TEST STAND WITH JOINTED DRIVE SHAFT
First Claim
1. A test stand adapted for having a power drive element drive a driven element, the test stand comprising:
- an anchor bed;
a drive shaft assembly, said drive shaft assembly having first and second shaft portions with the first shaft portion having a first connector element adapted to be connected to one of a power drive element and a driven element, said drive shaft assembly being operable for effecting driving of a driven element by the power drive element, said first shaft portion having a first longitudinal axis of rotation and the second shaft portion having a second longitudinal axis of rotation and a first yoke extending between and connecting the first and second shaft portions together for simultaneous rotation, said first yoke having sufficient flexibility to permit the first and second longitudinal axes of rotation to be at an angle of misalignment of at least about 0.05°
, one of said first shaft portion and said second shaft portion having at least one first pilot member and the other of said first shaft portion and said second shaft portion having at least one pilot member receiving first bore with a respective first pilot member received therein fixing the first and second longitudinal axes of rotation against lateral offset at a pivot point of the first pilot member a predetermined amount; and
a power drive element mounted to the anchor bed and coupled to the drive shaft assembly and operable to selectively effect rotation thereof about the first and second longitudinal axes.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A jointed flexible drive shaft assembly is provided. The drive shaft has at least one flexible joint comprising a yoke connecting two drive shaft components together in a flexible manner which permits angular offsetting of the axis of rotation of one shaft component relative to the axis of rotation of another shaft component while a pilot and pilot bore cooperate to maintain the axes of rotation fixed against relative lateral offset a predetermined amount. The drive shaft assembly may be used on a test stand to couple a driving element with a driven element thereby reducing the need for a precision alignment between the driving and driven elements.
12 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A test stand adapted for having a power drive element drive a driven element, the test stand comprising:
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an anchor bed; a drive shaft assembly, said drive shaft assembly having first and second shaft portions with the first shaft portion having a first connector element adapted to be connected to one of a power drive element and a driven element, said drive shaft assembly being operable for effecting driving of a driven element by the power drive element, said first shaft portion having a first longitudinal axis of rotation and the second shaft portion having a second longitudinal axis of rotation and a first yoke extending between and connecting the first and second shaft portions together for simultaneous rotation, said first yoke having sufficient flexibility to permit the first and second longitudinal axes of rotation to be at an angle of misalignment of at least about 0.05°
, one of said first shaft portion and said second shaft portion having at least one first pilot member and the other of said first shaft portion and said second shaft portion having at least one pilot member receiving first bore with a respective first pilot member received therein fixing the first and second longitudinal axes of rotation against lateral offset at a pivot point of the first pilot member a predetermined amount; anda power drive element mounted to the anchor bed and coupled to the drive shaft assembly and operable to selectively effect rotation thereof about the first and second longitudinal axes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 35)
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21. A drive shaft assembly comprising:
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first and second shaft portions with the first shaft portion having a first connector element, said first shaft portion having a first longitudinal axis of rotation and the second shaft portion having a second longitudinal axis of rotation; a first yoke extending between and connecting the first and second shaft portions together for simultaneous rotation, said first yoke having sufficient flexibility to permit the first and second longitudinal axis to be at an angle of at least about 0.05°
; andone of said first shaft portion and said second shaft portion having at least one first pilot member and the other of said first shaft portion and said second shaft portion having at least one pilot member receiving first bore with a respective first pilot member received therein fixing the first and second longitudinal axes against lateral offset at a pivot point of the first pilot member a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification