Bi-flex pivot

• US 4,802,784 A
• Filed: 03/11/1988
• Issued: 02/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Santa Barbara Research Center
• Inventors: Brooks, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundrat, Andrew V.
• Application Number:
  US07/167,202
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 403/291, 403/24, 74/5 F, 464/100, 267/160
• US Class Current: 403/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/12 incorporating flexible connections, e.g. leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/54 Flexible member is joint component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1293 Flexure hinges for gyros

Abstract

A structural pivot 10 includes a first sleeve 18 and a second sleeve 20 which are connected together by a pair of flexures 22 and 24. Each flexure includes a pair of blades 40, 42 and 54, 56. The free ends of the blades are connected to the sleeves 18, 20 while the common cross members 44 and 62 remain spaced from the inner surfaces of the sleeves. During angular rotation of the sleeves, the blades can flex without resulting in a geometric center shift for the pivot.

Claims

1. A structural pivot that substantially eliminates the geometric center shift of its rotating members, said pivot comprising:

a first sleeve having a major axis and an inner surface;

a second sleeve having a major axis and an inner surface, said second sleeve being spaced from the first sleeve;

a first flexure having first and second spaced apart blades joined by a common cross member, each blade having a free end, the free end of the first blade being connected to the inner surface of the first sleeve, while the free end of the second blade is connected to the inner surface of the second sleeve, the blades being connected so that they define a first plane passing through the axes of the sleeves; and

a second flexure member having third and fourth spaced apart blades joined by a second common cross member, the third and fourth blades having free ends, the free end of the third blade being connected to the inner surface of the first sleeve, while the free end of the fourth blade is connected to the inner surface of the second sleeve, the third and fourth blades being connected so that they define a second plane passing through the axes of the sleeves, said second plane being substantially transverse to the first plane.

2. The pivot of claim 1 wherein the free ends of each blade include flanges conforming to the inner surfaces of the sleeves.

3. The pivot of claim 2 wherein the first sleeve includes a first opening extending transversely therethrough and a second opening located about 90 degrees and axially spaced from the first opening;

and

wherein adhesive in the first and second openings is used to connect the first and third flanges to the inner surface of the first sleeve.

4. The pivot of claim 3 wherein said second sleeve includes a first opening extending therethrough and a second opening located about 90 degrees and axially spaced from the first opening;

and

wherein adhesive in the first and second openings of the second sleeve is used to connect the second and fourth flanges to the inner surface of the second sleeve.

5. The pivot of claim 2 wherein each cross member terminates in a longitudinally extending flange which remains spaced from the inner surfaces of the first and second sleeves.

6. The pivot of claim 1 wherein said flexure members are substantially identical and each formed from an integral piece of metal.

7. The pivot of claim 5 wherein each sleeve is cylindrical and wherein the flanges on the free ends of the blades and cross members are arcuate.

8. A structural pivot that substantially eliminates the geometric center shift of its rotating members, said pivot comprising:

a first cylindrical sleeve having a major axis and a circular inner surface, said inner sleeve having a first opening extending transversely to the axis, said sleeve having a second opening location about 90 degrees from and axially spaced from the first opening;

a second cylindrical sleeve having an axis collinear with the axis of the first sleeve, the sleeve having a circular inner surface, the sleeve having a first opening extending transversely to the axis and a second opening which is 90 degrees from and axially spaced from the first opening;

a first flexure made of an integral piece of metal, the first flexure having first and second spaced apart blades joined by a common cross member, each blade having a free end with an arcuate flange thereon conforming to the inner surfaces of the sleeves, the flange of the first blade being located under the first opening in the first sleeve and connected thereto by adhesive injected through the opening, the flange of the second blade being located under the first opening of the second sleeve and connected thereto by adhesive injected through the first opening therein, the first and second blades being connected so that they define a first plane passing through the major axis of the sleeves;

a second flexure member having third and fourth spaced apart blades joined by a common cross member, each blade having a free end with an arcuate flange thereon conforming to inner surfaces of the sleeves, the flange of the third blade being located under the second opening in the first sleeve and connected thereto by adhesive, the flange of the fourth blade being located under the second opening in the second sleeve and connected thereto by adhesive, the third and fourth blades defining a second plane passing through the axes of the sleeves and being substantially transverse to the first plane; and

the cross members being spaced from inner surfaces of the sleeves whereby said blades flex when the sleeves are rotated without creating a geometric center shift between the axes of the sleeves.

9. An optical system comprising:

a rotating mirror;

a structural pivot including first and second concentric and axially spaced sleeves having a common axis;

a first flexure having first and second spaced apart blades joined by common cross member, a free end of the first blade being connected to the first sleeve, while the free end of the second blade is connected to the second sleeve, the blades being connected so that they define a first plane passing through said axis;

a second flexure which is substantially identical to the first flexure, the free ends of the blades of the second flexure being connected to the first and second sleeves adjacent to the blades of the first flexure while defining a second plane substantially transverse to the first plane;

means for connecting one of the sleeves to the mirror;

means for connecting the other sleeve to a fixed support; and

whereby the first sleeve rotates with the mirror without creating a geometric center shift between the sleeves.

10. The optical system of claim 9 wherein each sleeve includes a circular inner surface, and wherein each flexure member includes arcuate flanges on the free ends of the blades and cross member.

11. The optical system of claim 10 wherein the arcuate flange of the cross member of each flexure remains spaced from the inner surfaces of the sleeves.

12. The optical system of claim 11 wherein the blades are adhesively connected to the sleeves.

13. The optical system of claim 12 wherein the sleeves include openings therein through which adhesive can be injected.

14. The optical system of claim 13 wherein each flexure member is constructed of an integral piece of metal.