a center axis therethrough, the body comprising a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the longitudinally extending cylindrical body further having a longitudinally extending slit formed through said wall;

a longitudinally extending formation recessed in the inner surface of the wall of the longitudinally extending cylindrical body, wherein the longitudinally extending formation is located at a circumferential position of the cylindrical body that is substantially opposite a circumferential position of the longitudinally extending slit; and

a supplementary longitudinally extending formation recessed in the inner surface of the wall, the supplementary longitudinally extending formation being located at a circumferential position of the cylindrical body that is spaced from a circumferential position of each of the longitudinally extending slit and the longitudinally extending formation, wherein the circumferential position of the supplementary longitudinally extending formation is intermediate a circumferential position of the slit and a circumferential position of the longitudinally extending formation,

wherein the longitudinally extending slit, the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation extend an entire length of the longitudinally extending cylindrical body; and

an apparatus, the apparatus comprising;

a central through-bore receiving the bushing therein, and an outer wall surrounding the central through-bore, the outer wall comprising;

a first set screw movably engaged in a first hole formed in the outer wall, wherein the first set screw is directed at the outer surface of the bushing at a first circumferential position between the circumferential positions of the longitudinally extending formation and the supplemental longitudinally extending formation, and

a second set screw movably engaged in a second hole formed in the outer wall, wherein the second set screw is directed at the outer surface of the bushing at a second circumferential position between the circumferential positions of the supplementary longitudinally extending formation and the longitudinally extending slit;

wherein when the first and second set screws are engaged so as to impinge on the outer surface of the bushing, the cylindrical body of the bushing deforms along the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation substantially toward the center axis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the supplementary longitudinally extending formation is located at a circumferential position of the cylindrical body of about 90 degrees from each of the longitudinally extending slit and the longitudinally extending formation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation has an arcuate cross-section.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation has a rectilinear cross-section.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes first and second tap holes for orienting screws at respective radial positions of the bushing that are about 90 degrees apart.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second set screws extends along an axis that extends substantially towards the center axis.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second screws extends along a screw axis that extends in a direction such that at a minimum spacing distance with an axis of the longitudinally extending cylindrical body, the screw axis is closer to the inner surface than a central axis of the longitudinally extending cylindrical body.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending cylindrical body has a longitudinally extending flat partially defining the outer surface and disposed at a radial position of the bushing between the radial position at which the longitudinally extending formation is located and the radial position of which the supplementary longitudinally extending formation is located.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes an instruction manual including at least the instruction indicating that an area of the bushing between the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation is to be clamped prior to a clamping at an area of the bushing between the supplementary longitudinally extending formation and the longitudinally extending slit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation extend less than an entire thickness of a wall defining the longitudinally extending cylindrical body.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending slit, the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation extend an entire length of the longitudinally extending cylindrical body.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending cylindrical body is of unitary construction.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending cylindrical body includes a longitudinally extending flat partially defining the outer surface of the longitudinally extending cylindrical body, the longitudinally extending flat for use in aiding a rotational alignment of the bushing.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the bushing includes a plurality of spaced apart, longitudinally extending formations including the longitudinally extending formation and the supplementary longitudinally extending formation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a count of the plurality of spaced apart longitudinally extending formations is an integer selected from the group consisting of 2, 3, 4 and 5.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a count of the plurality of spaced apart longitudinally extending formations is 2 or 3.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the bushing has one or more formations, including the longitudinally extending formation, for providing deformation of the bushing, and wherein a percentage of radians corresponding to areas of the bushing external to the one or more formations is greater than a percentage of radians corresponding to the one or more formations.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a radian ratio of areas of the bushing external to the one or more formation to areas of the bushing corresponding to the one or more formation is N:

1, where 1≦

N.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein a radian ratio of areas of the bushing external to the one or more formation to areas of the bushing corresponding to the one or more formation is N:

2, where 2≦

N.