Patent · US Expired

Telescopic guide, especially for transmittance of torque

US4705491A · kind A · utility

60Cited by
5References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 6, 1986
Grant dateNov 10, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 6, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16D3/065
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A telescoping torque transmitting shaft comprising a shaft having at least three longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced guide grooves and a sleeve axially slidably surrounding the shaft and having an inner counter groove opposite each guide groove. Torque is transmitted between the shaft and the sleeve by a row of balls for each guide groove, each ball being partially received in its guide groove and partially received in the counter groove opposite its guide groove. At least certain of the balls in one row are of resilient elastic material; all others are substantially harder. Bias imposed upon the shaft by the resilient balls, urging the shaft in one lateral direction relative to the sleeve, maintains every ball in torque transmitting contact with both the shaft and the sleeve, while the harder balls in the other rows, by such contact, maintain the elastic balls compressed for exerting such bias.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.