Break away spline misalignment coupling
AssigneeRobert M. Jones
InventorJoseph M. Lisiecki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A torque-limiting coupling may be used to provide a torsion drive between an engine or motor and a driven accessory. If an accessory should experience a catastrophic failure a torsion limit is exceeded and a spline breaks away from the coupling. This guarantees that the internal engine gearing used to drive the accessory is not compromised and interfering with essential moving parts inside the engine. Further, a misalignment compensation limits the side load and wear that occurs when coupling two precision shafts with little clearance on the bearings. With a misalignment coupling, the mount can be slightly out of parallel with no negative effects.
Claims14
A two component torque-limiting coupler consisting of:
- a first component having a first end that is configured to coaxially mate to a receiver said receiver configured to rotate;
- a second component configured to mate to the first component and configured to rotate;
- a neck region positioned mesially within the first component, configured to automatically experience higher shear stresses than either end of the first component and second components when torque is applied;
- the first component further consisting of a bore;
- and
- wherein a band of material surrounds at least a portion of the first-component's second end, the band of material having softer durometer than the material of the second component.
A two component system for transmitting torque, the system consisting essentially of;
- a two component torque-limiting coupler;
- wherein a first component is a rotating component having an axially-centered receiver including splines on a first end and having a second proximal end;
- a second component is a rotating component having a second axially-centered receiver port, the second receiver port having a perimeter profile with varying distance from the axis of rotation;
- wherein the first component's second proximal end has a profile corresponding to the perimeter profile of the second component's receiver port and configured to be inserted into the second component's receiver port;
- wherein the first component's mesial has a neck region configured to experience higher shear loads than either end of the first component and second component when torque is applied;
- a bore on the spline end of the first component;
- and
- wherein the system further consists of a band of material surrounding at least a portion of the first-component's second end, the band of material having a softer durometer than the material of the second component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.