SLEEVE COUPLING

摘要

A tape spool and cover are latched together by a tubular sleeve arrangement. A hollow core tape spool has an inner frustro-conical camming surface adjacent an axially outwardly facing shoulder. A releasable latch includes a unitary resilient sleeve inserted into the hollow core and is cammed radially inwardly for creating radial outward forces on the opposite sleeve end outside the spool. A first axial end portion of the sleeve has a first type locking resilient finger extending out of the hollow core and a second type resilient finger in locking engagement with the hollow core tape spool. A radially inwardly extending annular rib divides the first and second axial end portions to provide a bending moment transfer ring. The slots defining the axially extending fingers extend to and preferably into the rib for providing a moment bridge for transferring the radial inward compression on the second axial end portion to a radially outwardly exerting force in the first axial end portion. It is preferred that such slots terminate on or near a common circumferential line extending around the sleeve. The outer end portion of the first type of fingers includes a latching shoulder, plus a camming surface for enabling radial inward camming all first type fingers for enabling releasable engagement between the tape spool and a cylindrical cover.