US4090797A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mechanical coupling
Assignee: CTS Corp
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Filing: 1976-09-16
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Granted: 1978-05-23
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Expires: 1996-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A mechanical coupling device is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate jaws and integral arms defining a slot communicating with a cavity for connecting a shaft thereto. A tongue integral with the shaft is engaged by the jaws and suspended within the cavity, and the coupling device slides axially and laterally along the tongue and pivots along the arcuate jaws to eliminate end and side thrust of the shaft. A variable resistance control connected to the coupling device comprises a substrate closing one end of a housing and a rotatable driver disposed within the housing. A resistive path and a conductive collector path are disposed on the substrate along the same radius and a contactor comprising a pair of diametrically opposed contact fingers symmetrically disposed near the periphery of the driver engages the resistive and collector paths.
Inventors
- 👤 James N. Hufford
- 👤 Wayne A. Barden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:27
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01C; H01C10/00; H01C10/14; G; G05; G05G; G05G1/00; G05G1/08; G05G1/10; G05G1/12; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32008; Y10T403/32041; Y10T403/32049; Y10T403/32606; Y10T403/32861; Y10T403/32918; Y10T403/70; Y10T403/7045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
The combination of a first shaft connected to an electrical control, a second shaft connected to a second control, said first shaft being provided with a shoulder, a tongue integral with said first shaft and extending from the shoulder, and a coupling device interconnecting said first and second shafts, said coupling device comprising a first arcuate jaw, a second arcuate jaw disposed opposite said first arcuate jaw, said first and second jaws defining a slot, said jaws engaging said tongue, an arm connected to each of said jaws, said arms defining a cylindrical cavity communicating with said slot, said arms being supported by and said slot communicating with one end of the coupling device, the tongue having planar and substantially parallel sides and a thickness substantially equal to the spacing between the jaws, one end of said tongue being suspended within said cavity, the cavity being larger than the tongue, said shoulder and said one end of the coupling device being spaced apart whereby said coupling device is capable of axial and lateral movement along said tongue and said jaws provide for pivotal motion of said tongue about said jaws.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
The combination of a first shaft connected to an electrical control, a second shaft connected to a second control, said first shaft being provided with a shoulder, a tongue integral with said first shaft and extending from the shoulder, and a coupling device interconnecting said first and second shafts, said coupling device comprising a first arcuate jaw, a second arcuate jaw disposed opposite said first arcuate jaw, said first and second jaws defining a slot, said jaws engaging said tongue, an arm connected to each of said jaws, said arms defining a cylindrical cavity communicating with said slot, said arms being supported by and said slot communicating with one end of the coupling device, the tongue having planar and substantially parallel sides and a thickness substantially equal to the spacing between the jaws, one end of said tongue being suspended within said cavity, the cavity being larger than the tongue, said shoulder and said one end of the coupling device being spaced apart whereby said coupling device is capable of axial and lateral movement along said tongue and said jaws provide for pivotal motion of said tongue about said jaws.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
132 words
A coupling device connected to a shaft of a first control comprising a first pivot means, a second pivot means disposed opposite said first pivot means, an arm connected to each of said pivot means, said arms defining a cavity, a tongue extending from the shaft and having planar and substantially parallel sides and a thickness substantially equal to the spacing between the first and the second pivot means, said tongue being engaged by said first and second pivot means and extending into said cavity for pivotal motion of said coupling device with respect to said shaft, the cavity being larger than the tongue whereby the first and second pivot means is movable axially and laterally along the tongue and the pivot means provide pivotal motion of the tongue about said means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
A coupling device connected to a shaft of a first control comprising a first pivot means, a second pivot means disposed opposite said first pivot means, an arm connected to each of said pivot means, said arms defining a cavity, a tongue extending from the shaft and having planar and substantially parallel sides and a thickness substantially equal to the spacing between the first and the second pivot means, said tongue being engaged by said first and second pivot means and extending into said cavity for pivotal motion of said coupling device with respect to said shaft, the cavity being larger than the tongue whereby the first and second pivot means is movable axially and laterally along the tongue and the pivot means provide pivotal motion of the tongue about said means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The coupling device of claim 2, wherein each of said pivot means comprises an arcuate portion, said tongue being disposed between and abutting said arcuate portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The coupling device of claim 3, wherein said shaft is provided with a double flat portion and said arcuate portions define a slot, said double flat portion being disposed in said slot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
The coupling device of claim 2, wherein said shaft comprises a shoulder and an elongated portion extending from said shoulder, said shoulder being spaced apart from said coupling device, said elongated portion being disposed in said cavity, the end of said elongated portion being spaced apart from the walls of said cavity providing for relative axial movement of the elongated portion and the coupling device before engagement of the shoulder with the coupling device or engagement of the end of the elongated portion with a wall of said cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The coupling device of claim 2, wherein said shaft comprises an integral tongue and said pivot means comprise arcuate jaws, said jaws engaging said integral tongue for pivotal motion of said jaws about said shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The coupling device of claim 6, wherein said cavity is cylindrically shaped and said jaws have arcuate surfaces generally defining a hyperbolic shape communicating with said cylindrical cavity, said hyperbolic shape communicating with one end of said coupling device, one end of said tongue being suspended in said cavity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The coupling device of claim 2, wherein each of said jaws flexibly engages said shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-22 | 1981-11-21 | 1982-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-22 | 1985-11-21 | 1986-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-22 | 1989-11-21 | 1990-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |