Flexible Drive Coupling for Generator Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing generator systems face challenges in accommodating misalignment between rotary members under radial and axial loads, leading to potential wear and inefficiencies in power transmission, particularly in high-energy demand applications like commercial and military vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A flexible drive coupling member composed of flex drive rings with specific connecting zones and mechanical fasteners, allowing for radial and axial deflection to accommodate misalignment between the driving and driven members, ensuring torque transmission with minimal torsional deflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a rigid coupling is used to transmit torque between rotary members, then torque transmission efficiency is improved, but misalignment between members causes wear and reduces reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible drive rings with radially extending flexible elements that can deflect radially and axially. These flexible elements act as compliant components that absorb misalignment between driving and driven members while maintaining torque transmission, eliminating the need for rigid couplings that would cause wear under misalignment conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible elements change their physical state by deflecting radially under radial load and axially under axial load. This dynamic parameter change allows the coupling to adapt to varying misalignment conditions while maintaining effective torque transmission, resolving the contradiction between rigid torque transmission and flexible misalignment accommodation.
2Reliability
If flexible elements are added to accommodate misalignment, then reliability is improved, but torsional deflection increases reducing power transmission efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elements are designed with specific local properties - they are flexible in radial and axial directions to accommodate misalignment, but maintain high torsional stiffness in the rotational direction. This localized differentiation of mechanical properties allows the coupling to be flexible where needed while remaining rigid for power transmission, eliminating the trade-off between flexibility and torsional stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform connecting zones are used in all flex drive rings, then manufacturing is simplified, but performance under varying radial and axial loads is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry by providing different connecting zone configurations in different flex drive rings. Specifically, one flex drive ring has a first pair of connecting zones while another has a second pair of connecting zones positioned differently. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes the coupling's performance under varying radial and axial loads, allowing each ring to handle specific load conditions more effectively.
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 flexible drive coupling member effectively accommodates misalignment without causing wear, ensuring reliable and efficient power transmission in generator systems, even under varying loads, thereby enhancing the durability and performance of generator systems in high-energy demand applications.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient connection for transmitting torque from a driving member to a driven member with substantially no torsional deflection while allowing the driven member to deflect radially under radial load and deflect axially under axial load
Data Source
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AI summary
A generator assembly (6) includes a rotor (24), an accessory pulley drive shaft (36) operatively coupled to the rotor (24), and a flexible drive coupling member (40; 140) operatively coupling the accessory pulley drive shaft (36) and the rotor (24). The flexible drive coupling member (40; 140) includes a plurality of flex drive rings (64-66; 164-166) that are configured to transmit torque from the rotor (24) to the accessory pulley drive shaft (36) with substantially no torsional deflection while allowing the accessory pulley drive shaft (36) to deflect radially under radial load and deflect axially under axial load in order to accommodate misalignment of the accessory pulley drive shaft (36).