Patent ID: 8317425

Claim:
A tolerance ring, comprising: a deformable band having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of a first type of radially extending projections extending partly around a circumference of the deformable band between the top edge and bottom edge, wherein each of the first type of radially extending projections comprises an upper projection adjacent and a lower projection disposed at opposite axial ends of the band, wherein the upper projection and the lower projection are separated in an axial direction of the ring by an unformed region of the band that extends from the upper projection to the lower projection such that the unformed region has a length defined from the upper projection to the lower projection, wherein each of the first type of radially extending projections is configured to provide an upper retention force on an upper element and a lower retention force on a lower element, wherein the upper retention force is separated from and distanced from the lower retention force by the unformed region of the band and no retention force is provided along the entirety of the length of the unformed region of the band; and a plurality of a second type of radially extending projections extending partly around the circumference of the deformable band between the top edge and the bottom edge, wherein each of the second type of radially extending projections comprises an elongated projection that extends from near the top edge of the deformable band to near the bottom edge of the deformable band, thus being configured to provide a bridging retention force that spans an upper element, a lower element, and a spacer installed between the upper element and the lower element.