Tolerance ring and assembly

{
  "publication_number": "US11873865B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Tolerance ring and assembly",
  "abstract": "A tolerance ring including a substrate, and an overlying layer including at least one of a thermal enhancement layer and a retention layer, the thermal enhancement layer including at least one of i) Vickers hardness 100 W/m·K, the tolerance ring being adapted to provide at least one of a) a thermal transfer between the inner member and the outer member, b) a coefficient of friction between the retention layer and the outer member, μ1, and a coefficient of friction between the substrate and the outer member, μ2, and where μ1>μ2, or c) a retention force, Rf, between the inner member and the outer member, and the assembly has an assembly force, Af, and where Rf>0.1 Af, wherein the tolerance ring includes a plurality of projections protruding radially inward or radially outward.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A tolerance ring comprising: a substrate, and an overlying layer comprising a thermal enhancement layer comprising at least one of a Vickers hardness 100 W/m·K, wherein the thermal enhancement layer comprises a plurality of discrete projections protruding radially inward or radially outward, and wherein the thermal enhancement layer defines a portion of an exterior surface of the tolerance ring, wherein the thermal enhancement layer comprises a metal comprising at least two of aluminum, zinc, copper, beryllium, magnesium, tin, titanium, tungsten, iron, bronze, or alloys thereof, wherein at least one of the plurality of projections is a self-contained, discrete structure.",
    "2. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the thermal enhancement layer comprises both a Vickers hardness 100 W/m·K.",
    "3. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the projections protrude radially outward.",
    "4. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the overlying layer comprises a deposited coating.",
    "5. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the overlying layer comprises a cladding.",
    "6. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises steel.",
    "7. A tolerance ring of claim 6, wherein the substrate comprises a carbon steel or stainless steel.",
    "8. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the thermal enhancement layer comprises a metal comprising at least one of zinc, copper, magnesium, nickel, tin, lead, aluminum, or an alloy thereof.",
    "9. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the overlying layer has a thickness within the range of 10 microns to 200 microns.",
    "10. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness within the range of 0.075 to 0.8 mm.",
    "11. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the tolerance ring has an outer radius within the range of 3 mm to 150 mm.",
    "12. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the tolerance ring has an axial gap.",
    "13. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the tolerance ring has a length within the range of 6 mm to 250 mm.",
    "14. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the projections protrude radially inward.",
    "15. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the overlying layer comprises a thermal enhancement layer comprising a thermal conductivity >100 W/m·K.",
    "16. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of projections is polygonal in cross section.",
    "17. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of projections has a shouldered wave structure.",
    "18. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of projections has a shoulderless wave structure.",
    "19. A tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of projections has a first shoulder and a second shoulder.",
    "20. A tolerance ring comprising: a substrate, and an overlying layer comprising a thermal enhancement layer comprising at least one of a Vickers hardness 100 W/m·K, wherein the thermal enhancement layer comprises a plurality of discrete projections protruding radially inward or radially outward, and wherein the thermal enhancement layer defines a portion of an exterior surface of the tolerance ring, wherein the thermal enhancement layer comprises a metal comprising at least one of aluminum, zinc, beryllium, magnesium, tin, titanium, tungsten, iron, bronze, or alloys thereof, wherein at least one of the plurality of projections is a self-contained, discrete structure."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention generally relates to tolerance rings that are located between assemblies involving moving parts.\n\nCommonly, a tolerance ring may be used to couple movement between components. One type tolerance ring may be located in a gap between the outer surface of an inner component and the inner surface of the bore of an outer component. Such an assembly may further include rotary components, such as rotary components including, but not limited to, rotating shafts or rotors adapted to rotate within the assembly. Tolerance rings may also be used in assemblies including generator assemblies, motor assemblies, engine assemblies, clutch assemblies, or holding mechanisms. Such assemblies may be used in automotive applications.\n\nSo that the manner in which the features and advantages are attained and can be understood in more detail, a more thorough description may be had by reference to the embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. However, the drawings illustrate only some embodiments and therefore are not to be considered limiting of the scope.\n\nFIG. 1 is a perspective end view of one embodiment of a tolerance ring;\n\nFIG. 2 is a perspective side view of one embodiment of a tolerance ring;\n\nFIG. 3 is a plain view of one embodiment of a projection for a tolerance ring;\n\nFIG. 4 is a schematic sectional side view of another embodiment of a tolerance ring having layers;\n\nFIG. 5 A is a perspective end view of one embodiment of an assembly;\n\nFIG. 5 B is a perspective side view of one embodiment of an assembly;",
  "cpc": [
    "F16D 1/0835",
    "F16B 7/0413",
    "F16D 2200/0021",
    "F16D 2200/003",
    "F16D 2250/0046",
    "F16D 2300/10"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 7/04",
    "F16D 1/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Llewelyn PICKERING"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-07-15",
  "publication_date": "2024-01-16",
  "grant_date": "2024-01-16",
  "priority_date": "2018-07-17",
  "application_number": "US-201916511240-A",
  "family_id": "67383748",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "DE889534C",
    "US4647803A",
    "US4789607A",
    "US5241229A",
    "US6512314B1",
    "CA2203181C",
    "US5871668A",
    "US5619389A",
    "US6499209B1",
    "FR2803127A1",
    "FR2803129A1",
    "US6905779B2",
    "US20020135244A1",
    "EP1302685A1",
    "US20060177596A1",
    "JP2008038990A",
    "CN201369628Y",
    "US20150114549A1",
    "US20120183422A1",
    "CN103891101A",
    "US20140225373A1",
    "US20130315654A1",
    "DE102012221596A1",
    "WO2014079611A2",
    "DE102012221718A1",
    "US20140187336A1",
    "US20150000098A1",
    "US20180306248A1",
    "WO2019020730A1",
    "WO2019063752A2",
    "US20190101163A1",
    "US20190190345A1",
    "WO2020016156A1"
  ]
}