Rotary joint, framework construction kit, framework with rotary joints and method for manufacturing a rotary joint

• US 10,378,198 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Benthien, Herman, Poppe, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Skroupa, Josh
• Application Number:
  US15/247,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20170058959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 403 60, 403 76- 78, 403125, 403127, 403128, 403135, 403170, 464102-105, 464149
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/08 Geodetic or other open-frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/28 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/19 Three-dimensional framework structures
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/1909 with central cylindrical connecting element
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/1942 Struts adjustable in length
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/1969 Ball and socket type connection
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0495 the truss elements being located in several non-parallel surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/06 Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2220/24 by built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32213 Articulate joint is a swivel

Abstract

A rotary joint includes a socket rod having a socket rod flange with a basically spheroid concave bearing surface at a first end, a housing nut encircling the socket rod and having a threaded wrenching head, and a ball rod having a basically spheroid convex bearing surface and threaded side walls around the bearing surface. A diameter of the threaded side walls of the ball rod corresponds to a diameter of the threaded wrenching head of the housing nut. First guiding tracks are on the concave bearing surface oriented into a first swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivable to the ball rod along the first guiding tracks into the first swivelling direction. Second guiding tracks are on the convex bearing surface and oriented into a second swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable to the ball rod along the second guiding tracks into the second swivelling direction.

Claims

1. A rotary joint comprising:

a socket rod having a socket rod flange with a basically spheroid concave bearing surface at a first end;

a housing nut encircling the socket rod and having a threaded wrenching head;

a ball rod having a basically spheroid convex bearing surface and threaded side walls around the bearing surface; and

a concave-convex sliding washer with a basically spheroid convex washer surface and a basically spheroid concave washer surface;

wherein a diameter of the threaded side walls of the ball rod corresponds to a diameter of the threaded wrenching head of the housing nut;

wherein a plurality of first guiding tracks are on the concave bearing surface and are oriented into a first swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the first guiding tracks into the first swivelling direction;

wherein a plurality of second guiding tracks are on the convex bearing surface and are oriented into a second swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the second guiding tracks into the second swivelling direction; and

wherein a plurality of first washer guiding tracks are on the convex washer surface and oriented into the first swivelling direction and wherein a plurality of second washer guiding tracks are on the concave washer surface and oriented into the second swivelling direction.

2. The rotary joint of claim 1, wherein the first swivelling direction is perpendicular to the second swivelling direction and the first guiding tracks of the concave bearing surface of the socket rod flange are slidably interlocked with the first washer guiding tracks of the convex washer surface and the second guiding tracks of the convex bearing surface of the ball rod are slidably interlocked with the second washer guiding tracks of the concave washer surface.

3. The rotary joint of claim 1, wherein the housing nut has a nut hole on the opposite side of the threaded wrenching head, the diameter of the nut hole being larger than the diameter of the socket rod, but smaller than the diameter of the socket rod flange.

4. The rotary joint of claim 1, wherein a curvature of the concave bearing surface of the socket rod flange corresponds to a curvature of the convex bearing surface of the ball rod.

5. The rotary joint of claim 1, wherein a curvature of the concave bearing surface of the socket rod flange corresponds to a curvature of the convex washer surface and a curvature of the convex bearing surface of the ball rod corresponds to a curvature of the concave washer surface.

6. The rotary joint of claim 1, wherein the socket rod comprises a threaded shank at a second end opposite to the first end.

7. The rotary joint of claim 1, further comprising:

a clamping bracket sleeved at least partly over the housing nut and the ball rod to interlock the housing nut with the ball rod.

8. A framework construction kit, comprising:

at least one rotary joint comprising;

a socket rod having a socket rod flange with a basically spheroid concave bearing surface at a first end;

a housing nut encircling the socket rod and having a threaded wrenching head;

a ball rod having a basically spheroid convex bearing surface and threaded side walls around the bearing surface; and

a concave-convex sliding washer with a basically spheroid convex washer surface and a basically spheroid concave washer surface;

wherein a diameter of the threaded side walls of the ball rod corresponds to a diameter of the threaded wrenching head of the housing nut;

wherein a plurality of first guiding tracks are on the concave bearing surface and are oriented into a first swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the first guiding tracks into the first swivelling direction;

wherein a plurality of second guiding tracks are on the convex bearing surface and are oriented into a second swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the second guiding tracks into the second swivelling direction; and

wherein a plurality of first washer guiding tracks are on the convex washer surface and oriented into the first swivelling direction and wherein a plurality of second washer guiding tracks are on the concave washer surface and oriented into the second swivelling direction; and

at least one interconnection strut connected to a second end of the socket rod of the at least one rotary joint or connected to the ball rod of the at least one rotary joint.

