Patent ID: 8366082

Claim:
A Belleville spring assembly, comprising: a plurality of Belleville springs arranged in a stack having a longitudinal axis; a plurality of spring carriers for carrying the Belleville springs, wherein each of the plurality of spring carriers comprises: an annular sleeve having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a radially outer surface extending between the first end and the second end, and a radially inner surface extending between the first end and the second end; wherein the radially inner surface includes a first annular recess extending from the first end to a first annular shoulder, and the radially outer surface includes a second annular recess extending from the second end to a second annular shoulder; an annular flange extending radially outward from the radially outer surface of the sleeve and axially positioned between the second annular shoulder and the first end; wherein the annular flange of each of the plurality of spring carriers is positioned between each pair of axially adjacent Belleville springs; wherein the stack of Belleville springs has a compressed position and an uncompressed position; wherein the radially outer surface of each sleeve slidingly engages the radially inner surface of an axially adjacent sleeve with the stack of Belleville springs in the uncompressed position; wherein each spring carrier has a first position with the second end axially spaced apart from the first shoulder of an axially adjacent spring carrier, and a second position with the second end axially abutting the first shoulder of the axially adjacent spring carrier; and wherein the transition of each spring carrier from the first position to the second position is adapted to axially compress the plurality of Belleville springs.