Patent Publication Number: US-11383365-B1

Title: Sleeve installer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a sleeve installer. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     It is quite common for components to be combined through sockets, especially for actuating components such as the combination of trailing arms and iron sleeves in the automotive field. Traditionally, a rubber hammer is usually used to strike the iron sleeve into the trailing arm. 
     However, the striking of the rubber hammer requires very skilled person to carry out. If the impact point is incorrect or the force level is not well controlled, it is easy to damage the iron sleeve, and the overall installation process will be too laborious and time-consuming Besides, the striking of the rubber hammer cannot be performed smoothly and effectively in a narrow working space. 
     The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide a sleeve installer which is easy and quick to operate without damage. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, a sleeve installer configured to be applied to a sleeve assembly including a barrel portion and a tubular member configured to be inserted in the barrel portion is provided, including: a threaded rod, configured to be disposed through the sleeve assembly; an abutting unit, disposed around the threaded rod and movable along the threaded rod, including a first abutting assembly and a second abutting assembly located respectively at two opposite sides of the sleeve assembly, one of the first abutting assembly and the second abutting assembly being configured to be abutted against the barrel portion, the other of the first abutting assembly and the second abutting assembly being configured to be abutted against the tubular member; and a push unit, including a first push member and a second push member which are connected to two opposite ends of the threaded rod, at least one of the first push member and the second push member being movably screwed to the threaded rod, the first push member including a head portion and an urging assembly located at a side of the head portion, the urging assembly and the second push member being respectively abutted against two opposite sides of the abutting unit. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a breakdown drawing of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a drawing showing the application of a sleeve installer of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are drawings showing working and operation of the sleeve installer of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are cross-sectional views showing working and operation of the sleeve installer of a preferable embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 to 6  for a preferable embodiment of the present invention. A sleeve installer of the present invention is configured to be applied to a sleeve assembly  8 , and the sleeve assembly  8  includes a barrel portion  81  and a tubular member  82  configured to be inserted in the barrel portion  81 , wherein the barrel portion  81  and the tubular member  82  are parts such as but are not limited to the trailing arm and the sleeve receiver connected with the trailing arm. The sleeve installer includes a threaded rod  1 , an abutting unit  2  and a push unit  5 . 
     The threaded rod  1  is configured to be disposed through the sleeve assembly  8 . The abutting unit  2  is disposed around the threaded rod  1  and movable along the threaded rod  1 . The abutting unit  2  includes a first abutting assembly  31  and a second abutting assembly  41  located respectively at two opposite sides of the sleeve assembly  8 . One of the first abutting assembly  31  and the second abutting assembly  41  is configured to be abutted against the barrel portion  81 , and the other of the first abutting assembly  31  and the second abutting assembly  41  is configured to be abutted against the tubular member  82 . 
     The push unit  5  includes a first push member and a second push member  52  which are connected to two opposite ends of the threaded rod  1 , and at least one of the first push member  51  and the second push member  52  is movably screwed to the threaded rod  1 . In this embodiment, the first push member  51  includes a head portion  511  and an urging assembly located at a side of the head portion  511 , the head portion  511  is fixedly connected to one of the two opposite ends of the threaded rod  1 , and the second push member  52  is movably screwed to the other of the two opposite ends of the threaded rod  1 . The urging assembly and the second push member  52  are respectively abutted against two opposite sides of the abutting unit  2 . When the second push member  52  and the threaded rod  1  rotate relatively to shorten the distance between the first push member  51  and the second push member  52 , the first push member  51  and the second push member  52  push the first abutting assembly  31  and the second abutting assembly  41  to approach each other so that the tubular member  82  is inserted into the barrel portion  81 . 
     In this embodiment, the head portion  51  and the threaded rod  1  are integrally formed of one piece, and the head portion and the threaded rod  1  are formed by cutting, which can simplify the structure and assembling. However, the first push member may be screwed with the threaded rod  1 . 
     Preferably, the urging assembly includes a bearing assembly  6  disposed between the abutting unit  2  and the push unit  5  between, which reduces the frictional resistance between the abutting unit  2  and the push unit  5  during relative rotation. It is noted that the urging assembly is optional, and the head portion may be directed abutted against the abutting unit; the bearing assembly  6  may be any spacing member or structure for urging the abutting unit. 
     Specifically, the bearing assembly  6  is mounted to the threaded rod  1  and rotatable in place, thus avoiding missing of the bearing assembly  6 . In this embodiment, the bearing assembly  6  is disposed between the first push member  51  and the first abutting assembly  31 , the bearing assembly  6  is radially higher than the first push member  51 , which provides a large area for contact of the first push member  51 . 
     Specifically, the threaded rod  1  further includes a non-threaded section  11  and a threaded section  12 , the non-threaded section  11  is connected between the first push member  51  and the threaded section  12 , the non-threaded section  11  is radially larger than the threaded section  12 , the non-threaded section  11  is partially within the first abutting assembly  31 , the second push member  52  is screwed to the threaded section  12 , and the bearing assembly  6  is disposed around the non-threaded section  11 . A restricting member  7  is positioned on the non-threaded section  11  so that the bearing assembly  6  is restricted axially on the threaded rod  1 . In this embodiment, the restricting member  7  is a c-shaped retainer. 
     The bearing assembly  6  includes a first side disc  61 , a middle disc  62  and a second side disc  63  which are arranged in an axial direction of the threaded rod  1 , and the middle disc  62  is rotatably abutted between the first side disc  61  and the second side disc  63 . The first abutting assembly  31  includes a first base portion  32  and a support member  33 . The support member  33  is detachably assembled to the first base portion  32  for easy replacement, and the support member  33  is configured to be abutted against the sleeve assembly  8 . A flange  34  projects from an end face of the support member  33  opposite to the first base portion  32 . When the support member  33  is abutted against the barrel portion  81 , the end face of the support member  33  is abutted against the barrel portion  81  in the axial direction of the threaded rod  1 , and the flange  34  is abutted radially against the barrel portion  81 , which provides stable combination of the support member  33  and the barrel portion  81  between. 
     Specifically, the first base portion  32  includes a base plate  321 , a projection  322  and a fitting member  323  which are arranged coaxially, the projection  322  projects axially from the base plate  321 , the fitting member  323  projects radially from the projection  322 , and the support member  33  is disposed around the projection  322  and abutted radially against the fitting member  323 , wherein the base plate  321  and the support member  33  are connected in tight fit. 
     Preferably, the fitting member  323  is made of rubber, thus being easy to assemble and avoiding easy disengagement of the support member  33 . 
     Specifically, the second abutting assembly  41  includes a second base portion  42  and at least one wing  43 , the at least one wing  43  is disposed on the second base portion  42  and extends in the axial direction of the threaded rod  1 , and the at least one wing  43  is configured to be abutted against the tubular member  82 , for sufficiently pushing the tubular member  82 . In this embodiment, the at least one wing includes two wings  43  arranged symmetrically, for providing even push force. 
     It is noted that a through hole of the first base portion  32  and a through hole of the second base portion  42  are identical so that the threaded rod  1  can be disposed through the abutting unit  2  from either side of the abutting unit  2 . In other words, the first push member  51  may be abutted against the first base portion  32  or the second base portion  42 . 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.