Axial spacer for a rotational assembly

Abstract

An axial spacer for a rotational assembly comprising a body, a rotational assembly attaching member and a centering member. The body comprises an outer ring, an inner ring and a plurality of reinforcing members extending between the inner ring and the outer ring. The reinforcing members each comprise an annular reinforcing rim extending from the outer ring and a connecting beam extending from the annular reinforcing rim to the inner ring. A plurality of web members extend between adjacent reinforcing members and the inner and outer ring, to, in turn, substantially couple adjacent reinforcing members with the inner and outer ring therebetween. The attaching means comprises an opening extending through at least a plurality of the plurality of reinforcing members. The centering member centers the spacer relative to the rotational assembly.

1 . An axial spacer for a rotational assembly comprising:
 a body having an outer ring, an inner ring spaced apart from the outer ring, a plurality of reinforcing members extending between the inner ring and the outer ring, and, a plurality of web members extending between adjacent reinforcing members and the inner and outer ring;   means for attaching the spacer to a rotational assembly, the attaching means comprising an opening extending through at least a plurality of the plurality of reinforcing members; and   means for centering the spacer relative to the rotational assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The axial spacer of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of reinforcing members each comprise:
 an annular reinforcing rim extending from the outer ring; and 
 a connecting beam extending from the annular reinforcing rim to the inner ring. 
 
     
     
         3 . The axial spacer of  claim 2  wherein an arcuate portion of the annular reinforcing rim substantially blends with the outer ring. 
     
     
         4 . The axial spacer of  claim 3  wherein the arcuate portion is about π/2 radians. 
     
     
         5 . The axial spacer of  claim 2  wherein the connecting beam of each of the plurality of reinforcing members extends substantially tangentially from the inner ring and substantially tangentially from the respective annular reinforcing rim. 
     
     
         6 . The axial spacer of  claim 2  wherein the annular reinforcing rim has a diameter which is greater than ⅛ that of the outer ring. 
     
     
         7 . The axial spacer of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of reinforcing members comprise six evenly spaced reinforcing members. 
     
     
         8 . The axial spacer of  claim 2  wherein a width of the connecting beam of each of the reinforcing members is substantially equal to the radial thickness of each of the inner ring and the outer ring. 
     
     
         9 . The axial spacer of  claim 1  wherein the web members each have a thickness which is between approximately 1/10 and 9/10 that of the outer ring. 
     
     
         10 . The axial spacer of  claim 2  wherein the annular reinforcing rim further includes a compression limiter insert associated therewith, wherein the compression limiter insert limits the compression of the axial spacer upon deployment. 
     
     
         11 . The axial spacer of  claim 1  wherein each of the web members are substantially planar and of a substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         12 . The axial spacer of  claim 1  wherein the annular reinforcing rim of each of the reinforcing members and the respective opening extending therethrough define a radial thickness of the annular reinforcing rim, the radial thickness of the annular reinforcing rim is substantially equal to a radial thickness of the outer rim. 
     
     
         13 . The axial spacer of  claim 1  wherein a radial thickness of the outer ring is substantially identical to the radial thickness of the inner ring. 
     
     
         14 . The axial spacer of  claim 1  wherein the centering means further comprises a centering flange disposed on an inner surface of the inner ring. 
     
     
         15 . The axial spacer of  claim 1  further comprising means for stacking further axial spacers. 
     
     
         16 . The axial spacer of  claim 15  wherein the stacking means further comprises a plurality of arcuate plugs extending from a plurality of web members, the arcuate plugs capable of interfacing with a web member of another axial spacer, to, in turn, facilitate the stacking of same. 
     
     
         17 . An axial spacer for a rotational assembly comprising:
 a body comprising:
 an outer ring, 
 an inner ring spaced apart from the outer ring; 
   a plurality of reinforcing members extending between the inner ring and the outer ring,
 an annular reinforcing rim extending from the outer ring; and 
 a connecting beam extending from the annular reinforcing rim to the inner ring; and 
   a plurality of web members extending between adjacent reinforcing members and the inner and outer ring, to, in turn, substantially couple adjacent reinforcing members with the inner and outer ring therebetween;   means for attaching the spacer to a rotational assembly, the attaching means comprising an opening extending through at least a plurality of the plurality of reinforcing members; and   means for centering the spacer relative to the rotational assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The axial spacer of  claim 17  wherein the annular reinforcing rim of each of the plurality of reinforcing members is blended into the outer ring. 
     
     
         19 . A system of stackable axial spacers comprising:
 a first spacer comprising:
 a body having an outer ring, an inner ring spaced apart from the outer ring, a plurality of reinforcing members extending between the inner ring and the outer ring, and, a plurality of web members extending between adjacent reinforcing members and the inner and outer ring; 
 means for attaching the spacer to a rotational assembly, the attaching means comprising an opening extending through at least a plurality of the plurality of reinforcing members; 
 means for centering the spacer relative to the rotational assembly; and 
 means for stacking adjacent spacers, the stacking means comprising an arcuate plug extending from a plurality of web members; and 
   a second spacer comprising:
 a body having an outer ring, an inner ring spaced apart from the outer ring, a plurality of reinforcing members extending between the inner ring and the outer ring, and, a plurality of web members extending between adjacent reinforcing members and the inner and outer ring; 
 means for attaching the spacer to a rotational assembly, the attaching means comprising an opening extending through at least a plurality of the plurality of reinforcing members; and 
 means for centering the spacer relative to the rotational assembly, wherein the plurality of arcuate plugs are received in a cavity defined by the inner ring, and a pair of adjacent reinforcing members, when positioned in a proper stacked orientation. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the reinforcing members of each of the first and second axial spacers comprises an annular reinforcing rim coupled to the outer ring and a connecting beam extending from the respective annular reinforcing rim to the respective inner ring.