Patent US4758024A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4758024A
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Composite flanged coupling structure
Assignee: CHARLES ROBERT KAEMPEN
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Filing: 1987-04-01
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Granted: 1988-07-19
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Expires: 2007-04-01
Abstract
Abstract A composite structure comprises at least one ply comprising approximately parallel unidirected twines comprising helically-configured matrix-impregnated continuous strands of filament reinforcements to provide a flanged composite cantilever spring which serves as the principal constituent of a coupling structure. An interior ply of a coupling structure body member comprises unidirected longitudinal twines configured at a body member extremity to provide a flange member connected to a cantilever spring. An exterior ply is disposed transversely of and superimposed upon the interior ply to provide the cantilever spring hinge line. The composite cantilever spring can be constructed to deflect about either a straight or curved hinge line. A preferred tubular form of the coupling structure comprises at least one end configured as a polygonal array of flanged cantilever springs which serve as the socket end of a spring-lock coupling used to connect mating flanged spigot-end structures. A preferred segmented form of coupling structure comprises two semi-circular flanged cantilever spring members assembled and deflected by an encircling retaining sleeve. The method and apparatus for making a composite in the form of a preferred coupling structure comprises placing first ply loops of longitudinal twines upon a pin-ended forming surface, transversely placing a second ply of twines upon the first ply twines to deflect them into flange-forming cavities, hardening the twine-impregnating matrix, removing and slotting the flanged spring members to provide the desired coupling structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles E. Kaempen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 22:10
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D99/00; B29D99/0003; B29C; B29C53/00; B29C53/56; B29C53/564; B29C53/80; B29C53/8008; B29C53/8016; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/06; B29C70/10; B29C70/16; B29C70/20; F; F16; F16L; F16L37/00; F16L37/08; F16L37/084; F16L37/098; F16L37/0985; F16L37/12; F16L37/138; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/774; F02; F02B; F02B75/00; F02B75/02; F02B2075/022; F02B2075/027; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S285/00; Y10S285/921; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/34; Y10T403/341; Y10T403/342; Y10T403/53; Y10T403/65
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 96
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A multiple ply composite flanged coupling structure disposed on a longitudinal axis thereof to form a body member, a spring member, a hinge line joining said body member and said spring member together and a flange member connected on an extremity of said spring member, said coupling structure comprising a first ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted and unidirectional twines at least in part forming a first body constituent of said body member, the spring constituent of said spring member and a first flange constituent of said flange member, each of said twines comprising a multiplicity of continuous first filament strands with each said first filament strands having a helical configuration extending at least generally sinusoidally in the direction of said axis, a second ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted, unidirectioned and continuous second filament strands disposed on and extending transversely relative to said first filament strands and said axis to form a second body constituent of said body member and defining said hinge line, and hardenable adhesive means impregnating the filament strands of said first and second plies to form a hardened bonding matrix therefor and to maintain said spring member in cantiIevered relationship on said body member at said hinge line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
A multiple ply composite flanged coupling structure disposed on a longitudinal axis thereof to form a body member, a spring member, a hinge line joining said body member and said spring member together and a flange member connected on an extremity of said spring member, said coupling structure comprising a first ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted and unidirectional twines at least in part forming a first body constituent of said body member, the spring constituent of said spring member and a first flange constituent of said flange member, each of said twines comprising a multiplicity of continuous first filament strands with each said first filament strands having a helical configuration extending at least generally sinusoidally in the direction of said axis, a second ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted, unidirectioned and continuous second filament strands disposed on and extending transversely relative to said first filament strands and said axis to form a second body constituent of said body member and defining said hinge line, and hardenable adhesive means impregnating the filament strands of said first and second plies to form a hardened bonding matrix therefor and to maintain said spring member in cantiIevered relationship on said body member at said hinge line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coupling structure of claim I wherein said flange member projects at least generally inwardly toward said axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein at least some of said twines are spaced apart relative to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said body member further comprises a third ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted, unidirectional and continuous third filament strands extending transversely relative to said first filament strands and said axis and wherein said first body constituent is disposed between said second and third plies, said bonding matrix bonding said first, second and third plies together.