Composite Drive Shaft Flange for Tolerance and Corrosion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drive shafts with integrated flanges lack sufficient strength and flexibility to accommodate angular and axial tolerances, leading to potential structural weaknesses and corrosion issues, especially in critical applications like aircraft and spacecraft.
Innovation Solution
A drive shaft design featuring a hollow body made of a first composite material with an integrally formed flange made of a second composite material, comprising separate plates that branch out at predetermined angles relative to the rotation axis, providing increased flexibility and strength by adjusting fiber lay-up and thickness to accommodate loads, and incorporating reinforcement around mounting holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metallic flanges are used with composite drive shafts, then connection strength is improved, but corrosion and stress fractures occur at the connection area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using composite material for both the drive shaft and flange, eliminating material heterogeneity at the connection interface. This prevents galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals and reduces stress concentration that occurs when connecting metal flanges to composite shafts. The flange is manufactured as an integral part of the composite drive shaft, ensuring uniform material properties throughout the connection area.
2Ease of manufacture
If flanges are manufactured separately from drive shafts, then ease of manufacture is improved, but device complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the flange and drive shaft into a single integral composite structure. The flange is manufactured as an integral part of the composite drive shaft through continuous fiber reinforcement that extends from the shaft body into the flange. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly processes, reducing the number of parts from two (shaft and flange) to one integrated component.
3Device complexity
If conventional integrated flange designs are used, then device complexity is reduced, but flexibility to accommodate angular and axial tolerances is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by incorporating flexible elements within the integral composite structure. The design includes flexible connectors or elastomeric elements that allow the flange to accommodate angular and axial tolerances while maintaining structural integrity. This enables the single integrated component to dynamically adapt to misalignments without requiring separate adjustment mechanisms.
4Reliability
If composite material flanges are used, then corrosion issues are eliminated, but strength is reduced compared to metal flanges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses advanced composite materials with continuous fiber reinforcement to achieve both high strength and corrosion resistance. The flange is constructed using fiber-reinforced polymer composites with optimized fiber orientation and distribution to match the load requirements. This provides strength comparable to metal flanges while eliminating corrosion issues, as the composite material is inherently resistant to galvanic and environmental corrosion.
Data Source
AI summary
A drive shaft made from composite materials that comprises a hollow body and a flange that is integrally formed with the hollow body. The hollow body is adapted to rotating around an associated rotation axis and is made of a first composite material. The flange is made of a second composite material and arranged at an axial end of the hollow body. The flange comprises at least two separate plates that branch out from the hollow body at the axial end. The flange further comprises a mounting section that is configured to be mounted to an external component and comprises a plurality of holes that is adapted to accommodate coupling means.