Axle-Supported Annular Coupling for Concentric Misalignment Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing couplings face issues with long-term wear and efficiency due to friction between complementary surfaces, particularly under substantial loads, and struggle with maintaining concentricity and handling angular misalignment effectively.
Innovation Solution
The coupling design incorporates an inner, intermediate, and outer annular member configuration with axles that distribute axial and radial loads, maintaining a small gap between convex and concave surfaces to reduce contact and include a pulse damper with a damping ring to manage misalignment, ensuring rotational freedom and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the complementary spherical surfaces are used to transmit axial loads, then the load transmission capability is improved, but long-term wear on the surfaces increases and friction losses impact efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces axles as intermediary elements that transmit axial loads between the annular members without requiring direct contact between the complementary spherical surfaces. The axles act as mediators that carry the load through bearing surfaces, eliminating the wear problem while maintaining load transmission capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct surface-to-surface mechanical contact system with a bearing-based system. Instead of relying on friction between complementary surfaces for load transmission, the invention uses axles with bearings to transmit loads through reduced-friction contact, substituting the worn-prone mechanical interface with a more durable bearing interface
2Force
If the members are maintained in contact to transmit loads, then load transmission is improved, but friction losses increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The axles serve as intermediaries that transmit loads between annular members through bearing surfaces rather than through direct friction between the complementary spherical surfaces. This intermediary mechanism maintains load transmission while minimizing frictional energy losses
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes the high-friction direct surface contact mechanism with a low-friction bearing system. The bearing interfaces on the axles provide load transmission with significantly reduced friction compared to sliding contact between the spherical surfaces, thereby improving efficiency
3Ease of manufacture
If the coupling design uses simple spherical surfaces, then manufacturing is easier, but the capability to cope with angular misalignment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic element (the flexible membrane) that allows the coupling to adapt to angular misalignment. The membrane can deform and flex to accommodate varying angles between shafts, providing adaptability while the rigid spherical components maintain their simple manufactured forms
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates a flexible membrane that acts as a thin film element to accommodate angular misalignment. This flexible component can bend and deform to allow relative angular movement between the shafts connected by the coupling, thereby increasing adaptability without complicating the manufacturing of the main rigid components
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces friction and wear, maintains concentricity, and effectively handles misalignment, ensuring efficient power transmission and reduced stress and noise across a wider range of angular misalignment.
Implementation Method 1
the torsional damping properties of a rubber ring element to absorb the engine pulses
Implementation Method 2
a pulse damper with a damping ring to manage misalignment
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A coupling (1,2) has an inner member (111) and an outer annular member (131) and an intermediate annular member (121) which when aligned share a common axis and have a common centre on the common axis. The inner and the intermediate annular member are constrained to rotate, one with respect to the other about a second axis perpendicular to the common axis. The intermediate annular member and the outer annular member are constrained to rotate, one with respect to the other about a third axis (Z) perpendicular to the common axis (X) and the second axis (Y). The members are spaced apart to leave a gap (103) between each of the members.