Tip and adapter lock assembly

Abstract

A retaining mechanism includes a retainer with a skirt that has a surface of revolution with an axis of rotation. The skirt extends 180.0 degrees or less about the axis of rotation, forming a thru-slot. A drive portion extends axially from the skirt.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retaining mechanism comprising:
 a retainer including
 a skirt including a surface of revolution with an axis of rotation, and defining a circumferential direction, the skirt extending 180.0 degrees or less about the axis of rotation, forming a thru-slot; and 
 a drive portion extending axially from the skirt. 
   
     
     
         2 . The retainer mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of revolution is a conical surface or a cylindrical surface, and the thru-slot of the retainer includes a straight surface extending from a floor of the thru-slot extending to a first circumferential end of the skirt and to a second circumferential end of the skirt. 
     
     
         3 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the skirt further lacks a peripheral angled or contoured material ejection surface that at least partially borders the thru-slot. 
     
     
         4 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the skirt defines a first detent aperture, and a second detent aperture that is spaced away from the first detent aperture about the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the first detent aperture is spaced 45.0 degrees to 135.0 degrees from the second detent aperture about the axis of rotation, and the first detent aperture is a thru-slot having an arcuate or rectangular profile. 
     
     
         6 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 5 , wherein the first detent aperture defines a radial detent depth that ranges from 0.0 mm to 5.0 mm, and a detent width that ranges from 5.0 mm to 35.0 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 2 , further comprising a gusset that extends from the floor to the straight surface. 
     
     
         8 . A retaining mechanism comprising:
 a retainer spring including
 a folded body having a flat lock engaging portion; 
 a first side undulating portion; and 
 a second side undulating portion. 
   
     
     
         9 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the first side undulating portion includes a first peak that is adjacent to the flat lock engaging portion, and a first valley that is adjacent to a first end of the folded body. 
     
     
         10 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein the second side undulating portion includes a second peak that is adjacent to the flat lock engaging portion, and a second valley that is adjacent to a second end of the folded body. 
     
     
         11 . A retaining mechanism comprising:
 a retainer spring including
 a folded body having
 a top flat portion; 
 a first side wavy portion that extends from the top flat portion; and 
 a second side wavy portion that extends from the top flat portion; 
 
   wherein the folded body defines two different planes of symmetry.   
     
     
         12 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the two planes of symmetry are perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the first side wavy portion includes a first angled portion that leads from the top flat portion to a first peak, and a second angled portion that leads from the first peak to a first valley, forming a first acute angle between the first angled portion, and the second angled portion that ranges from 30.0 degrees to 60.0 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the first side wavy portion includes a third angled portion that leads from the first valley to a first end of the folded body, the third angled portion forming a second acute angle with the second angled portion that ranges from 30.0 degrees to 60.0 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the first end is spaced inwardly away from a first tangent to the first peak that is perpendicular to the top flat portion a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         16 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the first angled portion defines a first length, and the second angled portion defines a second length that is greater than the first length. 
     
     
         17 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the first side wavy portion and the second side wavy portion are separated by a minimum distance that ranges from 1.0 mm to 25.0 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 17 , wherein the first peak defines a first radius of curvature, and the first valley defines a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature. 
     
     
         19 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the folded body defines a thickness ranging from 0.0 mm to 10.0 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The retaining mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the folded body defines a maximum height measured perpendicularly from the top flat portion to the first end of the folded body ranging from 5.0 mm to 50.0 mm.