Spacer assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11566649-B2
Application number	US-202017006273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2020
Priority date	Sep 5, 2019
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

A spacer assembly for spaceably coupling a first and second component with a threaded connection bolt, each one of the first and second component provided with one or more fitting apertures. The spacer assembly includes a support member, a base member, and a spacer member having resilient friction elements configured to provide an interference fit engagement with a predetermined friction force with a threaded connection bolt, during use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spacer assembly for spaceably coupling a first and second component with a threaded connection bolt, each one of the first and second component provided with one or more fitting apertures, comprising:
a support member, comprising a planar support plate having a through-hole with an internal support thread configured to threadingly engage with the threaded connection bolt, and a first clip portion projecting from a first support plate end in a direction substantially normal to said planar support plate, said support member being releasably mountable to the first component so as to axially align said through-hole with a first one of the one or more fitting apertures of the first component, during use;
a base member, comprising a planar base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite said upper surface, a cylindrical through-hole mount with an internal mount thread projecting from said upper surface in a direction substantially normal to said planar support plate to a predetermined mount length, and an aperture at a first base plate end configured to receive and movably retain said first clip portion, during use;
a spacer member, comprising a cylindrical body having a central axis and an external spacer thread, configured to operably engage with said through-hole mount so as to axially move said spacer member relative to said base member when rotating said spacer member relative to said base member, and an axial through-hole with a plurality of inwardly projecting resilient friction elements configured to provide an interference fit engagement with a predetermined friction force with the threaded connection bolt, during use;
wherein the thread-engagement between said internal mount thread and said external spacer thread is opposite to the thread-engagement between said internal support thread and the threaded connection bolt.

2. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resilient friction elements are provided inside a central recess at a first end of said cylindrical body.

3. A spacer assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said plurality of resilient friction elements are arranged radially relative said central axis so as to form an extension of said axial through-hole.

4. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resilient friction elements are an integral part of said cylindrical body.

5. A spacer member according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resilient friction elements comprise any one of radially spaced apart elastic collar members and rib member arranged between said radially spaced apart collar members.

6. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , said spacer member further comprising a flange member provided at a second end of said cylindrical body, opposite said first end, adapted to stoppingly engage with said through-hole mount during use.

7. A spacer member according to claim 6 , said flange member comprising a resilient finger member projecting from an edge portion of said flange member in a direction parallel to said central axis towards said first end of said cylindrical body.

8. A spacer member according to claim 7 , wherein said resilient finger member is elastically deformable in at least a direction radial to said central axis.

9. A spacer assembly according to claim 8 , said base member further comprising at least a first locking element, configured to interferingly engage with an end portion of said resilient finger member, and a second locking element, circumferentially spaced apart from said first locking element about said central axis and configured to stoppingly engage with said end portion of said resilient finger member, during use.

10. A spacer assembly according to claim 9 , wherein each one of said first locking element and said second locking element is provided on said upper surface of said planar base plate projecting normally away from said upper surface and radially outward from an outer surface of said cylindrical through-hole mount, said first locking element having a first radial length and said second locking element having a second radial length that is greater than said first radial length.

11. A spacer assembly according to claim 10 , wherein said first locking element comprises a cam surface, facing radially outward from said central axis, adapted to slidingly engage with said end portion of said resilient finger member so as to move said end portion of said resilient finger member radially outward and over said first locking element during rotation of said spacer element relative to said through-hole mount.

12. A spacer assembly according to claim 11 , wherein said first locking element and said second locking element project away from said upper surface to a predetermined distance from said upper surface.

13. A spacer assembly according to claim 12 , wherein said predetermined distance is substantially equal to the thread pitch of said mount thread.

14. A spacer assembly according to claim 13 , wherein said resilient finger member projects to a length substantially equal to said mount length.

15. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , said base member further comprising a second clip portion at a second base plate end, opposite said first base plate end, projecting from said lower surface in a direction substantially normal to said lower surface, configured to be movably secured by a second one of the one or more fitting apertures of the first component.

16. A spacer assembly according to claim 15 , wherein each one of said first and second clip portion is configured to allow at least linear movement along an axis parallel to said centre axis.

17. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined friction force of said interference fit engagement between said mount thread and said spacer thread is greater than the torque required to rotate said spacer member relative to said through-hole mount, during use.

18. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the length of said cylindrical body of said spacer member is greater than said mount length.

19. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each one of said internal mount thread and corresponding said external spacer thread is a left-hand thread, and said internal support thread is a right-hand thread.

20. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said base member and said spacer member are formed from a plastic material.

21. A spacer assembly according to claim 20 , wherein said plastic material comprises a polymer or a polymer compound material.

22. A spacer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said support member is made from metal.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Gagliardi Riccardo
• Yon Fulvio Pacifico

Classifications

• F16B5/0664 Primary

  at least one of the sheets or plates having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features · CPC title

• F16B37/044

  Nut cages · CPC title

• F16B5/065 Primary

  the plates being one on top of the other and distanced from each other, e.g. by using protrusions to keep contact and distance · CPC title

• F16B5/0657

  at least one of the plates providing a raised structure, e.g. of the doghouse type, for connection with the clamps or clips of the other plate · CPC title

• F16B37/043

  with snap action · CPC title