Patent ID: 6464421
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: B60N,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
In a jack extension tube for vehicles comprising:a tube having a first section with an open end and a second section spaced from the first section, the tube made from a first material; a nut made from a second material less rigid than the first material and fixedly mounted in the first section, the nut having first and second opposed faces and a threaded bore therethrough, the threaded bore terminating in the first and second faces of the nut; a mounting flange in the second section adapted to receive a fastener; and a jack screw received in the first section open end and threadably received in the threaded bore of the nut, the jack screw having at least one of an exposed end with a gear, an opposite end defining a stop which retains the nut on the jack screw when the nut is threaded to the opposite end of the jack screw, and a gear housing mounted adjacent to the screw, the jack screw thereby being threadingly mounted for movement between a fully extended and a fully retracted position with respect to the nut; the improvement comprising: the nut has an extension extending outwardly from each of the first and second faces thereof, the extensions made from a third material less rigid than the first material; whereby the extension on each face of the nut is configured so as to contact the at least one of the gear, the stop, and the gear housing to thereby prevent the screw both from damaging the nut by drawing the at least one of the gear, the stop, and the gear housing into the nut as well as drawing the at least one of the gear, the stop, and the gear housing into the elongated tube as the jack screw approaches the fully extended or fully retracted positions with respect to the nut.