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The coupling structure of claim 4 wherein each of said second and third plies comprises said twinces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein a multiplicity of said second filament strands are superimposed upon the first flange constituent of said flange member to form a second flange constituent thereof connected to said spring member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The coupling structure of claim 6 wherein the first flange constituent of said flange member defines a load face, an outer heel and a base member interconnected between said load face and said outer heel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The coupling structure of claim 7 wherein said outer heel forms a curved extension of said base member extending to a height at least equal to the height of said load face.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The coupling structure of claim 8 wherein said outer heel has a partially circular cross-section having a radius at least equal to twice the thickness fo the spring constituent of said spring member as measured at said hinge line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said spring member has an at least approximately uniform thickness and is deflectable about said hinge line, the spring length of said spring constituent being at least substantially equal to the distance from said hinge line to a first compressive load contact line on a load face defined on said first flange constituent, said load contact line containing a shear force vector when said first body constituent is subjected to a tensile load per unit width thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein the minimum thickness of said spring constituent is defined by the formula T=F/S T where T is the minimum thickness of said spring constituent measured at said hinge line, F equals the tensile coupling load per unit width of said spring constituent resisted by said first flange constituent at a load face defined thereon, and S T equals the allowable design tensile strength of the material composing the said first ply.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The coupling structure of claim 11 wherein said allowable design tensile strength value, S T , at least equals 100 N/mm 2 (14,500 PSI).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
The coupling structure of claim 8 wherein the height of said load face, measured toward said axis from a free end extremity of said spring constituent to said base member, is defined in accordance with the formula H F =F/S C where H F equals the minimum height of said load face, S C equals the allowable design compressive strength of the material comprising said second flange constituent, and F equals the maximum coupling tensile load per unit width of said first flange constituent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said spring member is deflectable in a direction at least approximately perpendicular relative to the orientations of the twines of said first ply and the second filament strands of said second ply.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The coupling structure of claim 2 further comprising a second said coupling structure and wherein the flange member of said first-mentioned coupling structure is deflectable and engages and structurally connects with an outwardly projecting flange comprising the body member extremity of said second coupling structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The coupling structure of claim 3 wherein at least some of said twines are spaced apart from adjacent twines by a separation distance selected from the approximate range of from 0.1 micron to 10 centimeters.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said second body constituent is impermeable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
The coupling structure of claim 5 wherein each of said first, second, and third plies is coated with a twine coat material, said twine coat material comprising the same material composing said hardenable adhesive means, the thickness of said twine coat material ranging from approximately 0.1 to 3000 microns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The coupling structure of claim 18 wherein said twine coat material comprises a thermosetting polymeric elastomer having a thickness ranging from approximately 25 to 1000 microns.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The coupling structure of claim I8 wherein said twine coat material comprises a constituent of an internal release agent comprising a portion of said hardenable adhesive means and wherein the thickness of said twine coat material ranges from approximately 0.1 to 10 microns.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The coupling structure of claim 18 wherein said twine coat material comprises an inorganic thermosetting material having a thickness ranging from approximately 50 to 3000 microns.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said body member has a tubular cross section.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The coupling structure of claim 22 wherein said body member has a polygonal cross section.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
The coupling structure of claim 22 wherein said body member is cylindrical.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coupling structure of claim 22 wherein said body member is solid and has a polygonal cross section.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said hardenable adhesive means used to impregnate said second body constituent comprises an inorganic hardenable liquid matrix material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The coupling structure of claim 26 wherein said inorganic hardneable liquid matrix material comprises magnesium oxychloride.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The coupling structure of claim 26 wherein said inorganic hardneable liquid matrix material comprises magnesium ammonium polyphosphate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said hinge line is straight and is located on a side of said first body constituent opposite to the side thereof facing said axis.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
47 words
The coupling structure of claim 29 wherein said spring constituent is a tensile loaded member of unit width constructed to resist a coupling tensile load applied to said unit width in a direction parallel to said axis while said first spring constitutent is in an undeflected condition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
65 words
The coupling structure of claim 30 wherein said first body constituent is cylindrical and comprises at least one extremity formed as a flat plane containing said straight hinge line and having the cross sectional area of the unit width of said spring constituent measured at said straight hinge line equal to the cross sectional area of an equal width of said cylindrical first body constituent.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
92 words
The coupling structure of claim 31 wherein said first body constituent further comprises a first bend extending toward said axis and a second bend extending in a direction away from said spring member and parallel to said axis, the bend angle of said first bend ranging from about 20 to 45 degrees and the bend angle of said second bend ranging from about 20 to 45 degrees, the bend angles of said first and second bends being at least approximately equal to provide a generally S-shaped extension of said first body constituent.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
The coupling structure of claim 32 wherein said generally S-shaped extension has a height at least equal to a height of said flange member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
46 words
The coupling structure of claim 30 further comprising a pair of spaced wall members and wherein said first body constituent forms a rib member extending in the direction of said axis and secured between said pair of wall members to provide a double wall coupling structure.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
83 words
The coupling structure of claim 29 wherein a said hinge line forms each side of a regular polygon and said spring constituent is flat and forms one side of a composite tubular structure having a regular polygonal cross section and further comprising a slot formed at each of the vertices of said tubular structure, between each pair of adjacent spring constituents, to define an annular polygonal-shaped first array of cantilever leaf spring connected to a corresponding annular first array of said flange members.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
43 words
The coupling structure of claim 35 wherein a load face is formed on each of said flange members to define a segment of a conical surface and wherein the base of each of said flange members is a segment of a cylindrical surface.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
45 words
The coupling structure of claim 35 wherein said leaf springs are connected on a first extremity of said coupling structure to form a joint-end tubular composite structure and wherein a cylindrical spigot-end flange is formed on a second extremity of said joint-end tubular composite structure.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coupling structure of claim 35 wherein a said annular polygonal-shaped array of cantilever leaf springs is formed on each extremity of said coupling structure.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
The coupling structure of claim 38 wherein said body member has a regular polygonal cross-section and the same number of sides as said first flange constituent.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
39 words
The coupling structure of claim 38 wherein each extremity of said first body constituent comprises a said annular polygonal-shaped array of cantilever leaf springs and wherein said first body constituent forms a circular section of a composite cylindrical structure.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
100 words
The coupling structure of claim 36 further comprising a third ply and wherein at least some of said twines are disposed on said third ply, said third ply comprising a multiplicity of tension, compacted, unidirectional and continuous third filament strands extending trasnversely relative to said axis and wherein said leaf springs are connected on an extremity of said coupling structure to form a socket having the flange members of the leaf springs thereof facing inwardly towards each other and further comprising a second coupling structure having a spigot defining an annular flange means for mating and connecting within said socket.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
38 words
The coupling structure of claim 41 wherein the body member of said coupling structure is cylindrical and further comprising an impermeable liner secured to an inner walls of each of said body member and said second coupling structure.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
103 words
The coupling structure of claim 42 wherein said spigot is partially shaped to form a segment of a first conical surface, said first conical surface conforming to the surface of an imaginary first cone structure and the apex of said first cone structure pointing toward the terminus of said spigot and lying on a central axis of said cylindrical body member, the height of said flange means ranging from 2 to 7 times the thickness of said spring constituent and the axial length of the first conical surface of said spigot ranging from 6 to 8 times the height of said flange means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
69 words
The coupling structure of claim 43 wherein said second body constituent forms a load face on said flange means, said load face defined by a segment of a second conical surface, said second conical surface conforming to the surface of an imaginary second cone, the apex of said imaginary second cone pointing toward the terminus of said spigot and lying on the central axis of said cylindrical body member.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
23 words
The coupling structure of claim 44 wherein one-half the included angle of said first cone at least approximately ranges from 10° to 45°.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
16 words
The coupling structure of claim 45 wherein one-half said included angle at least approximately equals 20°.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
27 words
The coupling structure of claim 44 wherein one-half the included angle of said second cone is at least approximately within the range of from 70° to 89°.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
44 words
The coupling structure of claim 44 wherein the terminus of said spigot comprises a cylindrical multiple ply body member including the body members of said first, second and third plies and further comprising an impermeable liner secured to an external surface of said spigot.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coupling structure of claim 48 wherein a second extremity of said third body constituent forms a socket structure receiving and mating with said spigot.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
34 words
The coupling structure of claim 49 further comprising an annular groove formed on said socket structure and sealing means disposed in said groove for providing a seal between said socket structure and said spigot.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
31 words
The coupling structure of claim 50 wherein said sealing means comprises an elastomeric gasket having a width in the range from 178 mm to 25 mm (0.070 in. to 1.0 in.).
