Coupling and shaft sleeve protection structure

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of couplings, in particular to a coupling and a shaft sleeve protection structure, the coupling comprising two symmetrically arranged connecting shaft sleeves and a roller chain assembly sleeved outside the two connecting shaft sleeves; the shaft sleeve protection structure of the coupling comprises two symmetrically arranged protection sleeves used for covering the roller chain assembly and a fastener used for locking the two protection sleeves; one end of the protection sleeve is provided with a hinged seat used for rotationally connecting with an adjacent protection sleeve; and the protection sleeve is integrally connected with a connecting piece used for matching with the fastener at an end far from the hinged seat. The application has the effect of improving the problem of high maintenance cost of the coupling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of couplings, and in particular to a coupling and bushing protection structure. Background Technology

[0002] Couplings are essential basic components in mechanical transmission systems used to connect two shafts. They transmit torque and compensate for relative misalignment between the two shafts. Their core function is to reliably transmit power while ensuring shaft alignment or allowing a certain degree of misalignment (such as radial or angular deviation), while minimizing the impact of vibration and shock on the transmission system. Couplings are widely used in industrial equipment, power transmission, and other fields.

[0003] In related technologies, flange-type rigid couplings typically consist of two bushings rigidly connected by flanges and bolts. The bushings have gear teeth on their outer circumferences or transmit torque directly through the flange faces. The coupling employs a two-part structure, fixed to the shaft ends by flat keys or tight fits, and then the flanges are aligned and connected by bolts to form a rigid transmission system. This type of coupling relies on the bolt tightening of the flanges to ensure alignment accuracy, and the transmission components (such as gear teeth or friction surfaces) are directly integrated into the flange or bushing body, making the structure inseparable.

[0004] Regarding the aforementioned technologies, when transmission components (such as gear teeth or flange faces) are damaged due to wear, overload, or fatigue, the transmission components cannot be separated from the flange or bushing. During maintenance, the entire bushing or flange assembly must be disassembled from the equipment and replaced as a whole, resulting in material waste, increased maintenance costs, and extended downtime due to component replacement, which affects equipment operating efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the issue of high maintenance costs for couplings, this application provides a coupling and bushing protection structure.

[0006] Firstly, the coupling provided in this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A coupling includes two symmetrically arranged connecting bushings and a roller chain assembly sleeved on the outside of the two connecting bushings. The roller chain assembly includes two parallel roller chains and a connecting chain plate for fixing the two roller chains. Each roller chain is used to cooperate with the two connecting bushings in a one-to-one manner.

[0008] The connecting bushing has a sleeve and several transmission gear teeth. The transmission gear teeth are circumferentially arranged and integrally connected to the outer peripheral wall at the end of the sleeve for meshing with the roller chain. The sleeve has a keyway for the shaft to be connected to pass through.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, the transmission gear teeth are integrated into the sleeve end of the connecting bushing, forming a detachable meshing with the roller chain assembly. When the roller chain is damaged due to wear or fatigue, only the roller chain assembly needs to be replaced without disassembling the entire bushing and the connected equipment shaft. The roller chain can be quickly disassembled and replaced when damaged, significantly reducing maintenance costs. The sleeve is fixed to the shaft to be connected via a keyway, and the meshing transmission between the transmission gear teeth and the roller chain forms a dual torque transmission path, distributing the load, reducing single-point stress concentration, and improving impact resistance, making it suitable for high-load conditions.

[0010] Furthermore, the roller chain includes a plurality of rollers, chain plates, and pins for connecting the rollers and chain plates. There is a meshing gap between two adjacent rollers for the transmission wheel teeth to extend into. The length of a single chain plate is equal to the sum of the diameters of the two rollers and the length of the meshing gap. Each chain plate has two connecting through holes for the pins to pass through and for engaging with the rollers.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the length of the chain plate is set to be equal to the sum of the diameters of the two rollers and the meshing clearance. The chain plate is connected to the pin through a through hole. When the roller chain breaks due to fatigue or overload, only the damaged chain plate needs to be removed and replaced with a new one; the entire chain does not need to be replaced. Undamaged rollers, pins, and adjacent chain plates are retained, reducing maintenance costs. The strict matching of the chain plate length with the rollers and the meshing clearance ensures a stable meshing relationship between the chain plate and the rollers. When both ends of the chain plate contact adjacent rollers, its length exactly covers the diameters of the two rollers and fills the meshing clearance, preventing impact noise or tooth skipping caused by excessive clearance during chain transmission, while also reducing relative sliding wear between the chain plate and the rollers.

[0012] Secondly, this application provides a bushing protection structure for a coupling, adapted to the coupling described in the first aspect, and adopts the following technical solution:

[0013] A bushing protection structure for a coupling includes two symmetrically arranged protective sleeves for enclosing the roller chain assembly and fasteners for locking the two protective sleeves.

[0014] One end of the protective sleeve is provided with a hinge seat for rotatably connecting with the adjacent protective sleeve, and a connecting piece for cooperating with the fastener is integrally connected to the end of the protective sleeve away from the hinge seat.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the protective sleeve forms an openable structure with the hinged seat and connecting piece. When the roller chain breaks, the sleeve can temporarily close and wrap around the broken part, preventing broken rollers or chain plates from flying and causing equipment damage or personal injury. It also avoids downtime accidents caused by flying parts, providing safety assurance for temporary continuation of operation. After the protective sleeve covers the roller chain assembly, it can limit the entry of external foreign objects (such as dust and moisture) into the broken area, reducing secondary damage. At the same time, the constraint effect of the sleeve on the remaining unbroken chain links can delay the spread of the fault, allowing the equipment to continue operating under low load conditions until the work stoppage, reducing production line shutdowns caused by sudden failures.

[0016] Furthermore, the protective sleeve includes an abutting half-ring for abutting the roller chain and two symmetrically arranged and integrally connected to both sides of the abutting half-ring. The limiting half-rings are arranged along the length direction of the abutting half-ring and are perpendicular to each other with the abutting half-ring. The connecting piece is provided at the end of the abutting half-ring.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the abutment half-ring and the limiting half-ring form an L-shaped vertical structure, which constrains the displacement of the roller chain from both radial and axial directions. The abutment half-ring directly adheres to the outer surface of the roller chain to provide radial support, while the limiting half-ring restricts the axial movement of the roller chain through an end groove, preventing the rollers or chain plates from coming off due to chain breakage and reducing the risk of secondary damage to the equipment. The connecting piece is located at the end of the abutment half-ring and cooperates with the hinge seat to form an openable structure. During maintenance, only one side of the connecting piece needs to be loosened, and the protective sleeve along the hinge seat can be flipped to expose the broken part of the roller chain without completely disassembling the coupling, thus enabling quick disassembly and partial maintenance.

[0018] Furthermore, the number of fasteners is multiple, and the connecting piece is provided with multiple fixing through holes at intervals for each of the fasteners to pass through and be fixed.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, multiple fasteners are spaced apart in the fixing through holes of the connecting piece, forming multi-point constraints and avoiding stress concentration. When the protective sleeve is impacted, the load is evenly transferred to the bushing through multiple fasteners, reducing the risk of local deformation and extending the structural life. By adjusting the preload of the fasteners, the contact pressure between the protective sleeve and the bushing can be dynamically controlled.

[0020] Furthermore, the abutting half-ring is fixedly connected to the inner wall with an abutting rubber strip for abutting against the roller chain, and the abutting rubber strip is arranged along the length direction of the abutting half-ring.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the contact strip is made of highly elastic rubber, which absorbs the impact energy between the roller chain and the protective sleeve through its elastic deformation. When the chain is subjected to a sudden change in load, the strip can compress by 5-10mm, significantly reducing the impact force and avoiding fatigue cracks caused by direct collision of metal parts.

[0022] Furthermore, the number of abutting strips is two, and the two abutting strips are arranged parallel to each other on the inner wall of the abutting half ring, and the width of each abutting strip matches the width of the roller chain.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, two parallel rubber strips are arranged to form a double-layer buffer barrier. When the roller chain is impacted, the two rubber strips absorb energy through deformation, dispersing the single-point impact force to the double rubber strip area. The parallel arrangement of the two rubber strips forms a continuous sealing band, which, after matching the width of the roller chain, can cover the gaps in the roller chain. The double rubber strips are the same width as the roller chain, ensuring full coverage of the contact surface. When the chain expands due to heat or vibrates and shifts, the two rubber strips adaptively adjust the bonding pressure through elastic deformation, avoiding unilateral wear.

[0024] Furthermore, the abutment strip has a groove on the side near the roller chain for matching each of the roller chains.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, the groove and roller shape are precisely matched, and geometric constraints prevent axial movement or radial displacement of the roller. When the roller chain is impacted, the groove can limit the displacement of the roller, prevent the roller from detaching from the chain plate, and reduce the risk of chain breakage. The arc-shaped inner wall of the groove forms multi-point contact with the roller surface, distributing the concentrated load to the entire groove area.

[0026] Furthermore, the fastener includes a bolt for passing through the fixing through hole of the two connecting pieces and a nut threaded to the bolt for locking.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the threaded engagement of the bolt and nut forms a mechanical interlock. With the nut in place, dynamic anti-loosening is achieved through superimposed preload. The bolt and nut combination supports quick assembly and disassembly, allowing for replacement of the protective sleeve without the need for special tools. This shortens maintenance time and reduces downtime losses.

[0028] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0029] 1. The roller chain assembly and connecting bushing adopt a detachable meshing structure. The transmission wheel teeth are integrated into the end of the bushing sleeve. When the roller chain is damaged, only the chain link assembly needs to be replaced. There is no need to disassemble the bushing and equipment shaft as a whole. Traditional couplings require complete replacement or complex disassembly and assembly, which shortens the maintenance time. Only the damaged chain link (such as rollers and chain plates) needs to be replaced, reducing the material loss rate.

[0030] 2. The protective sleeve forms an openable structure with the hinged seat and connecting piece. It has a built-in abutment strip and L-shaped limiting semi-ring, which can temporarily wrap the broken roller chain to prevent parts from splashing. When the roller chain breaks, the sleeve closes to limit the spread of splashes and avoid equipment damage and personal injury. After the sleeve covers the broken area, it blocks dust and moisture from entering and reduces the risk of secondary damage. The equipment can continue to operate under low load until shutdown for maintenance.

[0031] 3. The protective sleeve adopts abutment rubber strip (groove + double-layer parallel arrangement), multi-point bolt locking and L-shaped limiting structure to disperse impact load and dynamically adjust the bonding pressure. The rubber strip absorbs compression deformation, and the groove geometrically constrains the roller displacement to prevent the chain from coming off. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a coupling and bushing protection structure according to Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0033] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the structure of a coupling according to Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a coupling bushing protection structure in the open state according to Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0035] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of the middle connecting plate and fasteners.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a coupling bushing protection structure in the open state according to Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Connecting bushing; 11. Transmission gear tooth; 12. Keyway; 2. Roller chain assembly; 21. Roller chain; 211. Roller; 2111. Meshing clearance; 212. Chain plate; 213. Pin; 22. Connecting chain plate; 3. Protective sleeve; 31. Hinge seat; 32. Connecting piece; 321. Fixing through hole; 33. Abutting half ring; 34. Limiting half ring; 35. Abutting rubber strip; 351. Groove; 4. Fastener; 41. Bolt; 42. Nut. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this application clearer, the following description is provided in conjunction with the appendix. Figure 1-5 Examples 1 and 2 will be used to further describe this application in detail.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] Firstly, embodiments of this application disclose a coupling. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The coupling includes two symmetrically arranged connecting bushings 1 and a roller chain assembly 2 sleeved on the outside of the two connecting bushings 1. The two connecting bushings 1 correspond one-to-one with the two shafts to be connected, and the roller chain 21 is used to connect the two connecting bushings 1.

[0041] The roller chain assembly 2 includes two parallel roller chains 21 and a connecting chain plate 22 for fixing the two roller chains 21 together. Each roller chain 21 is used to engage with one of the two connecting bushings 1. The connecting bushing 1 has a sleeve and a plurality of drive gear teeth 11. The drive gear teeth 11 are circumferentially arranged and integrally connected to the outer peripheral wall at the end of the sleeve for meshing with the roller chains 21. The sleeve has a keyway 12 for the shaft to be connected to pass through.

[0042] The roller chain 21 includes a plurality of rollers 211, chain plates 212, and pins 213 for connecting the rollers 211 and the chain plates 212. In this embodiment, a meshing gap 2111 is provided between two adjacent rollers 211 for the transmission gear teeth 11 to extend into. The length of a single chain plate 212 is equal to the sum of the diameters of the two rollers 211 and the length of the meshing gap 2111. Each chain plate 212 has two connecting through holes through which the pins 213 pass and mate with the rollers 211.

[0043] Secondly, embodiments of this application disclose a bushing protection structure for a coupling, adapted to the coupling described in the first aspect. (Refer to...) Figure 3 and Figure 4 The bushing protection structure of the coupling includes two symmetrically arranged protective sleeves 3 for covering the roller chain assembly 2 and fasteners 4 for locking the two protective sleeves 3.

[0044] One end of the protective sleeve 3 is provided with a hinge seat 31 for rotatable connection with an adjacent protective sleeve 3. A connecting piece 32 for cooperating with a fastener 4 is integrally connected to the end of the protective sleeve 3 away from the hinge seat 31. In this embodiment, the number of fasteners 4 is preferably two. The connecting piece 32 has two fixed through holes 321 spaced apart for the fasteners 4 to pass through and be fixed in a one-to-one correspondence. The fastener 4 includes a bolt 41 for passing through the fixed through holes 321 of the two connecting pieces 32 and a nut 42 threaded to the bolt 41 for locking.

[0045] The protective sleeve 3 includes an abutting half-ring 33 for abutting the roller chain 21 and two symmetrically arranged limiting half-rings 34 integrally connected to both sides of the abutting half-ring 33. The limiting half-rings 34 are arranged along the length direction of the abutting half-ring 33 and are perpendicular to each other with the abutting half-ring 33, and the connecting piece 32 is provided at the end of the abutting half-ring 33.

[0046] An abutting half-ring 33 is fixedly connected to the inner wall with an abutting rubber strip 35 for abutting against the roller chain 21. The abutting rubber strip 35 is arranged along the length direction of the abutting half-ring 33, and the width of the abutting rubber strip 35 is equal to the distance between the two limiting half-rings 34.

[0047] The implementation principle of the bushing protection structure of the coupling in this embodiment is as follows: The protective sleeve 3 forms a flip-up structure with the connecting piece 32 through the hinge seat 31, and achieves rapid opening and closing with the bolt 41-nut 42 locking system. When the roller chain 21 breaks, the sleeve can temporarily close and wrap the broken part to prevent the roller 211 or chain plate 212 from splashing. The limiting half rings 34 are arranged vertically on both sides of the abutting half ring 33 to form radial support (abutting the roller chain 21) and axial limitation (preventing the chain link from coming off). The inner wall is provided with an elastic rubber strip (such as polyurethane material), the width of which matches the spacing of the limiting half rings 34. The connecting piece 32 is provided with two fixed through holes 321 at intervals, and the bolt 41-nut 42 combination forms multi-point constraint. In the closed state, the L-shaped limiting half ring 34 and the abutting half ring 33 form a closed cavity, blocking dust and moisture from entering the broken area and reducing the risk of secondary damage. There is no need to completely disassemble the coupling; only the bolt 41 needs to be loosened to expose the broken part, shortening the single maintenance time.

[0048] Example 2

[0049] This application discloses a bushing protection structure for a coupling. The difference between the bushing protection structure in this embodiment and the bushing protection structure in Embodiment 1 is that the way the abutment rubber strip 35 is set is different.

[0050] In this embodiment, there are two abutment strips 35, and the two abutment strips 35 are arranged parallel to each other on the inner wall of the abutment half-ring 33. The width of each abutment strip 35 matches the width of the roller chain 21. The abutment strip 35 has a groove 351 on the side near the roller chain 21 for matching each roller 211.

