Patent ID: 7048342

Claim:
A method of joining a first shell ( 10 ) to a second shell ( 30 ) to define a housing for a brake booster ( 100 ) comprising the steps of: selecting the first shell ( 10 ) from a supply, said first shell ( 10 ) having a first cylindrical body ( 14 ) with a closed end ( 16 ) and a first peripheral surface with a shoulder ( 20 ) adjacent an opened end ( 18 ) to define a flange ( 26 ), said flange ( 26 ) having a plurality of axial slots ( 36 , 36 ′, . . . 36 n ) that axially extend from said opened end ( 18 ) toward said shoulder ( 20 ) and engage a plurality of radial slots ( 38 , 38 ′, . . . 38 n ) to create a first plurality of arcuate projections ( 40 , 40 ′, . . . 40 n ) that are sequentially separated from a second plurality of arcuate projections ( 42 , 42 ′, . . . 42 n ), said first plurality of arcuate projections ( 40 , 40 ′, . . . 40 n ) each having substantially parallel axial sides that perpendicularly extend from a radial plane ( 11 ) aligned with a base of said radial slots ( 38 , 38 ′, . . . 38 n ) while said second plurality of arcuate projections ( 42 , 42 ′, . . . 42 n ) each have first and second radial tabs ( 44 , 46 ) thereon with each tab having a length defined by the arcuate length of a radial slot ( 38 ) less the width of an axial slot ( 38 ); selecting a second shell ( 30 ) from a supply, said second shell ( 30 ) having a cylindrical body ( 200 ) with a second peripheral surface ( 204 ) on an opened end ( 202 ); locating a bead ( 27 ) of a diaphragm ( 28 ) adjacent said shoulder ( 20 ) to define a chamber ( 32 ) within said first shell ( 10 ); inserting said second shell ( 30 ) into said first shell ( 10 ) such that said second peripheral surface ( 204 ) engages said flange ( 26 ); moving said second shell ( 30 ) toward said first shell ( 10 ) to compress said bead ( 27 ) between said opened end ( 202 ) and said shoulder ( 20 ) until an edge ( 206 ) on said second peripheral surface ( 204 ) is aligned with said radial plane ( 11 ) and said second peripheral surface ( 204 ) is under said flange ( 26 ); and applying an axial force to only bend said first plurality of arcuate projections ( 40 , 40 ′, . . . 40 n ) toward said axial center of said second shell ( 30 ) to bring said first plurality of arcuate projections ( 40 , 40 ′, . . . 40 n ) into engagement with said edge ( 206 ) of said second peripheral surface ( 204 ) such that said chamber ( 32 ) is sealed from the surrounding environment and first shell ( 10 ) is joined with said second shell ( 30 ).