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
105 words
The coupling structure of claim 35 wherein a first extremity of said first body constituent comprises said cantilever leaf springs, said first flange constituents projecting outwardly away from said axis and shaped to form first spigot flanges and further comprising a second said composite tubular structure having a second array of said cantilever leaf springs connected to a corresponding second array of said first flange constituents, said second array of first flange constituents projecting inwardly toward said axis to form socket-end flanges and said second array of cantilever leaf springs comprising a second extremity of the first body constituent of said second composite tubular structure.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
36 words
The coupling structure of claim 52 wherein a second extremity of the first body constituent of said second composite tubular member comprises a non-deflecting socket member flange structure mating with said first array of flange members.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
106 words
The coupling structure of claim 29 wherein the length of said spring constituent is defined in accordance with the formula L=(HEWT 3 /4 P V ) 1/3 where L equals the length of said spring constituent from said hinge line to said first flange constituent, H equals the protuberant height of said flange member, E equals the tensile modulus of elasticity of the material composing the spring constituent of said twines, W equals the unit width of said spring member, T equals the small thickness of said spring member, and PV equals the deflecting force applied to a free deflecting flanged end of said spring member.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
34 words
The coupling structure of claim 54 wherein the value of said tensile modulus, E is at least in the approximate range of from 20.78 to 41.56 GN/m 2 (3.0×10 6 to 6.0×10 6 PSI).
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
90 words
The coupling structure of claim 30 wherein a thickness, T, of said first ply measured at said hinge line is defined by the formula T=3 FN 1 /S T where F equals the coupling tensile load resisted by a unit width of said spring constituent in a direction parallel to said axis, N 1 is the ratio of the height, H, of said flange member to said first ply thickness, T, and S T is the allowable design tensile strength of the material composing the spring constituent of said twines.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
23 words
The coupling structure of claim 56 said ratio N 1 =H/T is at least in the approximate range of from 0.5 to 3.0.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
72 words
The coupling structure of claim of claim 29 further comprising a third ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted, unidirectional and continuous third filament strands extending transversely relative to said first filament strands disposed thereon to form a third body constituent, said first, second and third body constituents forming a three-ply composite body member having at least one extremity connected to at least two flanged composite cantilever spring members comprising said twines.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
61 words
The coupling structure of claim 58 wherein said three-ply composite body member forms a three-sided channel-shaped structure wherein said flanged composite cantilever spring members are connected to opposite sides thereof, the protuberant sides of said first ply flange members facing each other, the load faces of said flange members being straight and coincident with a vertical plane perpendicular to said axis.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
39 words
The coupling structure of claim 59 wherein both extremities of said channel-shaped structure comprises a pair of said flanged composite cantilever spring members having flange members with flat load faces disposed at least approximately perpendicular relative to said axis.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
49 words
The coupling struoture of claim 60 wherein two identical said channel-shaped coupling structures are connected in back-to-back relationship at respective webs thereof to form an "I" beam coupling structure having two pairs of said flanged composite cantilever spring members at each side extremity of said three-ply composite body member.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
83 words
The coupling structure of claim 58 wherein said three-ply composite body member forms a rectangular tubular structure having a pair of said flanged composite spring members connected to opposite sides of said structure, the protuberant sides of said first flange constituents facing each other, the load faces of said composite flange members being flat and disposed in a plane vertical to said axis, said composite spring members being flat and being adapted to mate with and join other similar rectangular-sectioned composite tubular structures.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
31 words
The coupling structure of claim 62 wherein the protuberant sides of at least one extremity of said first flange constituents are formed to contact each other to form a clip structure.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
86 words
The coupling structure of claim 58 wherein said three-ply composite body member is formed as a tubular structure having a polygon-shaped cross section to comprise the outer wall of a double-wall structure, said outer wall supported by at least two annular composite ribs having a polygon shaped ouer rim and a cylindrical shaped inner surface, said composite ribs being connected to a fifth ply composite structure comprising cylindrically oriented filaments strands, said fifth ply constructed upon a fourth ply composite structure comprising longitudinally oriented filament strands.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
