Elastic Coupling Tube Geometry for Lower Bolt Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shaft connections with elastic couplings face premature failure due to insufficient stability at the screw connection point, leading to reduced service life and potential breakdown during driving, exacerbated by increased torque requirements and limited installation space.
Innovation Solution
A shaft connection design featuring tubes with distinct sections, where the end section has a larger inner diameter forming an annular contact surface, allowing axial flange projections to engage and reduce the lever length, thereby distributing force more efficiently and minimizing load on the elastic coupling, thus enhancing service life without significant increases in installation space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a collar is added to the tube to increase contact area and fatigue strength, then the fatigue strength is improved, but the axial length increases and the lever arm increases negating the load reduction effect
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from axial extension (collar protruding beyond coupling) to radial expansion (enlarged inner diameter of end section). By creating a fitting area within the existing axial boundaries through radial dimension changes, the design achieves increased contact area without extending the axial length, thus maintaining compact coupling dimensions while improving load distribution and fatigue strength
2Stress or pressure
If the contact area is increased to reduce specific load, then the specific load is reduced, but the lever arm increases which negates the load reduction benefit
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing contact area through axial extension (which increases lever arm), the invention uses radial expansion by enlarging the inner diameter of the end section. This creates a fitting area that increases contact area while keeping the axial position unchanged, thereby reducing specific load without increasing the lever arm between force application point and tube contact surface
3Strength
If high-strength tubes and flanged tubes are used to counteract bolted load, then the tube strength is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the tube and collar into a single integrated component. The end section of the tube is designed with an enlarged inner diameter that directly forms the fitting area, eliminating the need for separate collars, flanged tubes, or additional guiding components. This integration maintains high strength to counteract bolted loads while reducing device complexity and component count
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
The design effectively reduces the torque load on the elastic coupling, increasing its service life and operational stability while maintaining a compact size, thereby addressing the issues of premature failure and space constraints.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomer body (9) circumferentially, in particular at least partially, enclosing the tubes (2-7), in which the at least one fiber bundle (10, 11) is embedded
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of loop packages, each loop package encircling two adjacent bushings, and a rubber-elastic covering in which the loop packages and the bushings are at least partially embedded
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of loop packages, each loop package encircling two adjacent bushings
Implementation Method 4
at least one fiber bundle (10, 11) by means of which the tubes (2-7) are coupled to one another, in particular in a torque-transmitting manner
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Elastic coupling with several tubes (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) extending in an axial direction (x) and arranged at a distance from each other around a coupling center axis (8) extending in the axial direction (x), at least one thread package (10, 11) by means of which the tubes are coupled to each other, and at least one elastomer body (9) circumferentially enclosing the tubes, in which the at least one thread package (10, 11) is embedded, wherein at least one or each of the tubes has two tube sections following one another in the axial direction (x), one of which forms a main section (12) and another an end section (13) integrally formed with it, which has a larger inner diameter than the main section (12), the end face of which facing the end section (13) forms an annular contact surface (14) oriented transversely to the axial direction (x).