Joints and connections – Interfitted members – Clamped members
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-18
2004-03-02
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3679)
Joints and connections
Interfitted members
Clamped members
C403S374300, C403S109400, C403S344000, C280S093510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06698969
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to steering tie rods and an improved adjusting mechanism and is more particularly related to adjusting the length of the steering tie rod in a millimetrical way, without disassembly, in order to adjust the grade of toeing-in or toeing-out for the front wheels of a vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Steering tie-rods conventionally employ a regulating rod, for which it is provided a cap, having a left internal thread at one side and a right internal thread at the other side, on which steering terminals are assembled. Adjustment is obtained through the rotation of this sleeve toward an appropriate direction, and a pair of brackets, as well as screws and fixing nuts are used for obtaining a perfect fixing.
This arrangement has the disadvantage of requiring such fixing systems (brackets, screws and nuts), one for each extremity of the sleeve, thus requiring a larger space, increasing the extension and making difficult the utilization of this system in some cases, besides the need of working in a larger space and rendering difficult the use of the tool in a reasonable time and fixing of the steering tie-rod in the vehicle.
Another form utilized is the employment of an intermediate member having internal and external threads. Regulation is obtained through the rotation of this member towards the appropriate direction.
This arrangement has the disadvantage of displacing this member in the axial direction, weakening the portion of the coupling and thus diminishing safety, which normally is assured by rigid control of the intermediate member assembling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention eliminates all the previously mentioned inconveniences, as it allows regulation of the geometry of the front wheels in any configuration, and in view of occupying an extremely reduced space, allows regulation within the small space because of the same preceding reason and maintains the rigidity required for the safety of the users of automotive vehicles, as it locks the threaded pieces, after the regulation, through a helical cutting made internally and externally in the inverse direction of the threads of the regulating member, and prevents the spontaneous rotating movement of the pieces between themselves, regardless of the geometry of the steering tie-rod.
REFERENCES:
patent: 850980 (1907-04-01), Stulz
patent: 2120577 (1938-06-01), Schulte
patent: 5441372 (1995-08-01), Wilkinson
patent: 5749692 (1998-05-01), Kish et al.
patent: 6074125 (2000-06-01), Krawczak
patent: 6579025 (2003-06-01), Sokolihs et al.
patent: 6604887 (2003-08-01), Carreira
patent: 2002/0136596 (2002-09-01), Mouro
Garcia Joao
Paduano Enzo
Browne Lynne H.
Dana Industrial S/A
Flandro Ryan M.
Liniak Berenato & White
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