9. The framework construction kit of claim 8, further comprising:

at least another rotary joint comprising;

a socket rod having a socket rod flange with a basically spheroid concave bearing surface at a first end;

a housing nut encircling the socket rod and having a threaded wrenching head; and

a ball rod having a basically spheroid convex bearing surface and threaded side walls around the bearing surface;

wherein a diameter of the threaded side walls of the ball rod corresponds to a diameter of the threaded wrenching head of the housing nut;

wherein a plurality of first guiding tracks are on the concave bearing surface and are oriented into a first swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the first guiding tracks into the first swivelling direction; and

wherein a plurality of second guiding tracks are on the convex bearing surface and are oriented into a second swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the second guiding tracks into the second swivelling direction; and

a stepper drive length-adjustably connecting the socket rod or the ball rod of one rotary joint with the socket rod or the ball rod of another rotary joint.

10. The framework construction kit of claim 9, wherein the stepper drive comprises a female-threaded socket rod duct, which is engaged, at a first stepper drive end portion, with a threaded shank of the socket rod of one of the rotary joints and, at a second stepper drive end portion, with a threaded shank of the socket rod of another one of the rotary joints.

11. A framework comprising:

a plurality of rotary joints comprising;

a socket rod having a socket rod flange with a basically spheroid concave bearing surface at a first end;

a housing nut encircling the socket rod and having a threaded wrenching head;

a ball rod having a basically spheroid convex bearing surface and threaded side walls around the bearing surface; and

a concave-convex sliding washer with a basically spheroid convex washer surface and a basically spheroid concave washer surface;

wherein a diameter of the threaded side walls of the ball rod corresponds to a diameter of the threaded wrenching head of the housing nut;

wherein a plurality of first guiding tracks are on the concave bearing surface and are oriented into a first swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the first guiding tracks into the first swivelling direction;

wherein a plurality of second guiding tracks are on the convex bearing surface and are oriented into a second swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the second guiding tracks into the second swivelling direction, and

wherein a plurality of first washer guiding tracks are on the convex washer surface and oriented into the first swivelling direction and wherein a plurality of second washer guiding tracks are on the concave washer surface and oriented into the second swivelling direction;

the plurality of rotary joints attached to a plurality of bearing structures, respectively; and

a plurality of interconnection struts, each connected to a socket rod or a ball rod of the plurality of rotary joints.

12. The framework of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of stepper drives each length-adjustably connecting the socket rod or the ball rod of one rotary joint with the socket rod or the ball rod of another rotary joint.

13. A method for manufacturing a rotary joint, the method comprising:

forming a socket rod having a socket rod flange with a basically spheroid concave bearing surface at a first end using a 3D printing or additive manufacturing, AM, technique, wherein a plurality of first guiding tracks are on the concave bearing surface and oriented into a first swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the first guiding tracks into the first swivelling direction;

forming a housing nut encircling the socket rod and having a threaded wrenching head using a 3D printing or AM technique;

forming a ball rod having a basically spheroid convex bearing surface and threaded side walls around the bearing surface using a 3D printing or AM technique, wherein a plurality of second guiding tracks are on the convex bearing surface and oriented into a second swivelling direction, the socket rod being swivellable with respect to the ball rod along the second guiding tracks into the second swivelling direction;

forming a concave-convex sliding washer with a basically spheroid convex washer surface and a basically spheroid concave washer surface using a 3D printing or AM technique, wherein a plurality of first washer guiding tracks are on the convex washer surface and are oriented into the first swivelling direction and wherein a plurality of second guiding tracks are on the concave washer surface and oriented into the second swivelling direction;

arranging the concave-convex sliding washer between the socket rod flange and the ball rod, thereby slidably interlocking the first guiding tracks of the concave bearing surface of the socket rod flange with the first washer guiding tracks of the convex washer surface and the second guiding tracks of the convex bearing surface of the ball rod with the second washer guiding tracks of the concave washer surface; and

after arranging the concave-convex sliding washer, threadingly engaging the threaded wrenching head of the housing nut with the threaded side walls of the ball rod, thereby housing the socket rod flange between the housing nut and the ball rod.