Shaft coupling with high torsional elasticity and method of making same

• US 20040058735A1
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centa-Antriebe Kirschey GmbH (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Centa-Antriebe Kirschey GmbH (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Inventors: Kirschey, Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 6,953,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 464/92
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/74 the intermediate member or members being made of rubber or other rubber-like flexible material

Abstract

An elastic shaft coupling with high torsional elasticity having segments formed by steel sheet segment plates vulcanized to an elastomeric body and in which blocking elements bridge the radial gaps of the segments of each coupling half so as to brace the plate segments against axial deformation. All of the elastomeric bodies are vulcanized to the segments or to rings from which segments are divided in a common vulcanization procedure.

Claims

1. A shaft coupling with high torsional elasticity for connecting a drive with a driven unit, said shaft coupling having a first generally annular coupling half connected to said drive and a second generally annular coupling half connected to said driven unit, each of said coupling halves comprising a plurality of coplanar plate segments having radial gaps between them, said shaft coupling comprising elastomeric bodies between corresponding plate segments and vulcanized to juxtaposed surfaces of said plate segments, the plate segments being composed of metal sheet having at least main surfaces of the sheet which constitute the axial surfaces thereof formed as nonmachined faces;

and blocking elements at said radial gaps coupling the plate segments of each half together across the respective gap and bracing the plate segments against axial deformation.

2. The shaft coupling defined in claim 1 wherein each of said blocking elements is connected to one of said plate segments, is disposed at an edge of the respective plate segment, extends across the respective gap and engages over a neighboring plate segment.

3. The shaft coupling defined in claim 1 wherein said blocking elements are disposed at respective edges of the plate segments, extend across the respective gaps and engage a neighboring plate segment whereby the blocking elements mutually brace the plate segments against axial deformation.

4. The shaft coupling defined in claim 1 wherein said plate segments are composed of steel sheet.

5. The shaft coupling defined in claim 1 wherein all of said elastomeric bodies are vulcanized between the respective plate segments together.

6. The shaft coupling defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said blocking elements comprises a pair of lugs, each of said lugs being affixed to one of said plate segments and reaches over a neighboring plate segment in a peripheral direction.

7. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein at least one of said blocking elements comprises two lugs which are affixed on opposite sides of one of said plate segments and has projecting portions straddling the neighboring plate segment.

8. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein said lugs are affixed on the same side of a plate segment and a neighboring plate segment to reach across a radial gap between said plate segments and axially brace said segments against one another.

9. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein said lugs are lugs are provided on the same plate segment.

10. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein said lugs are provided on plate segments on opposite sides of a respective radial gap.

11. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein said lugs are disposed so as to peripherally engage one another.

12. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein at least one of said lugs is connected to a respective plate segment by a fastener and is prevented from rotating by a pin transfixing said lug and the respective plate segment.

13. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein said lugs are provided along a periphery of the respective plate segments and are flush with said periphery.

14. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein said lugs conform to circular arc segments.

15. The shaft coupling defined in claim 6 wherein said lugs are coextensive with one another on opposite sides of a plate segment and are connected together by fasteners passing through a respective plate segment.

16. A method of making a shaft coupling comprising the steps of:

providing two metal rings having major surfaces adapted to form axial faces of the shaft coupling without machining;

positioning elastomeric segmental bodies between said rings and vulcanizing said surfaces to said body;

radially subdividing said rings between the bodies to form respective coupling segments; and

assembling said segments with blocking elements at radial gaps therebetween said blocking elements bracing the plate segments formed by subdividing said rings against axial deformation.

17. The method defined in claim 16 wherein the rings are cut by laser beam cutting.

18. A method of making a shaft coupling comprising the steps of:

providing two metal rings having major surfaces adapted to form axial faces of the shaft coupling without machining;

subdividing said rings into individual segment plates;

for all of the segment plates of a coupling, vulcanizing between pairs of said segment plates to form respective segments, respective elastomeric coupling bodies in common; and

assembling said segments with blocking elements at radial gaps therebetween said blocking elements bracing the plate segments formed by subdividing said rings against axial deformation.

19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the cutting is effected by laser beam cutting.