Connection mechanism and shaft / sleeve assembly

Abstract

The present invention provides a connection mechanism and a shaft / sleeve assembly. The connection mechanism includes a through hole formed in a first member, a groove formed in a second member, a clamping member, and a support member. The clamping member is installed in the through hole, and the support member is installed inside the first member, so that the clamping member can protrude into the groove of the second member under the support of the support member, thereby fixing the second member relative to the first member by clamping of the clamping member with the through hole and the groove. In this way, the connection mechanism described above not only enables two cylindrical members to be assembled and connected together in a relatively fixed manner, but also avoids the problem of undesirable damage to the outer peripheral surface of a member (e.g., a shaft) due to interference fit in the background art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection mechanism for assembling two cylindrical components together, and a shaft / sleeve assembly including the connection mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] In existing mechanical devices, situations frequently arise where two cylindrical components need to be assembled together. For example, a conventional vehicle parking brake system includes a cylindrical piston and a cylindrical piston shaft. The piston needs to be fixedly assembled to a predetermined position on the piston shaft. Therefore, in the prior art, the piston is typically fitted onto the predetermined part of the piston shaft with an interference fit. However, since this predetermined part is a considerable distance from both ends of the piston shaft's axial direction, regardless of which end the piston is installed from, it needs to be pressed a long distance from one end of the piston shaft to reach the predetermined part. Due to the interference fit between the piston and the piston shaft, the outer circumferential surface of the piston shaft is undesirably damaged after assembly using this method. This results in the outer circumferential surface of the piston shaft failing to meet sealing requirements and potentially requiring further trimming or machining of the piston shaft. Moreover, this assembly method is complex and costly. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention was made in view of the problems of the prior art described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel connecting mechanism that prevents undesirable damage to two cylindrical components when assembling them together. Another object of the present invention is to provide a shaft / sleeve assembly including the above-described connecting mechanism.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution.

[0005] The present invention provides a connecting mechanism for assembling a first component having a cylindrical shape and a second component having a cylindrical shape. The connecting mechanism includes a snap-fit ​​member, a support member, a through hole formed in the side wall of the first component, and a groove formed in the second component at a portion opposite to the through hole.

[0006] The snap-fit ​​member is used to be installed in the through hole and the support member is used to be installed inside the first member, such that, under the support of the support member, a portion of the snap-fit ​​member protrudes from the through hole into the groove, thereby fixing the second member relative to the first member by means of the snap-fit ​​between the through hole and the groove and the snap-fit ​​member.

[0007] Preferably, in the axial direction of the first component, the snap-fit ​​abuts against the axial sidewall of the through hole and the axial sidewall of the groove, such that the snap-fit ​​is limited in the axial direction while the first component and the second component are relatively fixed in the axial direction.

[0008] More preferably, the through holes include a first through hole and a second through hole spaced apart circumferentially in the first component, and the grooves include a first groove opposite to the first through hole and a second groove opposite to the second through hole, respectively. The centerline of the first through hole is offset axially relative to the centerline of the second through hole, or the centerline of the first groove is offset axially relative to the centerline of the second groove.

[0009] The snap-fit ​​element located in the first through hole abuts against one axial sidewall of the first groove and the other axial sidewall of the first through hole, and the snap-fit ​​element located in the second through hole abuts against the other axial sidewall of the second groove and the other axial sidewall of the second through hole.

[0010] More preferably, the axial sidewall of the groove extends radially and axially inclined relative to the first member, and the snap-fit ​​member is clamped between the axial sidewall of the groove, the axial sidewall of the through hole, and the outer peripheral surface of the support member.

[0011] More preferably, in the radial direction of the first member, the snap-fit ​​abuts against the axial side of the groove and the outer peripheral surface of the support member, such that the snap-fit ​​is limited in the radial direction while the first member and the second member are relatively fixed in the radial direction.

[0012] More preferably, in the circumferential direction of the first component, the snap-fit ​​abuts against the circumferential sidewall of the groove and the circumferential sidewall of the through hole, such that while the snap-fit ​​is limited in the circumferential direction, the first component and the second component are relatively fixed in the circumferential direction.

[0013] More preferably, the snap-fit ​​component has a spherical shape, an ellipsoidal shape, a cuboid shape, or a wedge shape.

[0014] More preferably, the support member is installed inside the first component in an interference fit manner.

[0015] More preferably, the through hole extends radially through the sidewall of the first member, and the groove is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the second member and recessed radially outward.

[0016] The present invention also provides a shaft / sleeve assembly comprising a connecting mechanism as described in any of the above technical solutions, a shaft as the first component, and a sleeve as the second component, wherein the shaft and the sleeve are assembled and connected together by the connecting mechanism, and the sleeve is fitted onto the shaft in a clearance fit manner.

[0017] By adopting the above-described technical solution, the present invention provides a novel connecting mechanism and a shaft / sleeve assembly including the connecting mechanism. The connecting mechanism includes a through hole formed in a first component, a groove formed in a second component, a snap-fit ​​member, and a support member. The snap-fit ​​member is installed in the through hole, and the support member is installed inside the first component, allowing the snap-fit ​​member to protrude from the through hole into the groove of the second component under the support of the support member. Thus, the snap-fit ​​between the through hole, the groove, and the snap-fit ​​member fixes the second component relative to the first component. In this way, the connecting mechanism not only enables the two cylindrical components to be assembled and connected in a relatively fixed manner, but also avoids the problem in the prior art where interference fits cause undesirable damage to the outer circumferential surface of components (e.g., shafts). Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a shaft / sleeve assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the shaft and sleeve are assembled together using a connection mechanism according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of a local structure.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0021] 1 shaft 11a First through hole 11b Second through hole

[0022] 2 sleeves 21a First groove 21b Second groove

[0023] 31a First card connector; 31b Second card connector; 32 Support component

[0024] A is axial and R is radial. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these specific descriptions are for teaching those skilled in the art how to implement the invention, and are not intended to exhaustively describe all possible embodiments of the invention, nor to limit the scope of the invention. In the present invention, "fixed" means that the relative positions of two components remain substantially unchanged, but does not exclude the possibility of slight relative movement between the two components due to machining tolerances.

[0026] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrates specific embodiments of the shaft / sleeve assembly according to the present invention. In the following description, unless otherwise stated, axial, radial, and circumferential refer to the axial, radial, and circumferential directions of the shaft, respectively. Additionally, "axial side" refers to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The left side of the axis, "the other side of the axis" refers to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The right side of the axis; "radial outer side" refers to the side away from the central axis of the axis, and "radial inner side" refers to the side closer to the central axis of the axis.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a shaft / sleeve assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a connecting mechanism according to the present invention and a shaft 1 and a sleeve 2 assembled and connected together using the connecting mechanism.

[0028] Specifically, in this embodiment, the shaft 1 has a cylindrical shape extending linearly along its axial direction A, and the radial dimension of the sidewall of the shaft 1 remains constant along its entire axial length. At a predetermined location on the shaft 1 for mounting the sleeve 2, two through holes are formed that penetrate the sidewall of the shaft 1 radially R (i.e., located at...). Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first through hole 11a on the upper side and located at Figure 1 and Figure 2 The second through hole 11b on the lower side of the sleeve 2 is used to install the following snap-fit ​​parts 31a and 31b of the connecting mechanism, respectively. Further, the dimensions of the first through hole 11a and the second through hole 11b are the same, and the central angles of the first through hole 11a and the second through hole 11b in the circumferential direction are 180 degrees apart. In addition, the center line of the first through hole 11a is offset in the axial direction A relative to the center line of the second through hole 11b, thereby enabling better fixation of the sleeve 2 and the shaft 1.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sleeve 2 also has a cylindrical shape, and the sleeve 2 is fitted onto the shaft 1 with its central axis aligned with the central axis of the shaft 1. A clearance fit is used between the sleeve 2 and the shaft 1. The relative movement degrees of freedom of the sleeve 2 relative to the shaft 1 in the axial, radial, and circumferential directions are all restricted by the connecting mechanism, allowing the sleeve 2 to be relatively fixed to the shaft 1. The inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 2 has two recessed grooves 21a and 21b facing radially outward. The first groove 21a is opposite to the first through hole 11a, and the second groove 21b is opposite to the second through hole 11b, allowing the protruding portions of the snap-fit ​​members 31a and 31b installed in the first and second through holes 11a and 11b to extend into and snap into the corresponding grooves 21a and 21b. The center lines of the first groove 21a and the second groove 21b are aligned in the axial direction A, and the maximum dimension of each groove 21a and 21b in the axial direction A is greater than the dimension of the snap fasteners 31a and 31b in the axial direction A (the diameter of the spherical snap fastener). Furthermore, the axial sidewalls of each groove 21a and 21b are formed in a shape that is inclined relative to the axial direction A and the radial direction R. This, in conjunction with the structure described above in which the center line of the first through hole 11a is offset relative to the center line of the second through hole 11b in the axial direction A, enables better fixation of the sleeve 2 and the shaft 1.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting mechanism is used to assemble and connect the shaft 1 and the sleeve 2 together when the sleeve 2 is fitted onto the shaft 1. Specifically, the connecting mechanism includes the through holes 11a and 11b formed in the shaft 1, the grooves 21a and 21b formed in the sleeve 2, the snap-fit ​​members 31a and 31b, and the support member 32.

[0031] In this embodiment, the two snap-fit ​​pieces 31a and 31b are spherical snap-fit ​​pieces made of steel. The first snap-fit ​​piece 31a is installed in the first through hole 11a, and the second snap-fit ​​piece 31b is installed in the second through hole 11b. The diameters of both snap-fit ​​pieces 31a and 31b are larger than the radial dimension of the sidewall of the shaft 1, allowing the snap-fit ​​pieces 31a and 31b to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 1 under the support of the support member 32. The diameters of the snap-fit ​​pieces 31a and 31b are smaller than the axial dimensions of the through holes 11a and 11b.

[0032] In this embodiment, the support member 32 also has a cylindrical shape. The support member 32 is installed inside the shaft 1 with an interference fit, and the support member 32 can completely cover the two through holes 11a and 11b, thereby effectively supporting the snap-fit ​​members 31a and 31b in the two through holes 11a and 11b.

[0033] The structure of the shaft / sleeve assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention has been described above. The following will explain how the connecting mechanism limits the relative motion degrees of freedom of the sleeve 2 with respect to the shaft 1 in the axial, radial, and circumferential directions.

[0034] When the shaft / sleeve assembly is as follows Figure 1 and Figure 2 After assembly as shown, the snap-fit ​​parts 31a and 31b, supported by the support part 32, protrude from the outer surface of the shaft 1 into the grooves 21a and 21b of the sleeve 2. Figure 2 As shown, since the center lines of the first through hole 11a and the second through hole 11b are offset in the axial direction A, and the axial sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b extend obliquely relative to the radial direction R and the axial direction A, the first snap-fit ​​member 31a located in the first through hole 11a abuts against the sidewall of the first groove 21a located on one side of the axial direction and the sidewall of the first through hole 11a located on the other side of the axial direction, and the second snap-fit ​​member 31b located in the second through hole 11b abuts against the sidewall of the second groove 21b located on the other side of the axial direction and the sidewall of the second through hole 11b located on one side of the axial direction, so that the snap-fit ​​members 31a and 31b are clamped between the axial sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b, the axial sidewalls of the through holes 11a and 11b, and the outer peripheral surface of the support member 32. Thus, the combined force of the force F1 exerted by the sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b on the latching members 31a and 31b, the force F2 exerted by the sidewalls of the through holes 11a and 11b on the latching members 31a and 31b, and the force F3 exerted by the support member 32 on the latching members 31a and 31b, stabilizes the first latching member 31a in the first through hole 11a and the second latching member 31b in the second through hole 11b as follows: Figure 2 The relative offset positions are shown. Conversely, the axial degrees of freedom in the axial direction (A) and radial direction (R) of the snap-fit ​​parts 31a and 31b are restricted by the axial sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b, the axial sidewalls of the through holes 11a and 11b, and the outer peripheral surface of the support 32. Thus, even considering machining tolerances, the relative positions of the sleeve 2 and the shaft 1 in the axial direction (A) and radial direction (R) can be reliably guaranteed to remain unchanged. Furthermore, by utilizing the engagement of the snap-fit ​​parts 31a and 31b with the circumferential sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b (not shown in the figure) and the circumferential sidewalls of the through holes 11a and 11b, the sleeve 2 can be relatively fixed relative to the shaft 1 in the circumferential direction. Conversely, the circumferential degrees of freedom in the circumferential direction of the snap-fit ​​parts 31a and 31b are restricted by the circumferential sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b and the circumferential sidewalls of the through holes 11a and 11b.

