Patent · US Expired

Flexible drive coupling

US4194372A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
7References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 26, 1978
Grant dateMar 25, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 26, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16D3/76
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A flexible drive coupling for innerconnecting a pair of rotatable shafts includes a hub and an outer member. The outer member has formed in it a central opening and is disposed so as to circumscribe the hub and to be generally concentric with the central axis of the hub. Secured to and disposed between the hub and the outer member is a flexing section. The flexing section includes a plurality of helically wound, radially alternating layers of a resilient material and a substantially inextensible material. The layers of the flexing section, when viewed in section taken transversely through the layers and generally parallel to the central axis of the hub, have widths that diminish with increasing radial distance from the hub. The widths of successive resilient layers, however, diminish with increasing radial distance from the hub at a faster rate than the widths of successive and intervening inextensible layers. As a result, the strains experienced by the resilient layers are more uniformly distributed throughout the layers and the coupling has an increased capablility for permitting angular misalignment between the shafts joined by the coupling.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.