[0051] Two parallel rubber strips 35 form a double-layer buffer barrier. When the roller chain 21 is impacted, the two rubber strips absorb energy through deformation, dispersing the single-point impact force to the double rubber strip area. The parallel arrangement of the two rubber strips forms a continuous sealing band, which, after matching the width of the roller chain 21, can cover the gaps in the roller chain 21. The width of the two rubber strips is consistent with that of the roller chain 21, ensuring full coverage of the contact surface. When the chain expands due to heat or vibrates and shifts, the two rubber strips adaptively adjust the bonding pressure through elastic deformation, avoiding unilateral wear.

[0052] The groove 351 precisely matches the shape of the roller 211, preventing axial movement or radial displacement of the roller 211 through geometric constraints. When the roller chain 21 is subjected to impact, the groove 351 can limit the displacement of the roller 211, preventing the roller 211 from detaching from the chain plate 212 and reducing the risk of chain breakage. The arc-shaped inner wall of the groove 351 forms multi-point contact with the surface of the roller 211, distributing the concentrated load throughout the entire groove 351 area.

[0053] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A coupling, characterized in that: It includes two symmetrically arranged connecting bushings (1) and a roller chain assembly (2) sleeved on the outside of the two connecting bushings (1). The roller chain assembly (2) includes two parallel roller chains (21) and a connecting chain plate (22) for fixing the two roller chains (21). Each roller chain (21) is used to cooperate with the two connecting bushings (1) in a one-to-one correspondence. The connecting bushing (1) has a sleeve and a plurality of transmission gear teeth (11). The transmission gear teeth (11) are circumferentially arranged and integrally connected to the outer peripheral wall at the end position of the sleeve for meshing with the roller chain (21). The sleeve has a keyway (12) for the shaft to be connected to pass through.

2. The coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that: The roller chain (21) includes a plurality of rollers (211), chain plates (212), and pins (213) for connecting the rollers (211) and the chain plates (212). There is a meshing gap (2111) between two adjacent rollers (211) for the transmission gear teeth (11) to extend into. The length of a single chain plate (212) is equal to the sum of the diameters of the two rollers (211) and the length of the meshing gap (2111). Each chain plate (212) has two connecting through holes for the pins (213) to pass through and for engaging with the rollers (211).

3. A bushing protection structure for a coupling, adapted to the coupling as described in any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: It includes two symmetrically arranged protective sleeves (3) for covering the roller chain assembly (2) and fasteners (4) for locking the two protective sleeves (3); One end of the protective sleeve (3) is provided with a hinge seat (31) for rotatably connecting with the adjacent protective sleeve (3), and the protective sleeve (3) is integrally connected with a connecting piece (32) for cooperating with the fastener (4) at the end away from the hinge seat (31).

4. The bushing protection structure for a coupling according to claim 3, characterized in that: The protective sleeve (3) includes an abutting half ring (33) for abutting the roller chain (21) and two symmetrically arranged and integrally connected to both sides of the abutting half ring (33). The limiting half ring (34) is arranged along the length direction of the abutting half ring (33) and is perpendicular to the abutting half ring (33). The connecting piece (32) is provided at the end of the abutting half ring (33).

5. The bushing protection structure for a coupling according to claim 3, characterized in that: The number of fasteners (4) is multiple, and the connecting piece (32) is provided with multiple fixing through holes (321) at intervals for each of the fasteners (4) to pass through and be fixed.

6. The bushing protection structure for a coupling according to claim 4, characterized in that: The abutting half-ring (33) has an abutting rubber strip (35) fixedly connected to its inner wall for abutting against the roller chain (21), and the abutting rubber strip (35) is arranged along the length direction of the abutting half-ring (33).

7. The bushing protection structure for a coupling according to claim 6, characterized in that: The number of abutting strips (35) is two, and the two abutting strips (35) are arranged parallel to each other on the inner wall of the abutting half ring (33). The width of each abutting strip (35) matches the width of the roller chain (21).

8. The bushing protection structure for a coupling according to claim 7, characterized in that: The abutting strip (35) has a groove (351) on the side near the roller chain (21) for matching each of the roller chains (21).

9. The bushing protection structure for a coupling according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fastener (4) includes a bolt (41) for passing through the fixing through hole (321) of the two connecting pieces (32) and a nut (42) threaded to the bolt (41) for locking.

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