Transmission for torque transfer with axial compliance
AssigneeMTS Systems Corporation
InventorsBradley Schulz, Paul Leska, Dennis Willis, Harold Fahrendorff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transmission for torque transfer with axial compliance and a test machine employing the transmission has a flexible connector that provides high torsional stiffness and high axial compliance while inducing no frictional forces. The transmission includes an axial portion allowed to translate freely along its axis due to a high axial compliance of the transmission while the transmission simultaneously facilitates rigid torque transfer.
Claims26
A transmission for torque transfer with axial compliance, comprising:
- a rotational element configured for rotation with respect to a non-rotational element, the rotational element having an axis of rotation and being movable axially along the axis of rotation with respect to the non-rotational element and rotatable around the axis of rotation;
- a rotational transfer link rotatable about the axis of rotation and drivable by an actuator;
- and
- a flexible connector coupled between the rotational transfer link and the rotational element, the flexible connector being flexible along the axis of rotation and torsionally stiff so as to rigidly transfer torque between the rotational transfer link and the rotational element without inducing friction to the relative axial movement between the rotational element and the non-rotational element.
A testing machine comprising:
- a test station having:
- an axial force applicator with an actuator element that applies a controlled axial force to a test specimen and is axially movable substantially frictionlessly;
- and
- a torque transmitter that rotates the actuator element substantially frictionlessly to apply a controlled torque to the test specimen through the axial force applicator.
An orthopedic device test machine, comprising:
- at least one test station, comprising:
- a rotational element configured to apply forces to an orthopedic device test specimen;
- and
- a torque transmission coupled to the rotational element and being axially compliant and torsionally stiff so as to provide rigid torque transfer to the rotational element while allowing substantially free axial translation of the rotational element.
The orthopedic device test machine, further comprising a plurality of the axially compliant elements coupled in series.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.