US 2010/0144451 A1 · HIGH TORQUE DENSITY FLEXIBLE COMPOSITE DRIVESHAFT

Abstract

An all-composite continuous filament wound flexible composite driveshaft with integral spacing tube and flexible diaphragms and methods of manufacture is disclosed. The flexible composite driveshaft obsoletes the split lines and associated fasteners required to attach metallic flex elements and either metallic or composite spacing tubes in current solutions. Sub-critical driveshaft weights half that of incumbent technology are projected for typical rotary wing shaft lengths. Fully anisotropic material properties are mapped to the deeply sculpted diaphragm geometry of flexible composite coupling elements, and a parametric numerical study of the complex shell disclosed. Continuous filament wound spacing tubes are described, which comprise an integral part of the initial tooling but which remain part of the finished shaft and control natural frequencies and torsional stability in conjunction with the flexible composite diaphragms.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A composite material flexible driveshaft comprising:

an integral composite spacing tube having first and second ends;
a first coupling element formed at the first end of the integral composite tube and a second coupling element formed at the second end of the integral composite tube, each coupling element having at least one pair of diaphragms, each diaphragm having a sculpted profile which extends from an outer diameter to an inner diameter, the sculpted profile formed by a first angled wall which extends from the outer diameter generally defined by a diameter of the integral composite tube to the inner diameter of the diaphragm, an inner diameter wall located at the inner diameter of the diaphragm and contiguous with the first angled wall, and a second angled wall which extends from an opposite side of the inner diameter wall and to the outer diameter, and a shaft attachment structure which extends from the diaphragm and is configured for attachment to a drive element;
the spacing tube and first and second coupling elements being formed by continuous filament wound in a perfect geodesic path.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High torque density flexible composite driveshaft

Life of this patent

High torque density flexible composite driveshaft

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20