Patent ID: RE41296

Claim:
A retainer ring designed for securely radially retaining an engagement portion of a first object , having a reduced portion of a radially reduced cross- section , to in a receiving compartment of a second object, the retainer ring having a substantially uniform radial thickness along the circumference of the retainer ring and being resilient and comprising: a plurality of circumferential sections of said uniform thickness, the circumferential sections including at least two holding sections and at least one engaging section, said at least one engaging section defining an outward portion having an outer radius of curvature which is greater than an outer radius of curvature of the holding sections, each of said at least two holding sections having an inner radius of curvature equal to half of a diameter of the reduced cross- section of the reduced portion of the first object, said at least one engaging section having an inner radius of curvature which is greater than that of said at least two holding sections , and the curvatures of the holding sections and of the engaging section each having a center of curvature within the circumference of the retainer ring ; wherein said at least two holding sections being adapted to provide for securely radially inward clamp clamping of said reduced cross- section of said first object with and the retainer ring is radially compressible and designed to be radially compressed for radially inward clamping of the holding sections on the reduced cross- section of the reduced portion of the first object when said outward portion of said at least one engaging section partially protruding out of said reduced section of said first object for engaging with said second object is pressed in a radially inward direction .