Thrust nut

Abstract

A nut main body has a slanted hole with a smaller inner end portion having a plurality of stepped portions of differing height. This gives the slanted hole a differing depth relative to a large-diameter end portion of the slanted hole at a plurality of locations about a circumference of the slanted hole. A plurality of nut segments are slidable within the slanted hole and come into contact with at least one of the stepped portions. The nut segments have screw threads at an inner wall surface. A washer is provided at a large-diameter side of the plurality of nut segments. A bias spring is attached within the nut main body so as to urge the plurality of nut segments towards the small-diameter side of the nut main body with the washer therebetween. A stopper piece holds the bias spring within the nut main body.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A thrust nut comprising:
 a nut main body of which an outer wall is formed into a polygonal shape and that has a slanted hole of which an inner diameter becomes successively smaller, and a small-diameter end portion having about a circumference of said small-diameter end portion a plurality of stepped portions of differing height so that said slanted hole has a differing depth relative to a large-diameter end portion of the slanted hole at a plurality of locations about a circumference of the slanted hole, the stepped portions having end portion positions that are adjacent to each other; 
 a plurality of nut segments that are slidable within the slanted hole of the nut main body, each one of the plurality of nut segments having a small-diameter side that comes into contact with at least one of said plurality of stepped portions, and each one of the plurality of nut segments having a pressing projection piece formed at a large-diameter side of said one nut segment; 
 a respective set of screw threadrod engaging portions formed on an inner wall surface of each one of said plurality of nut segments, said respective set occurring from said large diameter side to said small-diameter side of said one nut segment and including a thread portion extending to said small diameter side that is in contact with said at least one stepped portion; 
 a washer that is provided at the large-diameter side of the plurality of nut segments; and 
 a bias spring that is attached within the nut main body such as to urge urges the plurality of nut segments towards the small-diameter side at all times with the washer therebetween; and 
 a stopper piece, in which a bolt insertion hole is formed, that holds the bias spring within the nut main body and is attached to the nut main body. 
 
     
     
       2. The thrust nut according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a plurality of guide pieces are formed on an inner wall surface of the nut main body that guide sliding of the plurality of nut segments in an axial-center direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The thrust nut according to any one of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein:
 a washer capable of locking with a fastening member is fixed or rotatably attached to a said small-diameter end portion of the nut main body. 
 
     
     
       4. The thrust nut according to  claim 2 , wherein each one of said guide pieces extends axially along an the inner wall surface of said nut main body toward a corresponding stepped portion among said plurality of stepped portions at said small-diameter end portion of said nut main body. 
     
     
       5. The nut according to claim 1, wherein the main body has an outer wall that is formed into a polygonal shape.  
     
     
       6. The nut according to claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of segments has a projection formed at a large-diameter side of each one of said plurality of segments.  
     
     
       7. The nut according to claim 1, wherein the rod engaging portions formed on the inner wall surfaces of said plurality of segments are adapted to engage threads on a rod received by the nut.  
     
     
       8. The nut according to claim 1, wherein the rod engaging portions formed on the inner wall surface of each one of said plurality of segments occur from said large-diameter side to said small-diameter side of each one of said plurality of segments.  
     
     
       9. The nut according to claim 1, wherein the rod engaging portions formed on the inner wall surface of each one of said plurality of segments include a thread portion extending to said small-diameter side that is in contact with at least one of said plurality of stepped portions.  
     
     
       10. The nut according to claim 1, wherein a washer is provided at the large-diameter side of the plurality of segments and the washer is disposed between said plurality of segments and said spring.  
     
     
       11. The nut according to claim 1, wherein a stopper piece is provided that holds the spring within the main body.  
     
     
       12. The nut according to claim 1, wherein the spring is substantially disposed within the nut main body.  
     
     
       13. The nut according to claim 2, wherein the guide pieces are wedge-shaped.  
     
     
       14. The nut according to claim 6, wherein the projections have differing heights.  
     
     
       15. The nut according to claim 1, wherein the rod engaging portions formed on the inner wall surfaces of said plurality of segments comprise grooves and ridges.  
     
     
       16. The nut according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of stepped portions are arranged about the circumference of the slanted hole in ascending order of said differing depths relative to the large-diameter end portion of the slanted hole.  
     
     
       17. An apparatus, comprising:
 a. the nut according to claim 1;   b. a fastening member connected to another fastening member by a rod, with the nut fixed to the fastening member wherein one or more of the fastening members contract in a contracting direction along the rod; and   c. the rod is at least partially held within the slanted hole of the nut.    
     
     
       18. The nut according to claim 11, wherein the stopper piece is formed with a rod insertion hole.  
     
     
       19. The nut according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of guide pieces are formed on an inner wall surface of the main body that guide sliding of the plurality of segments in an axial-center direction.  
     
     
       20. The nut according to claim 2, wherein the rod engaging portions formed on the inner wall surfaces of said plurality of segments comprise grooves and ridges.