1. A supercharger, comprising:
a shaft having an axis of rotation;
a gearcase comprising a primary gear housing section and a removable gear housing section;
wherein the primary gear housing section and removable gear housing section meet at a location that is substantially parallel to the shaft axis of rotation;
wherein the primary gear housing section and removable gear housing section include semicircular recesses that provide an opening in the supercharger dimensioned to receive the shaft.
2. The supercharger of claim 1, wherein the location is substantially coplanar with the axis of rotation of a driveshaft or an impeller shaft.
3. The supercharger of claim 1, wherein the location is selected from a group consisting of: a substantially flat plane formed between the primary gear housing section and removable gear housing section, and a substantially flat surface formed between the primary gear housing section and removable gear housing section.
4. The supercharger of claim 1, further comprising a lubrication reservoir disposed within the supercharger.
5. The supercharger of claim 4, wherein the lubrication reservoir is separate and detachable.
6. The supercharger of claim 4, wherein the lubrication reservoir includes a heat transfer element.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for engaging first and second bone fixation elements in a bone fixation frame, comprising:
a first clamp structure configured to engage a first bone fixation element, and having a first spherically contoured bearing surface;
a second clamp structure configured to engage a second bone fixation element, and having a second spherically contoured bearing surface seated in sliding contact with the first bearing surface; and
a spring-loaded mechanism operative to apply a spring force urging the bearing surfaces together to resist pivotal movement of the clamp structures relative to each other.
2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the spring-loaded mechanism is operative to vary the applied spring force.
3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the spring-loaded mechanism is operative in a first condition to apply only the spring force to urge the bearing surfaces together, and is operative in a second condition to apply both the spring force and an additional force to urge the bearing surfaces together.
4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the spring-loaded mechanism is operative to increase the applied spring force upon shifting from the first condition toward the second condition.
5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a connector device extending from the second clamp structure to the first clamp structure, and wherein the second clamp structure has a third spherically contoured bearing surface, the connector device has a fourth spherically contoured bearing surface seated in sliding contact with the third bearing surface, and the spring-loaded mechanism is operative to apply a single spring force urging the first and second bearing surfaces together and also urging the third and fourth bearing surfaces together.
6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the connector device is a screw-threaded bolt with a head having the fourth bearing surface.
7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the bearing surface on one of the clamp structures is concave and engages the other bearing surface circumferentially to an extent that is insufficient to capture the other clamp structure.
8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the first bearing surface is concave and the second bearing surface is convex.
9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the first clamp structure is a unitary part consisting of a single body of material.
10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the first clamp structure comprises two opposed pieces that together define a channel configured to receive the first bone fixation element between the two opposed pieces.
11. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the second clamp structure is a unitary part consisting of a single body of material.
12. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the second clamp structure comprises an elongated body with a ball end defining the second bearing surface.
13. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the second clamp structure has a part with the second bearing surface and a different part configured to engage the second bone fixation element.
14. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the first clamp structure is configured to engage more than one bone fixation element, and the second clamp structure is configured to engage only one bone fixation element.
15. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising first and second fasteners configured to fasten the first and second bone fixation elements to the first and second clamp structures, respectively.
16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the first and second fasteners are set screws.
17. An apparatus for engaging first and second bone fixation elements in a bone fixation frame, comprising:
a first clamp structure configured to engage a first bone fixation element, and having a first spherically contoured bearing surface;
a second clamp structure configured to engage a second bone fixation element, and having a second spherically contoured bearing surface seated in sliding contact with the first bearing surface;
a connector bolt having a head engaging the second clamp structure and a screw-threaded stem extending to the first clamp structure;
a tightening device in screw-threaded engagement with the stem of the connector bolt; and
a spring compressed between the first clamp structure and the tightening device, whereby the tightening device can apply a spring force to the connector bolt to tighten the contact of the bearing surfaces.
18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the tightening device is rotatable relative to the connector bolt so as to vary compression of the spring by moving along the connector bolt relative to the spring and the first clamp structure.
19. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the connector bolt and the first clamp structure are free of a key that blocks rotation of the connector bolt relative to the first clamp structure.
20. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the connector bolt and the tightening device are together configured to block disengagement of the tightening device from the connector bolt.
21. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the tightening device has a flexible locking portion configured to snap into interlocked engagement with the connector bolt upon moving along the connector bolt.
22. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the stem of the connector bolt has a right-hand screw thread and a left-hand screw thread, and the tightening device has a corresponding right-hand screw thread and a corresponding left-hand screw thread.
23. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the bearing surface on one of the clamp structures is concave and engages the other bearing surface circumferentially to an extent that is insufficient to capture the other clamp structure.
24. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the first bearing surface is concave and the second bearing surface is convex.
25. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the first clamp structure comprises two opposed pieces that together define a channel configured to receive the first bone fixation element between the two opposed pieces.
26. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the second clamp structure is a unitary part consisting of a single body of material.
27. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the second clamp structure comprises an elongated body with a ball end defining the second bearing surface.
28. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the second clamp structure has a part with the second bearing surface and a different part configured to engage the second bone fixation element.
29. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the first clamp structure is configured to engage more than one bone fixation element, and the second clamp structure is configured to engage only one bone fixation element.
30. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising first and second fasteners configured to fasten the first and second bone fixation elements to the first and second clamp structures, respectively.
31. An apparatus as defined in claim 30 wherein the first and second fasteners are set screws.
32. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the first clamp structure is a unitary part consisting of a single body of material.
33. An apparatus for use in a bone fixation frame, comprising:
a plurality of radiolucent bone fixation elements;
a radiolucent connector device permanently interconnecting the radiolucent bone fixation elements immovably relative to each other;
a first clamp structure configured to engage one of the radiolucent bone fixation elements, and having a first spherically contoured bearing surface;
a second clamp structure configured to engage a separate bone fixation element, and having a second spherically contoured bearing surface seated in sliding contact with the first bearing surface; and
a spring-loaded mechanism operative to apply a spring force urging the bearing surfaces together to resist pivotal movement of the clamp structures relative to each other.
34. An apparatus as defined in claim 33 wherein the radiolucent bone fixation elements and the connector device are formed of a carbon fiber composite material.
35. An apparatus as defined in claim 33 wherein the radiolucent bone fixation elements include three elements in a T-shaped arrangement.
36. An apparatus as defined in claim 33 wherein the connector device has bores in which terminal end portions of the radiolucent bone fixation elements are received and anchored.
37. An apparatus as defined in claim 33 wherein the radiolucent bone fixation elements include straight rods.
38. An apparatus as defined in claim 37 wherein the straight rods include two rods that are inclined at an obtuse angle relative to each other.
39. An apparatus as defined in claim 38 wherein the obtuse angle is about 155\xb0.
40. An apparatus as defined in claim 33 wherein the radiolucent bone fixation elements include curved rods.
41. An apparatus as defined in claim 40 wherein the curved rods include two rods with equal radii of curvature.
42. An apparatus as defined in claim 40 wherein the curved rods include two rods that are curved concentrically.
43. An apparatus for use in a bone fixation frame, comprising:
a plurality of radiolucent bone fixation elements; and
a radiolucent connector device permanently interconnecting the fixation elements immovably relative to each other.
44. An apparatus as defined in claim 43 wherein the fixation elements and the connector device are formed of a carbon fiber composite material.
45. An apparatus as defined in claim 43 wherein the fixation elements include three fixation elements in a T-shaped arrangement.
46. An apparatus as defined in claim 43 wherein the connector device has bores in which terminal end portions of the fixation elements are received and anchored.
47. An apparatus as defined in claim 43 wherein the fixation elements include straight rods.
48. An apparatus as defined in claim 47 wherein the straight rods include two rods that are inclined at an obtuse angle relative to each other.
49. An apparatus as defined in claim 48 wherein the obtuse angle is about 155\xb0.
50. An apparatus as defined in claim 43 wherein the fixation elements include curved rods.
51. An apparatus as defined in claim 50 wherein the curved rods include two rods with equal radii of curvature.
52. An apparatus as defined in claim 50 wherein the curved rods include two rods that are curved concentrically.