Flexible metallic drive shaft diaphragm having enhanced damage tolerance

An aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage;
• an engine arranged in the fuselage;
• a drive shaft connected to the engine, the drive shaft including at first drive shaft section connected to a second drive shaft section by a flexible diaphragm coupler comprising:
• a first flange having a first central support and a first flange element extending radially outwardly from the first central support, the first flange element including a first rim portion having a first axially facing surface and a second axially facing surface, the second axially facing surface including a first plurality of interlock elements;
• a second flange having a second central support axially selectively aligned with the first central support and a second flange element extending radially outwardly from the second central support, the second flange element including a second rim portion having a first axially facing surface section and a second axially facing surface section, the first axially facing surface section including a second plurality of interlock elements;
• and
• a diaphragm member disposed between the first flange and the second flange, the diaphragm member including a first diaphragm element connected with a second diaphragm element, the first diaphragm element including a first central support element and a first disc member extending radially outwardly from the first central support element and the second diaphragm element including a second central support element and a second disc member extending radially outwardly from the second central support element,
• wherein the first disc member includes a first rim element having a first axially facing surface portion and a second axially facing surface portion, the first axially facing surface portion including a plurality of interlock members that connect with the first plurality of interlock elements, and
• wherein the second disc member includes a second rim element having a third axially facing surface portion and a fourth axially facing surface portion, the fourth axially facing surface portion including a second plurality of interlock members that connect with the second plurality of interlock elements.