Saint-gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited

Simon Alan Hughes

Andrew Robert Slayne

Benjamin Nias

Paul Haines

Neil James

Llewelyn Pickering

Robert Winter

James Pennsiriwongse

Stuart Kelly

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 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 can include a generally cylindrical body that can include a side wall. The sidewall can define a top and a bottom. Further, the sidewall can include a plurality of wave structures that can extend from the sidewall, a plurality of unformed sections, and a gap that can extend along the entire length of the body. Each unformed section can be located between a pair of adjacent wave structures. Further, the gap can establish a split in the body. The tolerance ring can also include at least one hole intersecting at least one of the wave structures to establish a perforated wave structure.

Tolerance ring with perforated waves

A tolerance ring can include a generally cylindrical body having a sidewall. The sidewall can include a plurality of wave structures extending from the sidewall at regular intervals around the body, a first unformed section between a first pair of adjacent wave structures, and a second unformed section between a second pair of adjacent wave structures. The gap can extend along an entire length, L, of the body to establish a split in the body. The second unformed section can include a slot therein. The slot can have a length, L, and L&#x2267;80% L.

Tolerance ring with slotted sidewall

A tolerance ring is disclosed and can include a strip of material having a length, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a plurality of radially extending projections between the first and second ends. The strip of material can be curved into a ring having a gap. The radially extending projections are configured to be compressible between a bore and a shaft. A width and/or a height of a radially extending projection closest to the first end is different from a width and/or a height of a radially extending projection closest to a line extending perpendicular to the length and bisecting the strip of material within a circumferential row of the radially extending projections.

Mounting assembly

A shaft is held in place within the bore of a housing by a band of resilient material that is located between the shaft and the housing and has a series of projections extending radically inwards. The shaft surface has a first part that lies closer to the longitudinal axis of the bore than a second part, when the shaft and housing are assembled. The shaft is initially inserted into the resilient band, which is held within the bore, such that the first part of the shaft surface is oriented towards one of the projections of the resilient band. In this orientation of the shaft, the projection is not compressed. By orienting the second part of the shaft surface the projection, the projection is brought under compression and the shaft is held firmly within the bore.

Assembly of a shaft and a housing assembly

An apparatus includes an inner component, an outer component; and a tolerance ring located between the inner and outer components to provide an interference fit there between. The tolerance ring includes a strip of material having a plurality of radially extending projections. The strip of material is curved into a ring having a gap. The radially extending projections are compressible between the inner and outer components, and the stiffness of the radially extending projections varies around the circumference of the tolerance ring.

A shaft is held in place within a bore of a housing with a band of resilient material that is located between the shaft and the housing and has a series of projections extending radially inwards. The shaft surface has a first part that lies closer to the longitudinal axis of the bore than a second part, when the shaft and housing are assembled. The shaft is initially inserted into the resilient band, which is held within the bore, such that the first part of the shaft surface is oriented towards one of the projections of the resilient band. In this orientation of the shaft, the projection is not compressed. By orienting the second part of the shaft surface, the projection is brought under compression and the shaft is held firmly within the bore.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Simon Alan Hughes