A drive unit is provided for a motor vehicle, including at least one internal combustion engine that has an output shaft, at least one starting element that can be driven by the output shaft, a transmission that can be driven by the output shaft via the starting element, and at least one bellows mechanism via which the starting element can be driven by the output shaft.

A coupling device (32) provides a rotary coupling of a pivot shaft (18) of a flap diaphragm (16) of an exhaust gas flap (10) with a drive element (34). The pivot shaft is to be rotated about a pivot axis (A). The coupling device (32) includes a first coupling part (36) with a first coupling area configured for coupling with the pivot shaft (18) and a second coupling part (38) with a second coupling area configured for coupling with the drive element (34). The first coupling part (36) and the second coupling part (38) are in a rotary coupling positive-locking meshing state with one another in the coupled state and are supported on one another in the direction of the pivot axis (A).

A flexible coupling for transmitting torque between parts of a transmission shaft system comprises a tubular section of continuous-fibre-reinforced composite material which has been modified to form a living hinge section with reduced bending stiffness to allow flexion of the tubular section. The tubular section may be modified through the provision of a pattern of formations within the living hinge section. The formations may be in the form of apertures and/or recesses in the continuous-fibre-reinforced composite material to create a plurality of living hinges in the material between, in particular slots and/or grooves.

A robot joint 1 has two adjacent outer cylinders 3 and 5 and an inner cylinder 7 which extends inside the two outer cylinders and is provided with openings 9 in the cylinder wall. The inner cylinder 7 is connected via leaf springs 11, 13 to the two outer cylinders. The robot joint is provided with measuring means comprising markings 15 which are formed by holes 15 in the cylinder wall of one of the outer cylinders 3, as well as detection means 17, 19 for counting the number of markings that passes the detection means during rotation of the two outermost cylinders 3, 5 relative to each other, which detection means are connected to the other outer cylinder 5. By measuring the rotation of the outer cylinders relative to each other and linking it back to the robot arm drive, the consequences of the inaccuracies in the joint can be compensated.

A pivot mechanism for guiding in rotation comprises a mobile element connected to a fixed element through flexible connections; with the flexible elements being configured to guide the mobile element according to a rotational movement in a plane, around a pivoting axis perpendicular to the plane; with each of the flexible connections comprising an intermediary junction provided with an expansion slot, the expansion slot being configured to expand during the rotation of the mobile element, so that the mobile element can pivot according to a second angular amplitude that is greater than a first angular amplitude achieved without said expansion slot; with the intermediary junctions being connected to one another by a coupling member; each of the coupling members being configured so as to prevent a movement out of the plane and a lateral movement in the plane of the mobile element. The pivot mechanism has a very high rotational amplitude.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a drive shaft includes, a first tube body having one or more first body channels defined through a wall thickness thereof, the one or more channels configured to increase bending and/or axial flexibility of the first tube body while only allowing for a less than proportional reduction in torsional stiffness of the first tube body. A second tube body can be concentrically disposed relative to the first tube body and connected to the first tube body at a first end portion and a second end portion. The second tube body can include one or more second body channels defined through a wall thickness thereof, the one or more channels configured to increase bending and/or axial flexibility of the second tube body while only allowing for a less than proportional reduction in torsional stiffness of the second tube body.

A flexible coupling for transmitting torque between parts of a transmission shaft system comprises a tubular section of continuous-fibre-reinforced composite material which has been modified to form a living hinge section with reduced bending stiffness to allow flexion of the tubular section. The tubular section may be modified through the provision of a pattern of formations within the living hinge section. The formations may be in the form of apertures and/or recesses in the continuous-fibre-reinforced composite material to create a plurality of living hinges in the material between, in particular slots and/or grooves.

A drive coupling has first and second coaxial end adapters. A first set of at least two coaxial helical elements has a first end of each element attached to the first end adapter, and a second end of each element is coupled to the second end adapter. At least one biasing device biases the end adapters relative to each other. Torque applied to one of the end adapters is transferred through the first set of helical elements to the other end adapter, the helical elements allowing for misalignment of the end adapters during operation.

A power transmission shaft which alleviates phenomenon in which stress is concentrated on a specific portion of a diaphragm to improve fatigue life span. The power transmission shaft connects a power apparatus and includes a flexible coupling, which is configured by a hub unit positioned inside in a radial direction. A rim unit is positioned outside in a radial direction of the hub unit. A flexible diaphragm unit is positioned between the hub unit and the rim unit. The thickness in the axial direction of the flexible diaphragm unit, from the hub unit toward the rim unit, becomes thinner then thicker to have a minimum thickness interval. The flexible diaphragm unit has a contoured first side on one side in the axial direction and a contoured second side on the other side. The first side has a first inflection point and the second side has a second inflection point.

A universal joint includes a first band and a second band which are separated by a slot, are cylindrical and coaxial with one another with respect to a common axis, and further includes a first torsion bar, whose ends are joined to the first band, and a second torsion bar whose ends are joined to the second band. Such a universal joint thus has a relatively simple structure.