Flexible coupling

Abstract

To provide a flexible coupling capable of reducing the radial size while securing the strength and durability.SOLUTION: A flexible coupling 1 for connecting rotary members to each other in the state of enabling torque transmission includes cord members 2, a plurality of connection members 4 on which the cord members 2 are wound and which are connected to a predetermined rotary member, and a body member 3 on and to which the cord members 2 and the connection members 4 are arranged and fixed, the connection members 4 having collar parts 4a arranged on a first pitch circle PC1 of the body member 3 at equal spaces and connected to the rotary member, shaft parts 4b arranged on a second pitch circle PC2 having a smaller diameter than the first pitch circle PC1 at equal spaces, and connection parts 4c connecting the collar parts 4a and the shaft parts 4b in an integral manner, respectively, the cord members 2 being wound between the collar parts 41a of the connection members 41 and the shaft parts 42b of the other connection members 42 adjacent thereto for transmitting toque between the connection members 41, 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a flexible coupling that connects two rotating members in a state capable of torque transmission while absorbing vibration and eccentricity between the two rotating members.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an invention related to a flexible coupling used in a vehicle. The flexible coupling described in this Patent Document 1 is composed of six wire winding members (connection collars), a torque transmission wire (cord), and an annular elastic body (main body). The wire winding members are arranged at equal intervals on a circumference centered on the rotation axis (the circumference of the annular elastic body). The torque transmission wire has a positive torque transmission wire and a negative torque transmission wire, and the positive torque transmission wire and the negative torque transmission wire are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction of the annular elastic body and wound around adjacent wire winding members.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As shown in Figure 1(a), the flexible coupling described in Patent Document 1 above has positive torque transmission wires 103 and negative torque transmission wires 104 alternately wound around adjacent wire winding members 101 and 102. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1(b), the axial direction (overall length direction / left-right direction in Figure 1(b)) of the wire winding members 101 and 102 is divided into areas where positive torque transmission wires 103 are wound and areas where negative torque transmission wires 104 are wound. In other words, the positive torque transmission wires 103 and negative torque transmission wires 104 are partially wound around the entire length of the wire winding members 101 and 102, respectively. In a flexible coupling 100 with such a configuration, in order to ensure the number of turns of torque transmission wires 103 and 104 from the viewpoint of strength and durability, the number of turns of torque transmission wires 103 and 104 must be increased in the radial direction of the wire winding members 101 and 102, respectively. As a result, the size of the flexible coupling 100 also increases in the radial direction. For example, as shown in Figure 2, when the flexible coupling 100 is used in the connection between the vehicle's propeller shaft 200 and the output shaft of the transmission (not shown) or the rotating member on the differential gear side (not shown), the outer diameter of the flexible coupling 100 becomes the largest outer diameter part (usually, the outer diameter of the flexible coupling 100 is larger than the outer diameter of the propeller shaft 200 or the output shaft of the transmission). Therefore, if the size of the flexible coupling 100 increases, its mountability on the vehicle decreases.

[0005] This invention was conceived in response to the technical challenges described above, and aims to provide a flexible coupling that can be miniaturized in the radial direction while ensuring strength and durability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, this invention provides a flexible coupling that connects two different rotating members in a manner that enables torque transmission, comprising: a linear cord member; a plurality of connecting members around which the cord member is wound and which are connected to a predetermined rotating member; and a main body member for which the cord member and the connecting members are positioned and fixed, wherein the connecting member has a collar portion arranged at equal intervals on a first pitch circle concentric with the rotating member on the main body member and connected to the rotating member; a shaft portion arranged at equal intervals on a second pitch circle concentric with the rotating member on the main body member and having a smaller diameter than the first pitch circle; and a connecting portion that integrally connects the collar portion and the shaft portion, wherein the cord member is connected between the collar portion of a predetermined connecting member and the shaft portion of an adjacent connecting member. The material is wound over approximately the entire axial length of the collar portion and the shaft portion, respectively. The system is characterized by being applied to and transmitting torque between adjacent connecting members. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the flexible coupling of this invention, the connecting member around which the cord member is wound consists of a collar portion and a shaft portion. The collar portion and the shaft portion are a single rigid member connected by a connecting portion, and are members that can transmit force to each other through the connecting portion. The collar portion is positioned on a first pitch circle of the main body member, while the shaft portion is positioned on a second pitch circle with a smaller diameter than the first pitch circle. The cord member is then wound around the collar portion of the connecting member and the shaft portion of another connecting member adjacent to that connecting member in the circumferential direction of the main body member. The diameters of the first pitch circle and the second pitch circle are set so that adjacent cord members do not cross or interfere with each other when winding the cord member. As shown in Figure 1 above, in a conventional configuration, the cord member can only be wound around a portion of the total length of the connecting member (wire winding member). In contrast, in the flexible coupling of this invention, the cord member can be wound around almost the entire length of the connecting member (collar portion and shaft portion). Therefore, compared to conventional configurations, the number of turns in the cord member is increased to ensure strength without increasing the radial size. But Therefore, the flexible coupling of this invention makes it possible to reduce the size in the radial direction while ensuring strength and durability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the problems of the prior art. Figure 1(a) is a front view cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a conventional flexible coupling, and Figure 1(b) is a cross-sectional view of the AA cutting line and the BB cutting line in Figure 1(a). [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the problems of the conventional technology, and shows an example (partially a cross-sectional view) of a flexible coupling applied to a vehicle's propeller shaft. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the flexible coupling of this invention, where Figure 3(a) is a front view cross-sectional view showing an example of the flexible coupling of this invention, and Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of the CC cutting line in Figure 3(a). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments shown below are merely examples of how this invention can be implemented and do not limit the invention.

[0010] Figure 3 shows an example of a flexible coupling targeted in this embodiment of the invention. The flexible coupling 1 shown in Figure 3 is basically configured similarly to the "flexible coupling" described in Patent Document 1. That is, the flexible coupling 1 includes a cord member 2 that functions similarly to the "torque transmission wire" described in Patent Document 1. It also includes a main body member 3 that functions similarly to the "annular elastic body" described in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, it includes a connecting member 4 that functions similarly to the "wire winding member" described in Patent Document 1, but with added new functions not found in conventional "wire winding members". The flexible coupling 1 connects two different rotating members (not shown) in a state where torque can be transmitted while absorbing vibration and eccentricity.

[0011] The cord member 2 is a linear torque transmission member that, as described later, is wrapped around adjacent connecting members 4 and transmits torque between those connecting members 4. The cord member 2 is made of a resin material having the required tensile strength and elasticity, such as polyester or nylon. Multiple cord members 2 are provided, corresponding to the number of connecting members 4 described later.

[0012] The main body member 3 is an annular elastic member that fixes the cord member 2 and the connecting member 4 around which the cord member 2 is wound. Specifically, the main body member 3 is made of a resin material having the required strength and elasticity, such as rubber or plastic, and is positioned and fixed with the cord member 2 and connecting member 4 embedded inside. As will be described later, the main body member 3 has a first pitch circle PC1 and a second pitch circle PC2 set in the circumferential direction, concentric with a predetermined rotating member that connects to the flexible coupling 1. The collar portion 4a and the shaft portion 4b of the connecting member 4, which will be described later, are positioned on the first pitch circle PC1 and the second pitch circle PC2, respectively. The first pitch circle PC1 and the second pitch circle PC2 have different diameters, with the diameter of the second pitch circle PC2 being smaller than the diameter of the first pitch circle PC1.

[0013] The connecting member 4 is connected to a predetermined rotating member (not shown) that is connected by a flexible coupling 1, around which the cord member 2 is wound. The connecting member 4 consists of a collar portion 4a, a shaft portion 4b, and a connecting portion 4c. Multiple connecting members 4 are provided for winding the cord member 2 as described above. In the example shown in Figure 3, six connecting members 4 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the main body member 3.

[0014] The collar portion 4a of the connecting member 4 is a cylindrical rigid member, and the cord member 2 is wrapped around its outer surface. The hollow portion on the inner circumference forms bolt holes for fastening bolts (not shown) that connect the flexible coupling 1 and a predetermined rotating member. The connecting member 4 is positioned such that the collar portion 4a is located on the first pitch circle PC1 of the main body member 3.

[0015] The shaft portion 4b of the connecting member 4 is a cylindrical rigid member, and the cord member 2 is wrapped around its outer surface. The connecting portion 4c integrally connects the collar portion 4a and the shaft portion 4b. Therefore, the collar portion 4a and the shaft portion 4b are an integral rigid member connected by the connecting portion 4c, and are members that can transmit force to each other via the connecting portion 4c. The connecting member 4 is arranged such that the collar portion 4a is located on the first pitch circle PC1 of the main body member 3, and the shaft portion 4b is located on the second pitch circle PC2 of the main body member 3.

[0016] Then, the cord members 2 are wrapped around the collar portion 4a and shaft portion 4b of adjacent connecting members 4 in the circumferential direction of the main body member 3. Specifically, in the example shown in Figure 3, for example, a connecting member 41 on the side connected to the output shaft of a transmission (not shown) and a connecting member 42 on the side connected to a propeller shaft (not shown) are arranged alternately at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the main body member 3. Then, the cord members 21 and 22 are wrapped around the space between the collar portion 41a of adjacent connecting members 41 and the shaft portion 42b of connecting member 42, and between the shaft portion 41b of connecting member 41 and the collar portion 42a of connecting member 42, respectively.

[0017] Note that the diameters of the first pitch circle PC1 and the second pitch circle PC2 in the main body member 3 are set such that when the cord members 2 (21, 22) are wound around the collar portions 4a (41a, 42a) and the shaft portions 4b (41b, 42b) of the connecting members 4 (41, 42), the adjacent cord members 2 (21, 22) do not cross or interfere with each other.

[0018] As described above, in the flexible coupling 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the connecting member 4 (41, 42) around which the cord members 2 (21, 22) are wound is composed of a collar portion 4a (41a, 42a) and a shaft portion 4b (41b, 42b). The collar portion 4a (41a, 42a) and the shaft portion 4b (41b, 42b) are an integral structural member connected by a connecting portion 4c (41c, 42c). The collar portion 4a (41a, 42a) is arranged on the first pitch circle PC1 in the main body member 3, while the shaft portion 4b (41b, 42b) is arranged on the second pitch circle PC2 having a smaller diameter than the first pitch circle PC1. And the cord members 21, 22 are wound around the collar portions 41a, 42a and the shaft portions of the adjacent connecting members 41, 42 in the circumferential direction of the main body member 3. 41b, 42b and The cord members 21, 22 are wound around them.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1 described above, in the conventional configuration, the cord member can be wound only around a part of the entire length of the connecting member (wire winding member). In contrast, in the flexible coupling 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the cord members 21, 22 can be wound around substantially the entire length in the axial direction of the collar portion 4a (41a, 42a) and the shaft portion 4b (41b, 42b). Therefore, compared with the conventional configuration, the number of windings of the cord members 21, 22 can be increased to ensure strength without increasing the size in the radial direction.

[0020] <00,As described above, in the flexible coupling 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the connecting member 4 (41, 42) around which the cord members 2 (21, 22) are wound is composed of a collar portion 4a (41a, 42a) and a shaft portion 4b (41b, 42b). The collar portion 4a (41a, 42a) and the shaft portion 4b (41b, 42b) are an integral structural member connected by a connecting portion 4c (41c, 42c). The collar portion 4a (41a, 42a) is arranged on the first pitch circle PC1 in the main body member 3, while the shaft portion 4b (41b, 42b) is arranged on the second pitch circle PC2 having a smaller diameter than the first pitch circle PC1. And the cord members 21, 22 are wound around the collar portions 41a, 42a and the shaft portions of the adjacent connecting members 41, 42 in the circumferential direction of the main body member 3.

Explanation of Symbols

[0021] 1 Flexible coupling 2, 21, 22 Cable members 3 Body member 4, 41, 42 Connection members 4a, 41a, 42a Color parts (of the connection members) 4b, 41b, 42b Shaft parts (of the connection members) 4c, 41c, 42c Connecting parts (of the connection members) 100 [Prior art] Flexible coupling 101, 102 [Prior art] Wire winding members 103 [Prior art] Positive torque transmission wire 104 [Prior art] Negative torque transmission wire 200 [Prior art] Propeller shaft PC1 First pitch circle PC2 Second pitch circle

Claims

[Claim 1] A flexible coupling comprising a linear cord member, a plurality of connecting members around which the cord member is wound and which are connected to a predetermined rotating member, and a main body member for which the cord member and the connecting members are positioned and fixed, wherein two different rotating members are connected in a manner that enables torque transmission, The connecting member has a collar portion that is arranged at equal intervals on a first pitch circle concentric with the rotating member on the main body member and connects to the rotating member, a shaft portion that is arranged at equal intervals on a second pitch circle concentric with the rotating member on the main body member and has a smaller diameter than the first pitch circle, and a connecting portion that integrally connects the collar portion and the shaft portion. The cord member is wrapped around the collar portion of a predetermined connecting member and the shaft portion of an adjacent connecting member, over substantially the entire axial length of both the collar portion and the shaft portion, thereby transmitting torque between adjacent connecting members. A flexible coupling characterized by the following features.

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