[0035] Therefore, the shaft / sleeve assembly according to the present invention, including the above-described connecting mechanism, can not only fix the sleeve 2 to the shaft 1 in such a way as to be fitted over the shaft 1, but also does not damage the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 1 used for sealing.

[0036] The above describes the specific structure of the shaft / sleeve assembly including the connecting mechanism according to the present invention. The following will describe the installation method of the shaft / sleeve assembly.

[0037] During installation, the sleeve 2 is first fitted radially outward onto the shaft 1, with the grooves 21a and 21b of the sleeve 2 aligned with the through holes 11a and 11b of the shaft 1, respectively. Then, the snap-fit ​​pieces 31a and 31b are placed inside the shaft 1 and placed into the through holes 11a and 11b, respectively, ensuring they do not fall out. Finally, the support piece 32 is inserted into the shaft 1, ensuring it completely covers the through holes 11a and 11b and that the snap-fit ​​pieces 31a and 31b are engaged, thus completing the installation process.

[0038] It should be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes to the above embodiments under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the following supplementary descriptions are provided.

[0039] (i) Although the above specific embodiments only illustrate an example of assembling and connecting a shaft and a sleeve together using the connecting mechanism according to the invention, the invention is not limited thereto. The connecting mechanism according to the invention can be used for assembling and connecting any two cylindrical components.

[0040] (ii) Although only an example including one first through hole 11a and one second through hole 11b has been described in the above specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. The number of first through holes 11a and the number of second through holes 11b can both be multiple, and the first through holes 11a and the second through holes 11b are evenly distributed alternately in the circumferential direction. This ensures a more reliable relative fixation effect between the two components assembled and connected using this connecting member. Therefore, the number of grooves corresponding to the through holes can also be multiple.

[0041] (iii) Although the above specific embodiments describe that the center lines of the first through hole 11a and the second through hole 11b are offset in the axial direction A, and the axial sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b extend obliquely relative to the radial direction R and the axial direction A, such that the snap-fit ​​members 31a and 31b are clamped between the axial sidewalls of the grooves 21a and 21b, the axial sidewalls of the through holes 11a and 11b, and the outer peripheral surface of the support member 32, the present invention is not limited thereto. The same effect can be achieved by offsetting the center lines of different grooves in the axial direction without offsetting the center lines of all through holes in the shaft.

[0042] (iv) Although the snap-fit ​​members 31a and 31b are described as having a spherical shape in the above specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. The snap-fit ​​member may also be in the shape of an arc with a circular cross-section, such as an ellipsoid; the snap-fit ​​member may also be in the shape of a cuboid with a square cross-section; if necessary, the snap-fit ​​member may also be in the shape of a wedge or other required shapes.

[0043] (v) Although not explicitly stated in the above specific embodiments, it is understood that the assembly method of connecting two components through the above-described connecting mechanism is simpler and less costly than the assembly method using interference fit described in the background art.

[0044] (vi) Optionally, the first through hole 11a and the second through hole 11b may be slightly interference-fitted with the first snap-fit ​​member 31a and the second snap-fit ​​member 31b, so that the first snap-fit ​​member 31a and the second snap-fit ​​member 31b can be easily positioned before the support member 32 is installed onto the shaft 1. Of course, this application is not limited thereto.

Claims

1. A connecting mechanism for assembled connection between a first member having a cylindrical shape and a second member having a cylindrical shape, the connecting mechanism comprising a clamping member (31a, 31b), a support member (32), a through-hole (11a, 11b) formed in a side wall of the first member, and a groove (21a, 21b) formed in a portion of the second member opposite to the through-hole (11a, 11b), The clamping pieces (31a, 31b) are used to be installed in the through holes (11a, 11b), and the support pieces (32) are used to be installed inside the first members, so that under the support of the support pieces (32) on the clamping pieces (31a, 31b), a part of the clamping pieces (31a, 31b) protrudes from the through holes (11a, 11b) into the recesses (21a, 21b), so that the clamping of the through holes (11a, 11b) and the recesses (21a, 21b) and the clamping pieces (31a, 31b) makes the second members fixed relative to the first members, wherein, the through-hole (11a, 11b) includes a first through-hole (11a) and a second through-hole (11b) spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the first member, the groove (21a, 21b) includes a first groove (21a) and a second groove (21b) opposite to the first through-hole (11a) and the second through-hole (11b), respectively, a center line of the first groove (21a) is offset from a center line of the second groove (21b) in an axial direction (A) of the first member, and a maximum dimension of the first groove and the second groove in the axial direction (A) is greater than a dimension of the clamping member in the axial direction (A).

2. The connection mechanism of claim 1, wherein In the axial direction (A) of the first member, the clamping member (31a, 31b) abuts against axial side walls of the through-hole (11a, 11b) and axial side walls of the groove (21a, 21b), so that the clamping member (31a, 31b) is positioned in the axial direction (A) while the first member and the second member are relatively fixed in the axial direction.

3. The connection mechanism of claim 2, wherein, the center line of the first through-hole (11a) is offset from the center line of the second through-hole (11b) in the axial direction (A), and the clamping member (31a) located in the first through-hole (11a) abuts against an axial one-side side wall of the first groove (21a) and an axial other-side side wall of the first through-hole (11a), and the clamping member (31b) located in the second through-hole (11b) abuts against an axial other-side side wall of the second groove (21b) and an axial one-side side wall of the second through-hole (11b).

4. The connection mechanism of claim 2, wherein axial side walls of the groove (21a, 21b) extend obliquely with respect to a radial direction (R) and the axial direction (A) of the first member, and the clamping member (31a, 31b) is sandwiched between the axial side walls of the groove (21a, 21b), axial side walls of the through-hole (11a, 11b), and an outer peripheral surface of the support member (32).

5. The connection mechanism of claim 4, wherein, In the radial direction (R) of the first member, the clamping member (31a, 31b) abuts against axial side surfaces of the groove (21a, 21b) and the outer peripheral surface of the support member (32), so that the clamping member (31a, 31b) is positioned in the radial direction (R) while the first member and the second member are relatively fixed in the radial direction (R).

6. The connection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that In the circumference direction of the first member, the clamping pieces (31a, 31b) abut against the circumferential side wall of the recess (21a, 21b) and the circumferential side wall of the through hole (11a, 11b), so that the clamping pieces (31a, 31b) are positioned in the circumference direction while the first member and the second member are relatively fixed in the circumference direction.

7. The connection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The clamping pieces (31a, 31b) have a spherical shape, an ellipsoidal shape, a cuboid shape, or a wedge shape.

8. The connection mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The through hole (11a, 11b) penetrates the side wall of the first member along the radial direction (R) of the first member, and the recess (21a, 21b) is formed in the inner circumferential surface of the second member and is recessed toward the radial direction outside.

9. A shaft / sleeve assembly comprising the connecting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a shaft (1) as the first member, and a sleeve (2) as the second member, the shaft (1) and the sleeve (2) being assembled and connected together by the connecting mechanism, the sleeve (2) being fitted to the shaft (1) in a clearance fit with the shaft (1).

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