41 words
The coupling structure of claim 58 wherein said three-ply composite body member comprises an outer wall of a cylindrical double-wall composite structure, said outer wall being supported by at least two annular ribs disposed on a cylindrical inner wall composite structure.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
41 words
The coupling structure of claim 65 wherein an annular spaced defined radially between said inner and outer walls is hermetic and filled with a thermally insulative material having a thermal conductivity value less than that of an equivalent volume of air.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
19 words
The coupling structure of claim 66 wherein said insulative material is a fluorcarbon gas such as Freon or Halon.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
75 words
The coupling structure of claim 66 wherein said insulative material comprises a non-combustible rigid sytactic foam comprising a heat hardenable mixture composed of at least approximately equal parts of weight of perlite and liquid sodium silicate to which a 5 percent by weight of zinc oxide powder has been added prior to being mixed with said perlite, said perlite being in the form of granules having a diameter range from about 25 to 6,000 microns.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
66 words
The coupling structure of claim 65 wherein said annular ribs are composed of a composite material comprising a first rib ply comprising unidirectional continuous strand fialment reinforcements oriented parallel to sadi axis, said first rib ply surmounted and in intimate contact with a second rib ply comprising circumferentially oriented continuous filament reinforcements, said first and second rib plies impregnated with a hardenable liquid rib bonding matrix.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
24 words
The coupling structure of claim 69 wherein said second rib ply comprises at least one of said twines oriented circumferentially relative to said axis.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
28 words
The coupling structure of claim 70 wherein said second ply structure comprises at least one of said twines having a twine core comprising a flexible hollow tube structure.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
89 words
The coupling structure of claim 36 wherein said segment of a conical surface is on the surface of an imaginary flange load face cone, where the apex of said maginary flange load face cone points away from said load face towards said body member and lies on a central axis of an imaginary cylinder defining said cylindrical surface, said load face cone having an included angle equal to 180°-2α, where α is the complementary angle equal to 90° minus half the cone included angle constituting the flange bevel angle.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
24 words
The coupling structure of claim 72 wherein said flange bevel angle α is at least in the approximate range of from 1.0° to 20°.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
43 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein a multiplicity of said second filament strands are disposed transversely of and superimposed upon said first flange constituent to provide a second flange constituent of a multiple ply composite flange member connected to said spring constituent.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
27 words
The coupling structure of claim 1 wherein said hinge line is curved and is located on an outer side of said first ply, away from said axis.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
86 words
The coupling structure of claim 75 wherein said spring constituent comprises a curved cantilever spring formed as a segment of a circle and having a spring length measured from said hinge line to a load face of said first flange constituent, said spring length being the angular distance measured along an inner curved surface of said curved cantilever spring from a vertical transverse plane through said hinge line to a vertical plane through a first load contact point located on an extremity of said load face.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
23 words
The coupling structure of claim 76 wherein said spring length is at least within the approximate range of from 30 to 88 degrees.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
14 words
The coupling structure of claim 75 wherein said hinge line has a semi-circular cross-section.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
53 words
The coupling structure of claim 76 wherein said first body constituent comprises tensile loaded means for resisting a coupling tensile load applied to said curved cantilever spring in a direction parallel to said axis while said curved cantilever spring is prestressed and deflected by a spring deflecting load applied to said flange member.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
44 words
The coupling structure of claim 79 wherein a multiplicity of said second filament strands are disposed transversely of and superimposed upon said first flange constituent to form a second flange constituent of a multiple ply composite flange member connected to said first spring constituent.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
33 words
The coupling structure of claim 80 further comprising a second said curved cantilever spring and a second said multiple ply composite flange member connected to an opposite extremity of said first body constituent.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
32 words
The coupling structure of claim 81 wherein said coupling structure has an at least generally semi-circular cross-section to form a segmented half-coupling structure, said composite flange members projecting inwardly towardd said axis.
