Self-centering flexible coupling
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsDariusz Kielbowicz, Marcin Cis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coupling for allowing torque transmission between a first and second shaft, the coupling comprising: a cup-shaped portion provided at a first end of said first shaft and a first end of said second shaft being positioned within said cup-shaped portion; and said coupling further comprising a biasing means positioned between said first and second shafts, such that said biasing means is in contact with both of said first and second shafts. A shaft system can include the first coupling in combination with a third shaft and a second coupling that is provided between the third shaft and either a second end of said first shaft or a second end of said second shaft. The second coupling is identical to the first coupling.
Claims10
A shaft system for torque transmission, the shaft system comprising:
- a first shaft;
- a second shaft;
- a third shaft;
- and
- a first coupling comprising:
- a cup-shaped portion formed integral with a first end of said first shaft;
- a first end of said second shaft being positioned within said cup-shaped portion;
- and
- a biasing means positioned between said first and second shafts, such that said biasing means is in contact with both of said first and second shafts;
- wherein:
- said first shaft extends longitudinally along a first shaft axis;
- said second shaft extends longitudinally along a second shaft axis;
- the first shaft axis is coaxial with the second shaft axis in an equilibrium position;
- and
- said biasing means is arranged so as to compress in response to angular misalignment away from the equilibrium position between the first and second shaft axes and to compress in response to relative axial movement of the first and second shafts towards each other away from the equilibrium position;
- the shaft system further comprising:
- a second coupling being provided between said third shaft and a second end of said first shaft (12),
- wherein said second coupling is identical to the first coupling;
- wherein the biasing means of the second coupling is located in an internal cavity of a given one of the first shaft and third shaft, wherein the given one of the first and third shafts does not have the cup-shaped portion;
- wherein the second shaft is connected to a frame,
- wherein the third shaft is connected to a movable part that is connected to the frame,
- wherein the first shaft floats freely between the second and third shafts such that the first shaft is only connected to the frame via the first and second couplings.
A method of coupling a first shaft, a second shaft and a third shaft together for torque transmission, the method comprising:
- providing said first shaft having a first end with a cup-shaped portion integrally formed with the first shaft, and positioning a portion of a first end of said second shaft within said cup-shaped portion of said first shaft;
- and
- providing a first biasing means between said first and second shafts so that said biasing means contacts both of said first and second shafts;
- wherein:
- said first shaft extends longitudinally along a first shaft axis;
- said second shaft extends longitudinally along a second shaft axis;
- the first shaft axis is coaxial with the second shaft axis in an equilibrium position;
- and
- said first biasing means is arranged so as to compress in response to angular misalignment away from the equilibrium position between the first and second shaft axes and to compress in response to relative axial movement of the first and second shafts towards each other away from the equilibrium position,
- the method further comprising:
- coupling a second end of the first shaft to the third shaft;
- providing a second biasing means between said first and third shafts so that said second biasing means contacts both of said first and third shafts;
- wherein the second biasing means are located in an internal cavity of a given one of the first shaft and third shaft, wherein the given one of the first and third shafts does not have the cup-shaped portion;
- wherein the second shaft is connected to a frame,
- wherein the third shaft is connected to a movable part that is connected to the frame,
- wherein the first shaft floats freely between the second and third shafts such that the first shaft is only connected to the frame via the first and second couplings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.