Unitary Rotary Coupling With Axial Spacing for Shaft Misalignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional couplings for transmitting rotational energy between shafts have limited flexibility, leading to high stress and potential failure due to misalignment, and often require additional flexible elements that increase weight and cost.

Innovation Solution

A unitary coupling member with axially spaced connections, comprising a single piece body with parallel coupling elements and a hub, featuring varying thickness and material voids to enhance flexibility and reduce weight, manufactured through additive processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional couplings are used to transmit torque between shafts, then torque transmission is achieved, but the coupling has limited flexibility and cannot accommodate extreme misalignment angles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemisalignment accommodationVSAvoidcoupling failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling member is divided into multiple coupling elements (first coupling element, second coupling element, etc.) that are arranged axially spaced from each other. Each coupling element can independently deflect to accommodate misalignment, allowing the coupling to handle extreme misalignment angles while maintaining reliability through distributed flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional flexible elements are added to increase misalignment tolerance, then misalignment accommodation improves, but the weight and fabrication cost of the coupling increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemisalignment toleranceVSAvoidcoupling weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple coupling elements that provide flexibility and misalignment accommodation are merged into a single unitary coupling member formed as one piece. This integration eliminates the need for separate flexible elements, reducing overall weight while maintaining the ability to accommodate misalignment through the distributed coupling elements within the unified structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate coupling elements are used to provide flexibility, then misalignment accommodation improves, but the device complexity and fabrication cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidcoupling construction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first coupling element, second coupling element, and other flexible components are merged into a single unitary coupling member formed by additive manufacturing. This eliminates the need for assembly of multiple separate parts, reducing device complexity while maintaining the flexibility provided by the axially spaced coupling elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling elements feature varying thickness parameters (thinner portions, thicker portions) that are optimized to provide appropriate flexibility for misalignment accommodation. These parameter variations are achieved through additive manufacturing, which allows complex geometric parameters to be realized without increasing fabrication complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If the coupling is designed with high strength to withstand misalignment stresses, then reliability improves, but the coupling becomes less flexible and heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestress resistanceVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling member features local variations in thickness and material distribution, with thinner portions providing flexibility for misalignment accommodation and thicker portions providing strength for stress resistance. This local quality differentiation allows the coupling to be both flexible and strong without requiring uniform high strength throughout the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3997354B1Unitary yielding coupling member with axially spaced connections to join two rotary members

Publication Date: 2025.11.05 JOHN CRANK UK

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A

AI summary

Coupling members to join two rotary members are described. The coupling members (300) include a unitary body having a first coupling element (302), a second coupling element (304), and a hub (306), wherein the unitary body forms a single piece with the hub (306) extending between and connecting the first coupling element (302) to the second coupling element (304). The first coupling element (302) defines a first plane, the second coupling element (304) defines a second plane with the first and second planes being parallel, and the hub (306) defines a hub axis normal to the first and second planes. Each of the first and second coupling elements (302, 304) comprises a plurality of connection elements (308, 310) arranged about a respective circumference having a respective radius extending from the hub axis., wherein a material of the respective coupling element in a respective circle and in a respective plane is less than the area of the circle. The material forming the first and second coupling elements (302, 304) is arranged in a respective circumscribing circle over an area less than the total area defined by the circle in the respective plane.