EP0183333A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-adjusting sensing mechanism
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
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Filing: 1985-06-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-06-21
Abstract
Abstract @ A sensing mechanism has a retainer ring (20) which is secured in an aperture (40) formed in a housing (12) in which a sensor (18) is to operate. The retainer ring has a plurality of tabs (44) which co-operate with axial and circumferential slots (46, 48) on the sensor to permit removal and replacement of the sensor without the need for adjustment. On original installation of the sensing mechanism, the retainer ring is positioned in the housing aperture by radially extending tines (36) co-operating with the surface of the aperture. A resilient member (22) permits the mechanism to be installed to a depth deeper than the operating depth, whereupon the resilient member urges the sensor axially, as permitted by a gap (50) between the retainer ring and the circumferential slot, to achieve the proper operating depth.
Inventors
- 👤 Scott Michael Costello
- 👤 William Joseph Vukovich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:48
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01D; G01D11/00; G01D11/30; F; F16; F16B; F16B21/00; F16B21/10; F16B21/16; F16B21/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
312 words
A self-adjusting sensing mechanism for insertion into an aperture (40) in a relatively stationary housing (12), to be held thereby in close proximity to a device (16) to be sensed that is disposed in the housing (12), characterised in that the mechanism (10) comprises a retainer ring (20) of predetermined axial thickness having a central aperture (42) with radially inwardly extending tab means (44) and also having a plurality of tines (36) on the outer periphery thereof for engaging a surface of the aperture (42) during assembly of the mechanism (10), sensor means (18) having a cylindrical axial extension (30) with axially extending slot means (46) thereon alignable with the tab means (44) to permit the sensor means (18) to be inserted into the retainer ring (20), and the sensor means (18) also having a circumferentially extending slot (48) of a predetermined axial width which is greater than the axial thickness of the retainer ring (20) and during assembly of the mechanism (10) is axially alignable with the tab means (44) to thereupon permit rotary movement of the sensor means (18) relative to the retainer ring (20) into a position in which the tab means (44) and the axially extending slot means (46) are circumferentially misaligned, in which position axial movement of the sensor means (18) relative to the retainer ring (20) is limited to an amount not greater than the difference between the said predetermined axial width and the said predetermined axial thickness, and resilient means (22) for urging the sensor means (18) in a direction of removal from the retainer ring (20), with the circumferentially extending slot means (48) and the tab means (44) preventing removal of the sensor means (18) from the aperture (42) in a rotary position of the sensor means (18) in which the tab means (44) and the axially extending slot means (46) are circumferentially misaligned.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
312 words
A self-adjusting sensing mechanism for insertion into an aperture (40) in a relatively stationary housing (12), to be held thereby in close proximity to a device (16) to be sensed that is disposed in the housing (12), characterised in that the mechanism (10) comprises a retainer ring (20) of predetermined axial thickness having a central aperture (42) with radially inwardly extending tab means (44) and also having a plurality of tines (36) on the outer periphery thereof for engaging a surface of the aperture (42) during assembly of the mechanism (10), sensor means (18) having a cylindrical axial extension (30) with axially extending slot means (46) thereon alignable with the tab means (44) to permit the sensor means (18) to be inserted into the retainer ring (20), and the sensor means (18) also having a circumferentially extending slot (48) of a predetermined axial width which is greater than the axial thickness of the retainer ring (20) and during assembly of the mechanism (10) is axially alignable with the tab means (44) to thereupon permit rotary movement of the sensor means (18) relative to the retainer ring (20) into a position in which the tab means (44) and the axially extending slot means (46) are circumferentially misaligned, in which position axial movement of the sensor means (18) relative to the retainer ring (20) is limited to an amount not greater than the difference between the said predetermined axial width and the said predetermined axial thickness, and resilient means (22) for urging the sensor means (18) in a direction of removal from the retainer ring (20), with the circumferentially extending slot means (48) and the tab means (44) preventing removal of the sensor means (18) from the aperture (42) in a rotary position of the sensor means (18) in which the tab means (44) and the axially extending slot means (46) are circumferentially misaligned.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A self-adjusting sensing mechanism according to claim 1, characterised in that, in the misaligned condition of the tab means (44) and the axially extending slot means (46), axial movement of the sensor means (18) relative to the retainer ring (20) is limited to an amount equal to the difference between the said predetermined axial width and the said predetermined axial thickness.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A self-adjusting sensing mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the cylindrical axial extension (30) of the sensor means (18) is constructed to permit insertion of the sensor means (18) into the retainer ring (20) in an axial direction, and the resilient means comprises wave spring means (22) for urging the sensor means (18) axially in a direction of removal from the retainer ring (20).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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