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:
- a power drive element mounted to an anchor bed; and
a drive shaft assembly coupled at one end to the power drive element and at the other end to a driven element, where said drive shaft assembly is operable for effecting driving of the driven element by the power drive element, said drive shaft assembly including;
first and second shaft portions, said first shaft portion having a first longitudinal axis of rotation and the second shaft portion having a second longitudinal axis of rotation, and 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 a first bore for receiving said first pilot member therein, thereby 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 first yoke extending between and connecting the first and second shaft portions together for simultaneous rotation, where said first yolk is driven by said first shaft portion and has sufficient flexibility to drive the second shaft portion where the first and second longitudinal axes of rotation are at an angle of misalignment of at least about 0.05°
.
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.
17 Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A test stand adapted for having a power drive element drive a driven element, the test stand comprising:
-
a power drive element mounted to an anchor bed; and a drive shaft assembly coupled at one end to the power drive element and at the other end to a driven element, where said drive shaft assembly is operable for effecting driving of the driven element by the power drive element, said drive shaft assembly including; first and second shaft portions, said first shaft portion having a first longitudinal axis of rotation and the second shaft portion having a second longitudinal axis of rotation, and 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 a first bore for receiving said first pilot member therein, thereby 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 first yoke extending between and connecting the first and second shaft portions together for simultaneous rotation, where said first yolk is driven by said first shaft portion and has sufficient flexibility to drive the second shaft portion where the first and second longitudinal axes of rotation are at an angle of misalignment of at least about 0.05°
. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A drive shaft assembly comprising:
-
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, where said first yolk is driven by said first shaft portion and has sufficient flexibility to drive the second shaft portion where the first and second longitudinal axis are 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 a first bore for receiving said first pilot member therein, thereby 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 (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification