Shaft Coupling Integrating Rotary Feed Rotor for Compact Drive Trains

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drive train designs for reels are lengthened due to the need for a shaft extension to accommodate a rotary feed, which complicates torque transmission and hydraulic fluid supply, making them less efficient and harder to maintain.

Innovation Solution

The shaft coupling integrates the rotor of the rotary feeder to serve both hydraulic connection and torque transmission between the input and output shafts, with detachable coupling halves and flexible rotor line pieces, allowing for axial and angular adjustments without impairing torque or hydraulic connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a shaft extension is added to accommodate the rotary feed, then hydraulic fluid supply is enabled, but the drive train length increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehydraulic fluid supplyVSAvoiddrive train length
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The rotary feed rotor is integrated as a component of the shaft coupling, merging the hydraulic connection function with the torque transmission function into a single integrated unit. This eliminates the need for a separate shaft extension, thereby reducing the overall drive train length while maintaining hydraulic fluid supply capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The rotor of the rotary feed is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the hydraulic connection element (rotor of the rotary feed) and as the torque transmission element (rotor of the shaft coupling). This multi-functionality allows the same component to fulfill both hydraulic and mechanical roles, eliminating the need for additional shaft extensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If the rotor serves both hydraulic connection and torque transmission, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor integrates both hydraulic connection features (ports, fluid lines) and torque transmission features (coupling interfaces, mechanical structure) into a single component. This merging reduces the total number of separate parts and assemblies, thereby reducing device complexity despite the increased precision requirements for manufacturing the integrated rotor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3434922B1Shaft coupling and drive train for a reel with such a shaft coupling
Publication Date: 2020.02.26 ACHENBACH BUSCHHITTEN GMBH
  • EP3434922B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3434922B1 patent drawingFigure 2~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a shaft coupling (57) for transmitting a torque from a drive shaft (56) to an output shaft (11), wherein the output shaft (11) has at least one hydraulic consumer which is supplied with hydraulic fluid via a rotary feed, wherein a stator (37) of the rotary feed has at least one pressure port (35, 36) for connection to an external hydraulic line and a rotor (38) of the rotary feed has at least one port for a fluid line arrangement (29) formed within the output shaft (11) for connection to the consumer, and at least one annular channel (43, 44) is formed between the stator (37) and the rotor (38) for connecting the external hydraulic line to the fluid line arrangement (29), wherein the rotor (38) of the rotary feed forms a component of the shaft coupling (57).