US4411167A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Breakaway shaft assembly
Assignee: Ford Motor Co
•
Filing: 1981-10-13
•
Granted: 1983-10-25
•
Expires: 2001-10-13
Abstract
Abstract A breakaway shaft assembly is disclosed which comprises a segmented tube and shaft member. The tube member and at least one of the shaft member segments are retained together for conjoint movement under axial loading until the shaft segments are interengaged. Additional axial loading and movement severs the attachment between the tube member and shaft segment allowing the tube member to telescope further until limited. At such limitation, the location of segmentation for each of the tube and shaft members is aligned permitting breakaway separation in response to still further axial loading.
Inventors
- 👤 John D. Mohr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 01:33
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D1/00; B62D1/02; B62D1/16; B62D1/18; B62D1/19; B62D1/192; F; F16; F16B; F16B2200/00; F16B2200/63
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A breakaway shaft assembly, comprising: (a) a segmented shaft member; (b) a segmented tube member, at least one of said segmented shaft and tube members having mating camming surfaces at the location of segmentation; (c) means for retaining said segmented tube member and one segment of said segmented shaft member together for conjoint axial movement due to axial loading until both segments of said shaft member are interengaged, whereupon said retaining means is overcome allowing both said tube member segments to telescopically move relative to said shaft member segments in response to further axial loading; and (d) means for limiting the telescopic travel of said tube member relative to said shaft member when said location of segmentation for each of said tube member and shaft member are aligned, whereupon breakaway separation of the segments of each of said members occurs in response to still further axial loading.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A breakaway shaft assembly, comprising: (a) a segmented shaft member; (b) a segmented tube member, at least one of said segmented shaft and tube members having mating camming surfaces at the location of segmentation; (c) means for retaining said segmented tube member and one segment of said segmented shaft member together for conjoint axial movement due to axial loading until both segments of said shaft member are interengaged, whereupon said retaining means is overcome allowing both said tube member segments to telescopically move relative to said shaft member segments in response to further axial loading; and (d) means for limiting the telescopic travel of said tube member relative to said shaft member when said location of segmentation for each of said tube member and shaft member are aligned, whereupon breakaway separation of the segments of each of said members occurs in response to still further axial loading.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which said retaining means comprises a plastic pin extending laterally between said tube and shaft member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which said retaining means comprises aligned grooves in one of said tube member segments and said one shaft member segment containing a plastic putty material which renders sufficient rigidity to normally maintain said segments together for conjoint movement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which said retaining means comprises a rivet extending laterally between said tube and shaft segments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which said camming surfaces between the segments of said tube members are comprised of stepped camming faces, said faces being disposed on opposite sides of the camming surface of said shaft when aligned.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which the segments of said tube member having interengaging first camming faces and are interlocked by reverse camming surfaces disposed between said first faces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which said limiting means comprises a clevis member at the end of said shaft segment carrying an abutting shoulder adapted to engage the end of said tube member when said segmentations are aligned.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which additional friction means are disposed between said tube and shaft segments to resist telescopic movement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which biasing means are employed to normally urge interengagement of the shaft segments as part of the conjoint assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The assembly as in claim 1, in which said conjoint assembly is comprised of superimposed tube segments which are effective to telescope between them in addition to telescoping over the shaft segments.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3262332A
Cited
US3424263A
Cited
US3461740A
Cited
US3392599A
Cited
US3472093A
Cited
US3477307A
Cited
US3600971A
Cited
US3717046A
Cited
US3757601A
Cited
US3788148A
Cited
US3923319A
Cited
US3877319A
Cited
GB1502617A
Cited
US4014219A
Cited
DE2649962A1
Cited
DE2630097A1
Cited
EP0014219A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-10-24 | 1987-04-25 | 1987-10-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-10-24 | 1991-04-25 | 1991-10-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-10-24 | 1995-04-25 | 1995-10-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |