Shaft Uncoupling Claw with Clearance Displacement Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for uncoupling power shafts under high torque conditions, such as those in aeronautical equipment, face issues like wear and parasitic torques due to rotating parts during normal operation, and require complex mechanisms for emergency disengagement and recoupling.
Innovation Solution
A claw coupling system with a longitudinal displacement mechanism that maintains a clearance between fixed and rotating parts, using a part fixed in rotation to drive the claw coupling, ensuring no wear during normal operation and avoiding parasitic torques, and includes a recoupling mechanism for efficient re-engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a claw coupling system uses rotating parts during normal operation to drive disengagement, then the disengagement function is activated, but wear and parasitic torques occur during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the disengagement mechanism into independent segments: a fixed part attached to the stationary shaft and a moving part attached to the rotating claw coupling. The longitudinal displacement means is divided into a fixed component and a rotating component that only engage during disengagement, allowing the disengagement function to be activated without continuous rotation of disengagement parts during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The longitudinal displacement means is pre-positioned with a clearance during normal operation, ready to engage only when disengagement is required. The fixed part and moving part are preliminarily arranged in position but remain disengaged, eliminating wear and parasitic torques during normal operation while ensuring immediate availability when needed.
2Power
If the longitudinal displacement means maintains continuous contact between fixed and rotating parts, then driving force is transmitted, but wear occurs during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The contact state between the fixed part and moving part of the longitudinal displacement means dynamically changes: during normal operation, a clearance maintains them separated to eliminate wear; during disengagement, they engage to transmit driving force. This dynamic transition allows the system to optimize both power transmission and wear prevention at different operational phases.
3Ease of operation
If rotating parts are used for disengagement, then the claw coupling can be displaced, but parasitic torques hinder the displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the parasitic torque-generating elements (rotating parts of the longitudinal displacement means) from continuous operation. The moving part of the longitudinal displacement means only rotates and engages when disengagement is required, removing the source of parasitic torques during normal operation and easing the claw coupling displacement when needed.
4Reliability
If emergency disengagement is required during high torque operation, then shaft uncoupling is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex rotating mechanism to drive disengagement during high torque, the invention inverts the approach: the longitudinal displacement means uses a fixed part to drive a moving part that leverages the existing rotation of the claw coupling. This inverted mechanism achieves emergency disengagement with simpler components and fewer moving parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for uncoupling a drive shaft of a piece of equipment from an input shaft. The device includes a claw including first teeth and first splines to (i) move longitudinally along a first of the shafts by co-operating with second splines borne by the second of the shafts and (ii) engage or disengage the first teeth in relation to the second teeth positioned on the second shaft. The device also includes a longitudinal movement mechanism including a stationary part acting on a longitudinally mobile piece to move the claw between a coupling position and an uncoupling position. The longitudinal movement mechanism drives the claw by co-operation between a rotationally fixed piece and a piece that is linked to the claw and rotated therewith, a longitudinal clearance being maintained during operation between the piece that is rotationally fixed and the rotated piece.