Patent ID: 7814629
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: B25B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for facilitating maintenance of a strut assembly, the apparatus comprising: a guide member, the guide member comprising a first member end, a second member end, and a member length extending intermediate the first member end and the second member end; a carriage assembly, the carriage assembly comprising carriage displacement means for enabling axial carriage assembly displacement relative to the guide member and member engagement means for guiding carriage assembly displacement relative to the guide member; a spring-engagement assembly, the spring-engagement assembly comprising laterally displaceable arm assemblies, a screw-driven arm displacement assembly, and Y-shaped, helix-engaging, channel structures, the screw-driven arm displacement assembly comprising two arm-guide members and a screw member, the arm-guide and screw members being parallel to one another and extending in a first plane, the arm assemblies each comprising first arm portions and second arm portions, the first arm portions extending substantially parallel relative to one another axially orthogonal to the arm-guide and screw members substantially coplanar therewith in the first plane, the second arm portions extending substantially parallel to one another axially orthogonal to the first arm portions substantially coplanar therewith in a second plane, the Y-shaped, helix-engaging, channel structures each comprising an axial stem portion and a V-shaped channel structure, the axes of the stem portions being parallel to the first plane, the V-shaped channel structures each comprising opposed, paired flanges and an angled channel bottom portion, the opposed paired flanges extending in parallel channel planes, the paired flanges and channel bottom defining an U-shaped transverse channel cross-section in a first dimension and an arc-length-receiving pocket in a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension, the stem portions being attached to the second arm portions substantially orthogonal thereto, the screw-driven arm displacement assembly being cooperable with the arm assemblies for (1) simultaneously displacing the arm assemblies equidistances to and from a common first axis for (a) simultaneously and laterally displacing the arc-length-receiving pockets into and out of engagement with laterally opposed arc lengths of a helical strut spring of a strut assembly intermediate the length thereof and intermediate said paired flanges when displaced into engagement therewith, said paired flanges for preventing movement of the strut spring in directions parallel the common first axis, said arm assemblies, said arm displacement assembly, said stem portions, and said bottom portions for preventing movement of the strut spring in directions parallel the first plane; and a strut end interface, the strut end interface being attached to the carriage assembly and engageable with a first strut end of a strut assembly, the carriage displacement means being operable to compressibly displace the strut end interface toward the Y-shaped, helix-engaging, channel structures for apparatus-compressing the strut spring, the strut spring being compressible intermediate the paired flanges and the strut end interface.