Saint-gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited

Andrew Robert Slayne

Niki Samuel Woodhead

Simon Alan Hughes

Benjamin Nias

Paul Haines

Llewelyn Pickering

David Court

Marcus Baker

Christopher Mark Needes

Neil James

Robert Winter

Stephen Saunders

Parag Natu

James Pennsiriwongse

Stuart Kelly

Christopher Needes

A tolerance ring including a sidewall including a plurality of radially extending projections on a first radial surface and an unformed region on a second radial surface opposite the first radial surface, where the tolerance ring provides a first break-away torque, τ, defined as the breakaway torque between the tolerance ring projections and an inner component or an outer component, where the tolerance ring provides a second break-away torque, τ, defined as the breakaway torque between the unformed region and the other of the inner component or the outer component, and wherein 1.1 τ≤τ.

Tolerance ring with desired slip performance, assembly, and method of making and using the same

An assembly including an outer member; an inner member; and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner member and the outer member, wherein the tolerance ring is a split ring comprising opposing edges, where the edges engaged with at one of the inner member or the outer member so as to prevent or restrict movement between the tolerance ring and at least one of the inner member or the outer member, or where the tolerance ring is deformed as installed between the inner member and the outer member and forms at least one buckled region in the tolerance ring due to an interference fit between the inner member and the outer member, where in an uninstalled state, the buckled region is absent.

Tolerance ring

A tolerance ring having a first axial end, a second axial end, and a central axis, the tolerance ring including an annular band; a plurality of protrusions, all of the plurality of protrusions extending from the annular band; and a guide portion extending from the annular band towards the first axial end of the tolerance ring, where the guide portion includes a guide surface that is curved in an axial section.

Tolerance ring assembly

A tolerance ring has a hollow band with outwardly extending corrugated protrusions forming waves that engage an inner surface of a bore of a housing. At one end of the tolerance ring is an inwardly flared guide surface extending axially and radially from the band. The guide surface acts as a tapered entrance to assist the insertion of a shaft into the hollow band during assembly of the ring into the bore of the housing.

Method of using a tolerance ring

A tolerance ring comprising a metallic band for spring features and a complementary low friction material for frictional considerations is disclosed. The tolerance ring is designed to operate within a precisely controlled torque or axial force band to provide a defined amount of resistance and sliding force control between components that move relative to each other. Isolated portions of the tolerance ring form regions of contact with adjacent ones of the components. Other surfaces of the tolerance ring comprise portions with spring features that have geometry suitable for their spring rate, rather than conforming to mating surfaces of the adjacent components.

System, method and apparatus for tolerance ring control of slip interface sliding forces

A tolerance ring has a band with outwardly extending corrugated protrusions forming waves that engage an outer surface of a shaft. At one end of the tolerance ring is an inwardly flared guide surface extending axially and radially from the band. The guide surface acts as a tapered entrance to a bore of a housing to assist during assembly.

A tolerance ring can be disposed between an inner component and an outer component, the inner and outer components defining stepped sidewalls. In an embodiment, a preassembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, an assembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, a hard disk drive preassembly can include an actuator arm defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, a pivot having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the pivot and the bore.

Stepped assembly

A tolerance ring is adapted to be deployed between inner and outer components. The tolerance ring includes a generally cylindrical body. The sidewall can include an undeformed portion. The sidewall can further include a plurality of wave structures. The wave structures can protrude radially from the undeformed portion. Some or all wave structures can protrude inwardly or can protrude outwardly. Furthermore, the tolerance ring when placed in an assembly having an inner component and an outer component can have a first torque break-point Tin a first rotational direction. A torque break point for an assembly comprising an inner component, an outer component, and a tolerance ring is the torque at which slippage occurs.

Tolerance ring with divided torque slip

A tolerance ring comprising a body including a plurality of sidewall segments, each sidewall segment having a thickness and a height, wherein the body has an aspect ratio, as measured by a ratio of the height of the sidewall segment to the thickness of the sidewall segment, of no less than 2:1.

A method of assembling a tolerance ring between opposing surfaces of an inner and outer component arranged to mate with one another to provide an interference fit therebetween includes mounting the tolerance ring on one of the inner and outer components whereby the projections are received in a recessed portion on that component, partially mating the inner and outer components, and completing mating by causing relative movement between the tolerance ring and the recessed portion to move the projections from the recessed portion and to be compressed between the mated inner and outer components. The tolerance ring includes an annular band of resilient material for engaging an opposing surface of one of the inner and outer components. The annular band has a plurality of deformable projections extending radially therefrom to engage the opposing surface of the other one of the inner and outer components.

Tolerance ring and assembly with deformable projections

A tolerance ring can include a generally cylindrical body having a sidewall. The sidewall can include a first unformed section and a gap in the first unformed section. The gap can extend along an entire length of the body to establish a split in the body. The sidewall can also include a second unformed section opposite the first unformed section, a first wave bank flanking the first unformed section with the gap, and a second wave bank flanking the first unformed section with the gap. The wave banks can be equally spaced around a circumference of the body of the tolerance ring and the body of the tolerance ring can be symmetrical about a center axis that extends from a center of the tolerance ring and bisects the gap in the first unformed section.

Tolerance ring with grouped waves

A torque limiting tolerance ring that is configured to be installed between an inner component and an outer component is disclosed. The torque limiting tolerance ring can include a generally cylindrical body that can have a sidewall. The sidewall can include an unformed section and a plurality of projections can extend from the unformed section of the sidewall. The projections can be configured to engage the inner component or the outer component. During use, the torque limiting tolerance ring can move from an engaged configuration, in which the inner component is statically coupled to the outer component, to a disengaged configuration, in which the inner component is disengaged from the outer component.

Torque limiting tolerance ring

A tolerance ring has a band () with outwardly extending corrugated protrusions forming waves () which engage a surface () of the bore () in a housing (). At one end of the tolerance ring is an outwardly flared guide surface () extending axially from the band (). The guide surface () acts as an enlarged entrance to the band () from a shaft () to be mounted in the bore () by insertion into the tolerance ring. The use of the guide surface () assists assembly and reduces or eliminates particle production. It is also possible for the corrugated portions to extend inwardly, for the guide surface to be inwardly flared, and for the tolerance ring to be mounted on the shaft prior to insertion in the bore.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Andrew Robert Slayne