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
27 words
The coupling structure of claim 82 comprising two of said segmented half-coupling structures and further comprising removable clamping means for deflecting and clamping said self-coupling structures together.
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
35 words
The coupling structure of claim 76 wherein said curved cantilever spring constitutes a circular-segment cantilever spring having an inner radius at least equal to the thickness of said spring constituent at said curved hinge line.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
29 words
The coupling structure of claim 79 wherein said flange members are slotted at regular spaced intervals to form an array of flanged springs connected to said first body constituent.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
28 words
The coupling structure of claim 85 wherein said deflectable flanges are each connected to a flat composite spring member comprising a linear extension of said first body constituent.
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
62 words
The coupling structure of claim 79 wherein the surface of said load face comprises a portion of an imaginary cone having an apex on said control axis, said apex pointing away from said body member and said spring hinge line, the complementary angle of one-half the included cone angle constituting a flange bevel angle at least approximately ranging from 2° to 47°.
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
34 words
The coupling structure of claim 87 wherein said spring deflecting load is applied in the direction of said central axis to decrease said complementary angle in the approximate range of from 0.1° to 2.0°.
Claim 90
Dependent Claim
36 words
The coupling structure of claim 82 wherein the axial width of each said inwardly projecting flange member ranges from 5 to 9 times the thickness of said first body constituent as measured at said hinge line.
Claim 91
Dependent Claim
54 words
The coupling structure of claim 83 wherein said clamping means comprises a tubular composite retaining sleeve structure having an axial width at least equal to the axial width of the exterior flange surface of said flange member and an inside diameter at least equal to the undeflected outside diameter of said exterior flange surface.
Claim 92
Dependent Claim
101 words
The coupling structure of claim 90 wherein said composite retaining sleeve structure comprises a first retaining sleeve ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted and unidirectional filament strand twines extending at least generally in a direction parallel to a central axis of said retaining sleeve structure, a second sleeve ply comprising a multiplicity of tensioned, compacted and unidirectional filament strand twines disposed transversely of and superimposed upon said first retaining sleeve ply to extend transversely relative to said central axis, and hardenable adhesive means impregnating and bonding all of said filament strand twines together to form a common bonding matrix therefor.
Claim 93
Dependent Claim
109 words
The coupling structure of claim 91 wherein the inside diameter, D R , of said retaining sleeve structure is at least substantially the same as the inside diameter of said first sleeve ply and is less than the undeflected outside diameter, D U , of said exterior flange surface by an amount equal to the difference, D U -D R , said difference ranging from about 0.1 to 0.4 of the thickness of said first body constituent measured at said hinge line and the deflected diameter of said exterior flange surface resulting from the deflection of said curved cantilever spring being equal to said inside diameter, D R .
Claim 94
Dependent Claim
82 words
The coupling structure of claim 92 wherein the minimum thickness of said second sleeve ply, T R , is defined by the formula T R =F(D R )/2(S 2 )(W F ), where F equals the coupler tensile load imposed upon a unit width of said first spring constituent, at said hinge line, S 2 equals the allowable design tensile strength of twine material comprising said second sleeve ply and W F equals the axial width of said coupler exterior flange surface.
Claim 95
Dependent Claim
67 words
The coupling structure of claim 82 wherein each of said multiple ply composite flanges projects inwardly toward said axis, the protuberant height of said multiple ply flange being at least equal to four times the thickness of said first body constituent at said hinge line, and the load face of said flange member being beveled outwardly from said body member at an angel at least approximating 46°.
Claim 96
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coupling structure of claim 83 further comprising means for circumferentially adjusting said clamping means about said structures.
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) | 1991-07-19 | 1992-01-18 | 1992-07-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-07-19 | 1996-01-18 | 1996-07-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-07-19 | 2000-01-18 | 2000-07-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |