INSTALLATION AID

Abstract

A mounting aid for mounting a snap ring or anti-creep ring is disclosed, the mounting aid comprising a first finger and a second finger, wherein the first finger and the second finger are arranged next to one another. A first end of the first finger is arranged adjacent to a first end of the second finger; the first end of the first finger can be moved, counter to a force, from a position that is more distant from the first end of the second finger into a position that is closer to the first end of the second finger. The first end of the first finger and the first end of the second finger form a receptacle for a ring at least when the first end of the first finger is located in the position that is closer to the first end of the second finger.

Claims

1. A mounting aid for mounting a snap ring or anti-creep ring, the mounting aid comprising a first finger and a second finger, wherein the first finger and the second finger are arranged next to one another, a first end of the first finger being arranged adjacent to a first end of the second finger, wherein the first end of the first finger can be moved, counter to a force, from a position that is more distant from the first end of the second finger into a position that is closer to the first end of the second finger, wherein the first end of the first finger and the first end of the second finger form a receptacle for a ring, at least when the first end of the first finger is located in the position that is closer to the first end of the second finger, and wherein a slide contacts the first finger and can be slid from a position that is more distant from the first end of the first finger into a position that is closer to the first end of the first finger, and thereby moves the first end of the first finger, counter to a force, from the position that is more distant from the first end of the second finger into the position that is closer to the first end of the second finger.

2. The mounting aid according to claim 1, wherein the slide has a rolling element or sliding element and contacts the first finger with the rolling element and/or sliding element, wherein the rolling element and/or sliding element moves on the first finger when the slide is slid from the position that is more distant from the first end of the first finger into the position that is closer to the first end of the first finger.

3. The mounting aid according to claim 1, wherein the slide has a rolling element and/or sliding element and contacts the second finger with the rolling element and/or sliding element, wherein the rolling element and/or sliding element moves on the second finger when the slide is slid from the position that is more distant from the first end of the first finger into the position that is closer to the first end of the first finger.

4. The mounting aid according to claim 1, wherein the slide at least partially surrounds the first finger and the second finger.

5. The mounting aid according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting tappet which is arranged between the first finger and the second finger and which can be pushed from a position that is more distant from the first end of the first finger into a position that is closer to the first end of the first finger.

6. The mounting aid according to claim 5, further comprising an expansion spring which is connected with one end to the mounting tappet and with another end abuting against the first finger, or with the other end abuting against one end of a pin whose other end abuts against the first finger.

7. The mounting aid according to claim 1, wherein the first finger has a chamfer at its first end and/or the second finger has a chamfer at its first end.

8. The mounting aid according to claim 1, further comprising a housing partially surrounding the first finger and the second finger, wherein the housing has an end opening from which the first end of the first finger and the first end of the second finger project.

9. A method for mounting a snap ring or anti-creep ring with a mounting aid according to claim 1, said method comprising: inserting a ring into the receptacle; and sliding the slide from the position that is more distant from the first end of the first finger into the position that is closer to the first end of the first finger, the first end of the first finger thereby being moved from the position that is more distant from the first end of the second finger into the position that is closer to the first end of the second finger, and the ring thereby being compressed or stretched.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the ring held in the receptacle partially projects beyond the first end of the first finger and the first end of the second finger.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the ring is ejected from the receptacle by pushing a mounting tappet from the position that is more distant from the first end of the first finger into the position that is closer to the first end of the first finger.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a device according to one embodiment of the invention in a schematic sectional side view, in a spread position with a ring;

[0035] FIG. 2 shows the device according to the invention of FIG. 1 in a schematic sectional side view, in a position receiving the ring;

[0036] FIG. 3 shows the device according to the invention of FIG. 1 in a schematic sectional side view, in a position ejecting the ring;

[0037] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged illustration of a terminal region of the device according to the invention, in a position corresponding to FIG. 1 without a ring; and

[0038] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged illustration of a terminal region of the device according to the invention, in a position corresponding to FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 to 3 show a sectional side view of a mounting aid for mounting a ring 1 designed as a snap ring or anti-creep ring. The mounting aid comprises a first finger 2 and a second finger 3. The first finger 2 and the second finger 3 are arranged next to one another and arranged in relation to a longitudinal axis L of the mounting aid. The first finger 2 and the second finger 3 extend in substantially the same direction. A first end 4 of the first finger 2 is arranged adjacent to a first end 5 of the second finger 3.

