Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
A pivot rod comprising: (A) a mounting shaft; (B) an attachment sleeve having a hollow interior receiving space; (C) a pivot insert formed of a ceramic material having a maximum tensile principle stress; (D) a first interference fit securement of a first portion of the pivot insert, which is disposed within said receiving space with a second portion of the pivot insert projecting axially therefrom, to a peripheral wall of said attachment sleeve circumscribing said receiving space, said interference fit securement being constructed as a means for preventing the maximum tensile principle stress of the ceramic material from being exceeded, despite variations in the degree of diametral interference existing between an internal diameter of the peripheral wall circumscribing said receiving space and an external diameter of said first portion of the pivot insert resulting from manufacturing tolerances of the attachment sleeve and pivot insert, via said peripheral wall having been plastically deformed by said first portion of the pivot insert during formation of said interference fit securement through coordination of the thickness and material composition of said peripheral wall with said maximum tensile principle stress; and (E) a second interference fit securement of an end portion of said mounting shaft within the interior receiving space of the attachment sleeve in abutting relation with an end face of said first portion of the pivot insert.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
224 words
A pivot rod comprising: (A) a mounting shaft; (B) an attachment sleeve having a hollow interior receiving space; (C) a pivot insert formed of a ceramic material having a maximum tensile principle stress; (D) a first interference fit securement of a first portion of the pivot insert, which is disposed within said receiving space with a second portion of the pivot insert projecting axially therefrom, to a peripheral wall of said attachment sleeve circumscribing said receiving space, said interference fit securement being constructed as a means for preventing the maximum tensile principle stress of the ceramic material from being exceeded, despite variations in the degree of diametral interference existing between an internal diameter of the peripheral wall circumscribing said receiving space and an external diameter of said first portion of the pivot insert resulting from manufacturing tolerances of the attachment sleeve and pivot insert, via said peripheral wall having been plastically deformed by said first portion of the pivot insert during formation of said interference fit securement through coordination of the thickness and material composition of said peripheral wall with said maximum tensile principle stress; and (E) a second interference fit securement of an end portion of said mounting shaft within the interior receiving space of the attachment sleeve in abutting relation with an end face of said first portion of the pivot insert.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A pivot rod according to claim 1, wherein said pivot insert has a convexly-shaped contact surface on said second portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A pivot rod according to claim 1, wherein said pivot insert has a concavely-shaped contact surface in said second portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A pivot rod according to claim 1, wherein a pivot insert is mounted to each of opposite ends of the mounting shaft by an interference fit securement between a respective said attaching sleeve and a respective said pivot insert.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
120 words
A pivot rod according to claim 1, wherein said first portion of said pivot insert and said end portion of the mounting shaft have an outer diameter that is reduced relative to the outer diameter of said second portion and of a body portion of the mounting shaft, respectively, by an amount coordinated to the thickness of said attachment sleeve and the extent to which said attachment sleeve is deformed as a result of said first and second interference fit securements and resulting in said attachment sleeve being of a substantially constant outer diameter along its length that is equal to the outer diameter of the second portion of the pivot insert and the body portion of the mounting shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A pivot rod according to claim 5, wherein the combined axial length of said first portion of the pivot insert and the end portion of the mounting shaft is greater than the axial length of said attachment sleeve for preventing load transmission between said mounting shaft and said pivot insert via said attachment sleeve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A pivot rod according to claim 6, wherein the axial length of said first portion of the pivot insert is approximately equal to that of said end portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
A pivot rod according to claim 1, wherein the combined axial length of said first portion of the pivot insert and the end portion of the mounting shaft is greater than the axial length of said attachment sleeve for preventing load transmission between said mounting shaft and said pivot insert via said attachment sleeve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A pivot rod according to claim 8, wherein the axial length of said first portion of the pivot insert is approximately equal to that of said first end portion.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
250 words
A method of manufacturing a pivot rod having a mounting shaft and a pivot insert of a ceramic material, with a given maximum tensile principle stress, said pivot insert being positioned with a first portion thereof disposed within a hollow interior receiving space of an attachment sleeve that is secured on an end portion of the mounting shaft and with a second portion of the pivot insert projecting axially from said receiving space, comprising the steps of: (A) coordinating the thickness and material composition of a peripheral wall of the attachment sleeve that circumscribes the receiving space with the maximum tensile principle stress of the ceramic material so that said peripheral wall will plastically deform under a stress below said maximum tensile principle stress; (B) securing said first portion of the pivot insert to said peripheral wall of the attachment sleeve by an interference fit without exceeding the maximum tensile principle stress of the ceramic material, despite variations in the degree of diametral interference existing between an internal diameter of the peripheral wall and an external diameter of said first portion resulting from manufacturing tolerances of the mounting shaft and pivot insert, by producing plastic deformation of said peripheral wall by said first portion of the pivot insert during formation of said interference fit; and (C) interference fit securing the end portion of the mounting shaft within the interior receiving space of the attachment sleeve in abutting relation with an end face of said first portion of the pivot insert.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
250 words
A method of manufacturing a pivot rod having a mounting shaft and a pivot insert of a ceramic material, with a given maximum tensile principle stress, said pivot insert being positioned with a first portion thereof disposed within a hollow interior receiving space of an attachment sleeve that is secured on an end portion of the mounting shaft and with a second portion of the pivot insert projecting axially from said receiving space, comprising the steps of: (A) coordinating the thickness and material composition of a peripheral wall of the attachment sleeve that circumscribes the receiving space with the maximum tensile principle stress of the ceramic material so that said peripheral wall will plastically deform under a stress below said maximum tensile principle stress; (B) securing said first portion of the pivot insert to said peripheral wall of the attachment sleeve by an interference fit without exceeding the maximum tensile principle stress of the ceramic material, despite variations in the degree of diametral interference existing between an internal diameter of the peripheral wall and an external diameter of said first portion resulting from manufacturing tolerances of the mounting shaft and pivot insert, by producing plastic deformation of said peripheral wall by said first portion of the pivot insert during formation of said interference fit; and (C) interference fit securing the end portion of the mounting shaft within the interior receiving space of the attachment sleeve in abutting relation with an end face of said first portion of the pivot insert.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
102 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the combined length of the first portion of the pivot insert and the end portion of the mounting shaft is selected to be greater than the axial length of said attachment sleeve, and wherein step (C) is performed before step (B) so as to prevent axial contact between the second portion of said pivot insert and a facing end of said attachment sleeve, thereby ensuring that the second portion is not damaged during step (B) or as a result of the transmission of loads between said pivot insert and mounting shaft via said attachment sleeve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein steps (A)-(C) are performed so as to result in said attachment sleeve being deformed throughout its axial length to a substantial equal extent so as to have a deformed outer diameter that is substantially constant and equal to the outer diameter of said second portion and of a body portion of said mounting shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein steps (A)-(C) are performed so as to result in said attachment sleeve being deformed throughout its axial length to a substantial equal extent so as to have a deformed outer diameter that is substantially constant and equal to the outer diameter of said second portion and of a body portion of said mounting shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said steps are performed for each of opposite ends of said mounting shaft.