초록 ▼

An adapter is designed to connect a member such as a shaft to the hub forming the output element of an actuator. The adapter includes a connection feature which attaches to the member, and a shaft which mates with the bore in the actuator hub. The adapter has a resilient arm attached to the end of t

An adapter is designed to connect a member such as a shaft to the hub forming the output element of an actuator. The adapter includes a connection feature which attaches to the member, and a shaft which mates with the bore in the actuator hub. The adapter has a resilient arm attached to the end of the shaft and which extends through the bore. The shaft also carries a stop element. The arm carries a retainer feature at its end. With the shaft mated with the bore, when the arm is undeflected the retainer feature engages an adjacent end surface of the hub to lock the adapter into place. The arm can be deflected to disengage the retainer feature from the hub and allow the adapter to be removed. In one embodiment, the end surface of the hub and the retainer surface are beveled or slanted to strongly oppose axial loads and yet to allow the adapter to withdraw from the hub's bore upon deflecting the arm.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.]1. An adapter for connecting an operated device having a predetermined connection structure, to a bore in an actuator hub, said bore having an interior surface, a predetermined length extending between first and second end surfaces of the hub, and an interior surface cross section o

[ We claim:] [1.]1. An adapter for connecting an operated device having a predetermined connection structure, to a bore in an actuator hub, said bore having an interior surface, a predetermined length extending between first and second end surfaces of the hub, and an interior surface cross section of predetermined size and noncircular shape, said bore's cross section having a first predetermined mating feature, said bore adapted to apply torque and axial force to an output shaft having a cross section having a second predetermined, noncircular mating feature complementary to the first mating feature and matable therewith, said adapter having an axis having first and second opposite directions, said adapter includinga) a body;b) a connection feature unitary with the body and extending generally in the first axis direction, for connecting to the connection structure;c) an output shaft unitary at a proximal end with the body and extending generally along the second axis direction and terminating in a distal end, and having the second, noncircular mating feature on the shaft's periphery;d) a stop feature integral with the shaft's proximal end, and having a surface generally facing in the second axis direction;e) a first arm having a first end attached to the shaft's distal end, said arm extending in the second direction along the axis and terminating in a second end, said arm resiliently deflecting as a beam; andf) a retainer feature attached to the arm's second end and projecting generally perpendicularly to the adapter axis and with an engagement surface generally facing the stop feature, said retainer feature engagable with a hub end surface when the adapter shaft is in a mated position with the hub's bore, and disengagable from the hub end surface by deflection of the arm away from the interior surface of the hub's bore.