Spring devices – Bendable along flat surface – Ring or annular spider
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-06-26
Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)
Spring devices
Bendable along flat surface
Ring or annular spider
C267S180000, C267S165000, C267S160000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250618
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to compression wave springs and more particularly to a spring device made from an elongated flat strip which is curved into an arcuate shape and formed into a wave configuration.
Compression wave springs have been widely used in many fields. Wave springs are used to exert a force on working elements in a mechanical assembly, and are typically associated with cylindrical applications. The function of the wave spring is to preload the assembly so that any play between elements of the assembly, because of dimensional variation in each assembly, is removed.
Conventional wave springs often cause installation problems because they form a 360° arcuate shape. The 360° arcuate shape wave spring often cannot be used in some applications because it would interfere with an object located within the space that a conventional wave spring would have to occupy. This can be illustrated with a common example such as a bore that has a keyway and a key which generally fills the keyway and the key extends into the bore. Obviously, the key would interfere with a 360° wave spring placed around the edge of the bore. Another example of a conventional wave spring proving to be inadequate is for the situation when a shaft is moving axially between three dowel pins wherein a wave spring must be located on the outside of the shaft. These problems have caused the spring users to ask the manufacturers and engineers to specially design and construct springs often usable in only one specific application. By doing this, the time required to design and produce the springs increases and the cost of each spring skyrockets.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved curved wave shim for use on cylindrical shafts or in cylinder bores.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a curved wave shim having a series of waves which include shoulder portions which abut against the working element and the retaining ring groove.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a low cost easy to manufacture curved wave shim used for multiple applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, one present embodiment of the invention includes a flat wire strip that is edgewound and cut to have a specific arc length. The flat wire strip is formed to include a wave pattern along its arc length. The wave pattern preferably includes about one wave, with a sinusoidal wave being the preferred wave pattern.
The curved wave shim preferably includes at least one crest and trough so that shim support surfaces are formed in the shim which act against opposing surfaces in the environment in which the shim is used. This crest and trough combination also gives the shim the characteristics of a curved leaf spring and may be used as a spring segment in curved groove variations where multiple curved wave shims are used generally adjacent to each other forming a circular shape wave spring.
For purposes of this disclosure, “shim” means an item used to fill in space between things as for support, leveling or adjustment of fit.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.
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Smalley Steel Ring Company Engineering and Parts Catalog, Jan. 1998.*
Pp. 1-8, Engineering + Parts Catalog—Spirawave Wave Springs, Smalley Steel Ring Co. Jan. 1998.
Kramer Devon
Oberleitner Robert J.
Smalley Steel Ring Company
Vedder Price Kaufman & Kammholz
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