[0040] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first end 4 of the first finger 2 can be moved counter to a force from a position that is more distant from the first end 5 of the second finger 3, as shown in FIG. 1, into a position that is closer to the first end 5 of the second finger 3, as shown in FIG. 2. On the first finger 2, a force is exerted which in particular acts in the region of the first end 4 of the first finger 2. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the first end 4 of the first finger 2 is spread away from the first end 5 of the second finger 3. The ring 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is not held by the mounting aid.

[0041] In order to hold the ring 1 by the mounting aid, a receptacle 17 is formed, at least at the first end 4 of the first finger 2 and at the first end 5 at the second finger 3, when the first end 4 of the first finger 2 is in the position, according to FIG. 2, that is closer to the first end 5 of the second finger 3.

[0042] In order to change the relative position of the first end 4 of the first finger 2 in relation to the first end 5 of the second finger 3, a slide 6 is provided which contacts the first finger 2 and which can be slid from a position that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 1) into a position that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 2). The first end 4 of the first finger 2 is thereby moved, counter to a force, from the position that is more distant from the first end 5 of the second finger 3 (FIG. 1) into the position that is closer to the first end 5 of the second finger 3.

[0043] The slide 6 has a rolling element 7 which contacts the first finger 2. When the slide 6 is slid from the position that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 1) into the position that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 2), the rolling element 7 can be moved on the first finger 2.

[0044] Furthermore, the slide 6 has two rolling elements 8, 9 with which the slide 6 contacts the second finger 3, wherein the rolling elements 8, 9 move on the second finger 3 when the slide 6 is slid from the position that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 into the position that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2. The slide 6 can be supported with the rolling element 7 on the first finger 2, the rolling elements 8, 9 being counter-elements for the rolling element 7. The distance between the facing outer contours of the rolling element 7 on the side of the first finger 2 and of the rolling elements 8, 9 on the side of the second finger 3 defines the distance of the fingers 2, 3 from each other with regard to their outer dimensions. The slide 6 at least partially surrounds the first finger 2 and the second finger 3.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged illustration of the mounting aid in the region of the receptacle 17 at the end on the fingers 2, 3. FIG. 4 shows the state of the mounting aid according to FIG. 1. The first end 4 of the first finger 2 is in a more distant position in comparison to the position shown in FIG. 5, which shows the state of the mounting aid according to FIG. 2, in which the first end 4 of the first finger 2 is in a position that is closer to the first end 5 of the second finger 3, wherein the ring 1 is held in the receptacle 17. For this purpose, the slide 6 is slid from the position that is more distant from the first end of the first finger 2 (FIG. 4 and FIG. 1) into the position that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (cf. FIG. 5 and FIG. 2).

[0046] The mounting aid has a mounting tappet 10 which is arranged between the first finger 2 and the second finger 3, and which can be pushed from a position that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 2) into a position that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 3) so that the ring 1 located in the receptacle 17 can be ejected from the receptacle 17.

[0047] In a bore arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis L on the mounting aid, in the mounting tappet 10 an expansion spring 11 is provided which is connected with one end to the mounting tappet 10 and which, with the other end, abuts against a pin 12 whose end abuts against the first finger 2. By the expansion spring 11 and the force exerted on the pin 12, a spreading force can be exerted on the first finger 2, which moves the first finger 2 into a position such that the first end 4 of the first finger 2 is in a position that is more distant from the first end 5 of the second finger 3 (FIG. 1). When the slide 6 is moved from the position that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 1) into the position that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2 (FIG. 2), the rolling element 7 acts on the first finger 2 in such a way that the pin 12 dips into a bore in the mounting tappet 10, against the spring force of the expansion spring 11. The first end 4 of the first finger 2 arrives at a position that is closer to the first end 5 of the second finger 3 (FIG. 2). Other possibilities of the direction of movement of the fingers 2, 3 relative to one another are also conceivable, but are not shown. For example, a linear movement orthogonal to the longitudinal extent of the two fingers 2, 3 could take place.

