Stepped assembly

Abstract

A tolerance ring can be disposed between an inner component and an outer component, the inner and outer components defining stepped sidewalls. In an embodiment, a preassembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, an assembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, a hard disk drive preassembly can include an actuator arm defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, a pivot having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the pivot and the bore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A preassembly comprising:
 an outer component defining a bore;   an inner component; and   a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the inner component and the bore, the tolerance ring including an annular sidewall and at least two circumferential rows of radially extending projections, each row of radially extending projections defining a maximum projecting distance as measured from a central axis of the tolerance ring,   wherein one of the inner and outer components has a stepped sidewall with a greatest diameter at a first axial end, and wherein each successive row of radially extending projections, as measured from a first axial end of the tolerance ring to a second axial end of the tolerance ring, has a maximum projecting distance less than the previous row.   
     
     
         2 . The preassembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner component has a stepped outer sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The preassembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the radially extending projections extend radially inward. 
     
     
         4 . The preassembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer component has a stepped sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The preassembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the radially extending projections extend radially outward. 
     
     
         6 . The preassembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner component or pivot is rigid. 
     
     
         7 . The preassembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the stepped outer sidewall of the inner component or pivot is adapted to be significantly undeformed during assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The preassembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer component or actuator arm is rigid. 
     
     
         9 . The preassembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the stepped inner sidewall of the outer component or actuator arm is adapted to be significantly undeformed during assembly. 
     
     
         10 . A hard disk drive preassembly comprising:
 an actuator arm defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall;   a pivot having a stepped outer sidewall; and   a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the pivot and the bore.   
     
     
         11 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the tolerance ring further comprises a circumferential gap extending at least partially between opposite axial ends of the tolerance ring. 
     
     
         12 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the circumferential gap extends entirely between opposite axial ends of the tolerance ring. 
     
     
         13 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the circumferential gap has a first width, W G1 , as measured at a first axial end of the tolerance ring and a second width, W G2,  as measured at a second axial end of the tolerance ring, and wherein W G1  is different than W G2 . 
     
     
         14 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the tolerance ring comprises an annular sidewall having a plurality of deformable radially extending projections. 
     
     
         15 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the tolerance ring further comprises an undeformed band extending around at least one axial end of the tolerance ring. 
     
     
         16 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the stepped inner sidewall has a number of steps, wherein the stepped outer sidewall has a number of steps, and wherein the number of steps of the stepped inner sidewall is equal to the number of steps of the outer sidewall. 
     
     
         17 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 10 , wherein a number of steps in the stepped sidewalls is equal to a number of circumferentially extending rows of radially extending projections in the tolerance ring. 
     
     
         18 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the stepped inner sidewall has at least 2 steps. 
     
     
         19 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 18 , wherein each step of the inner sidewall defines a diameter, and wherein the diameter of each step is different. 
     
     
         20 . The hard disk drive preassembly according to  claim 18 , wherein a diameter of adjacent steps increases from a first axial end of the pivot or inner component to a second axial end of the pivot or inner component.