Patent ID: 6809447
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: B29C,F16C,H02K,Y10T

Abstract:
In a motor/gear drive having a shaft with a worm gear carried thereon and a free tip end portion with an outer diameter terminating in an end wall, and a housing having a bore formed coaxial with respect to the shaft to be installed therein, the improvement comprising:a plastic annular sleeve within the bore of the housing concentrically disposed to be positionable about the outer diameter of the tip end portion of the shaft to be installed and to be nominally spaced radially from the outer diameter of the tip end portion, and wherein the sleeve is operable to supportingly engage the outer diameter of the tip end portion of the shaft only in response to radial loads acting to deflect the shaft into contact with the annular sleeve; a discrete plastic thrust member within the bore of the housing disposed to be in coaxial registry with the end wall of the shaft to be installed, and operable to be in engagement with the end wall of the shaft to be installed to prevent axial movement of the shaft; wherein the plastic thrust member is an injection molded thrust member formed in situ within the bore of the housing; and wherein the outer diameter of the tip end portion of the shaft to be installed is larger than a diameter of the thrust member engageable with the end wall of the tip end portion of the shaft.