[0048] The mounting tappet 10 can be actuated by a handle 16 arranged at the end on the housing 13. The mounting tappet 10 is spring-preloaded in the position that is more distant from the first end 5 of the second finger 3. In order to move the mounting tappet 10 from the position, illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 into the position, illustrated in FIG. 3, that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2, the handle 16 must be actuated in this direction, along the longitudinal direction L of the mounting aid and toward the receptacle 17 or the first end 4 of the first finger 2. The handle 16 is pressed in order to eject the ring 1 from the receptacle 17 via the mounting tappet 10.

[0049] The first finger 2 has a chamfer at its first end 4; the second finger 3 also has a chamfer at its first end 5 (cf. FIGS. 4 and 5).

[0050] The mounting aid also comprises a housing 13 which at least partially surrounds the first finger 2 and the second finger 3, the housing 13 having an end opening 14 from which the first end 4 of the first finger 2 and the first end 5 of the second finger 3 project.

[0051] The fingers 2 and 3 are fixed in the housing 13 in a fixing 15. The fixing 15 is formed integrally with the second finger 3. The finger 3 can also remain stationary during activation of the slide 6 and of the handle 16. The first finger 2 is mounted at the end via the fixing 15 so as to be movable.

[0052] With the mounting aid shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a method for mounting a snap ring or anti-creep ring can be carried out. The ring 1 can be inserted into the receptacle 17 for a ring and be held by sliding the slide 6 from the position that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 into the position that is closer to the first end 4 of the second finger 2, the first end 4 of the first finger 2 thereby being moved from the position that is more distant from the first end 5 of the second finger 3 into the position that is closer to the first end 5 of the second finger 3, and the ring 1 thereby being held in the receptacle 17 via a frictional connection. The ring 1 may be slightly compressed in the receptacle 17. This process can be seen in the sequence of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0053] The method can achieve that the ring 1 held in the receptacle 17 partially projects beyond the first end 4 of the first finger 2 and the first end 5 of the second finger 3. This is visible in FIG. 2.

[0054] In the sequence of FIGS. 2 and 3, it is apparent that, with respect to the method, the ring 1 is ejected from the receptacle 17 by pushing the mounting tappet 10 from the position that is more distant from the first end 4 of the first finger 2 into the position that is closer to the first end 4 of the first finger 2.

[0055] The terms comprising or comprise are used herein in their broadest sense to mean and encompass the notions of including, include, consist(ing) essentially of, and consist(ing) of. The use of for example, e.g., such as, and including to list illustrative examples does not limit to only the listed examples. Thus, for example or such as means for example, but not limited to or such as, but not limited to and encompasses other similar or equivalent examples. The term about as used herein serves to reasonably encompass or describe minor variations in numerical values measured by instrumental analysis or as a result of sample handling. Such minor variations may be in the order of 0-25, 0-10, 0-5, or 0-2.5, % of the numerical values. Further, The term about applies to both numerical values when associated with a range of values. Moreover, the term about may apply to numerical values even when not explicitly stated.

[0056] Generally, as used herein a hyphen - or dash - in a range of values is to or through; a > is above or greater-than; a is at least or greater-than or equal to; a < is below or less-than; and a is at most or less-than or equal to. On an individual basis, each of the aforementioned applications for patent, patents, and/or patent application publications, is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety in one or more non-limiting embodiments.

[0057] It is to be understood that the appended claims are not limited to express and particular compounds, compositions, or methods described in the detailed description, which may vary between particular embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims. With respect to any Markush groups relied upon herein for describing particular features or aspects of various embodiments, it is to be appreciated that different, special, and/or unexpected results may be obtained from each member of the respective Markush group independent from all other Markush members. Each member of a Markush group may be relied upon individually and or in combination and provides adequate support for specific embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

[0058] The present invention has been described herein in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims. The subject matter of all combinations of independent and dependent claims, both single and multiple dependent, is herein expressly contemplated.