US 4,261,211 A · Flexure joint, particularly for connecting a gyroscope to its driving shaft

Abstract

The flexure joint for connecting two members for relative angular displacement comprises a pair of flexure leaves which merge with the members at their ends and cross each other and are rigidly connected with each other at the crossing point. Relative angular displacement of the members results in a flexure of the leaves. The flexure universal joint for connecting a gyroscope to its driving member comprises a Cardan member hinged by a pair of co-axial spaced flexure joints of the kind described hereinabove for relative angular displacement about a first hinge axis to the driving member and hinged by a second pair of co-axial spaced flexure joints of the same type to the gyroscope member for relative angular displacement about a second hinge axis, which intersects the axis of rotation of said gyroscope at right angles, said first hinge axis intersecting said second hinge axis and the axis of rotation of said driving member at right angles.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A flexure joint for pivotally connecting a pair of rigid bodies with each other, said joint comprising

a first spring leaf extending between said bodies and having its ends rigidly merged therewith at a first merger point on each body,
a second spring leaf extending between said bodies, crossing said first spring leaf, and having its ends rigidly merged with said bodies at second merger points spaced an invariable distance on each body from said first merger point thereon, and
said spring leaves being rigidly connected to each other at the crossing point of said leaves so as to form a pivot axis extending through said crossing point transversely to said spring leaves.

In a flexure Cardan joint the combination comprising a driving member for rigid connection to a rotary driving shaft, a Cardan member, a first pair of spaced co-axial flexure joints for pivotally connecting said Cardan member to said driving member for common rotation therewith and for relative pivotal displacement about a first hinge axis intersecting the axis of said driving shaft at right angles, a driven member, and a second pair of spaced co-axial flexure joints for connecting said driven member to said Cardan member for common rotation therewith and for relative pivotal displacement about a second hinge axis intersecting the axis of said driving shaft and said first hinge axis at right angles, each of said joints comprising a pair of leaves, each leaf having

(a) a transverse axis coinciding with said respective hinge axis,
(b) two end sections fixed to said respective members and spaced from said hinge axis and
(c) a mid-section, the mid section of one of said leaves of each pair being rigidly connected with the mid-section of the other one of said leaves of said last mentioned pair at said transverse axis, said leaves of each pair extending at an angle to and intersecting each other, whereby said pivotal displacement will produce bending stresses in said leaves as distinguished from torsional stresses.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Flexure joint, particularly for connecting a gyroscope to its driving shaft

Life of this patent

Flexure joint, particularly for connecting a gyroscope to its driving shaft

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7