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US 9,822,821 B2Granted
Rotating shaft coupling assembly
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorScot Webb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotating shaft coupling assembly includes a first rotating shaft defining a step at a longitudinal end. A second rotating shaft has a longitudinal end to be received against the step of the first rotating shaft such that the first and second rotating shafts form an overlapping portion. A coupler sleeve including a shape memory alloy is disposed about at least the overlapping portion of the first and second rotating shafts to couple the shafts together.
Claims17
A rotating shaft coupling assembly comprising:
- a first rotating shaft defining a step at a longitudinal end;
- a second rotating shaft having a longitudinal end to be received against the step of the first rotating shaft such that the first and second rotating shafts form an overlapping portion;
- a coupler sleeve fabricated from a shape memory alloy contracted to a strong phase by heat and disposed about at least the overlapping portion of the first and second rotating shafts to couple the shafts together wherein the first rotating shaft defines a first hole therethrough interiorly of said shape memory alloy coupler sleeve and the second rotating shaft defines a second hole therethrough interiorly of said shape memory alloy coupler sleeve such that the holes are axially aligned with one another for receiving a connector pin through the holes, wherein a portion of the shape memory alloy coupler sleeve is positioned radially outside the connector pin.
A rotating shaft coupling assembly comprising:
- a first rotating shaft defining a step at a longitudinal end;
- a second rotating shaft having a longitudinal end to be received against the step of the first rotating shaft such that the first and second rotating shafts form an overlapping portion;
- and
- a coupler sleeve fabricated from a shape memory alloy disposed about at least the overlapping portion of the first and second rotating shafts to couple the shafts together, wherein said coupler sleeve includes a pair of circumferential ribs disposed at the end portions of the interior of said sleeve, said ribs being received within recesses in said first and second shafts for the location and retention of the coupler sleeve relative thereto, wherein the first and second rotating shafts each comprise a metallic material.
1 more element
A rotating shaft coupling assembly comprising:
- a first rotating shaft defining a step at a longitudinal end;
- a second rotating shaft having a longitudinal end to be received within the first rotating shaft and against the step of the first rotating shaft such that the first and second rotating shafts form an overlapping portion with the first rotating shaft radially outside of the second rotating shaft in the overlapping portion;
- a coupler sleeve fabricated from a shape memory alloy contracted to a strong phase by heat and disposed about at least the overlapping portion of the first and second rotating shafts to couple the shafts together wherein the first rotating shaft defines a first hole therethrough interiorly of said shape memory alloy coupler sleeve and the second rotating shaft defines a second hole therethrough interiorly of said shape memory alloy coupler sleeve such that the holes are axially aligned with one another for receiving a connector pin through the holes, wherein the first and second rotating shafts each comprise a nickel based alloy material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.