Flexible couplings with multi-mode diaphragm pairs
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorsBertrand J. Howard, Christopher Briddell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flexible coupling includes a first disc and a second disc arranged along a rotation axis. The first disc and the second disc each include a radially inner hub portion, a radially outer rim portion, and a diaphragm portion extending between the hub portion and the rim portion. The first disc rim portion is connected to the second disc rim portion and the first disc has a diametral response mode that is different than a diametral response mode of the second disc to limit deformation in the flexible coupling when communicating rotation between a drive member and a driven member connected to one another by the flexible coupling. Drive trains and methods of making flexible couplings are also described.
Claims23
A multi-mode flexible coupling between a drive member and a driven member which are connected to one another by the flexible coupling, comprising:
- a first disc arranged along a rotation axis, the first disc including:
- a first radially inner hub portion;
- a first radially outer rim portion;
- and
- a first diaphragm portion extending between the first radially inner hub portion and the first radially outer rim portion;
- and
- a second disc arranged along a rotation axis, the second disc including:
- a second radially inner hub portion;
- a second radially outer rim portion;
- and
- a second diaphragm portion extending between the second radially inner hub portion and the second radially outer rim portion, the second radially outer rim portion connected the first radially outer rim portion,
- wherein the first disc is shaped to have a first diametral response mode and the second disc is shaped to have a second diametral response mode that is different than the first diametral response mode to limit deformation in the flexible coupling when communicating rotation between the drive member and the driven member connected to one another by the flexible coupling.
A method of making a flexible coupling for a drive train, comprising:
- defining a first diaphragm portion between a first radially inner hub portion and a first radially outer hub portion of a first disc with a first diametral response mode;
- defining a second diaphragm portion between a second radially inner hub portion and a second radially outer hub portion of a second disc with a second diametral response mode, wherein shape of the second diaphragm portion is different than shape of the first diaphragm portion to select the second diametral response mode such that the second diametral response mode is different than the first diametral response mode;
- and
- connecting the second radially outer rim portion of the first disc to the first radially outer rim portion of the second disc such that the first diametral response mode and the second diametral mode limit deformation in the flexible coupling when communicating rotation between a drive member and a driven member connected to one another by the flexible coupling.
A method of damping a diaphragm disc in flexible coupling, comprising:
- at a flexible coupling comprising a first disc and a second disc arranged along a rotation axis, the first disc and the second disc each having a radially inner hub portion, a radially outer rim portion, and a diaphragm portion extending between the hub portion and the rim portion, the first disc rim portion connected to the second disc rim portion, the first disc has a diametral response mode that is different than a diametral response mode of the second disc,
- communicating rotation between a drive member and a driven member connected to one another by the flexible coupling;
- exciting the first disc at the first diametral response mode with misalignment between the drive member and the driven member;
- and
- limiting deformation in the flexible coupling by damping the first disc with the different diametral response of the second of the second disc to the excitation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.