COMPOSITE BALL SCREW

Abstract

A threaded shaft for a ball screw comprising: a shaft of fibre-reinforced polymer material; and a helical ridge formed on an outer surface of said shaft, said helical ridge being formed from a fibre-reinforced polymer material comprising a plurality of helical fibres wound around the shaft in the same sense and grouped together to form the ridge. The helical ridge formed from grouped helical fibres all wound with the same sense provides excellent axial load carrying capability as the fibres run continuously from end to end of the shaft and can thus transmit load from end to end. This adds much greater strength than a shaft formed from plastics only. The load carrying capability of the fibre wound helical ridge can indeed approach that of existing metal threads while still being much lighter in weight.

Claims

1. A method of forming a threaded shaft for a ball screw comprising: winding fibres onto an outer surface of a mandrel so as to form a base layer of fibre reinforced polymer material onto an outer surface of a mandrel; and winding a plurality of helical fibres around the base layer in the same rotational sense and in a group so as to form a helical ridge on the base layer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming an outer layer of fibre reinforced polymer material over the shaft and the helical ridge wherein the outer layer provides a full coverage over the helical ridge.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base layer is wound by passing a fibre dispenser axially back and forth along the mandrel while rotating the mandrel continually in one rotational sense.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the helical ridge is formed by passing a fibre dispenser axially back and forth along the mandrel, and wherein when the fibre dispenser is moving in a first axial direction, the mandrel is rotated in a first rotational sense and when the fibre dispenser is moving in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction the mandrel is rotated in a second rotational sense opposite the first rotational sense.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: winding fibres around the helical ridge and base layer so as to form an outer layer of fibre-reinforced polymer material.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer layer is formed by passing a fibre dispenser axially back and forth along the mandrel while rotating the mandrel continually in one rotational sense.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] One or more non-limiting examples will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a composite ball screw shaft; and

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the shaft of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a side view of part of a ball screw shaft and ball nut;

[0032] FIG. 4 illustrates a manufacturing apparatus; and

[0033] FIGS. 5a and 5b are further views of a ball screw shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section taken through a part of a hollow composite ball screw shaft 1. The hollow shaft 1 is made from carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) material. The shaft 1 has a base layer 2 forming its radially inner surface, the base layer 2 being formed from one or more layers of CFRP, either hoop wound or helically wound. The base layer 2 is a cylindrical tube of CFRP formed by passing a fibre dispenser back and forth along the length of a mandrel while rotating the mandrel continually in the same rotational direction. Thus the base layer 2 is formed from a plurality of helices of fibre wound on opposite senses such that they form cross-over points and together form a layer of full coverage.

[0035] On top of the base layer 2 a helical ridge 3 of fibre reinforced polymer is formed.

[0036] This helical ridge 3 is formed such that a continuous helical groove 4 is created between adjacent turns of the ridge 3. The helical ridge 3 shown in FIG. 1 is a single start thread, i.e. a single helix, but it will be appreciated that a multi-start thread can easily be formed by interleaving two or more such ridges 3. The groove 4 provides the running surface area for a ball bearing to ride in as part of a ball screw arrangement. The ball bearings transfer axial load between the screw and a ball nut placed around the screw shaft 1.

[0037] The helical ridge 3 is formed from a large number of fibres 5 each of which is wound in a helix around the base layer 2 in the same rotational sense. The fibres 5 are grouped together such that they build up a projection (having a certain radial height above the base layer 2) along some parts of the outer surface of the base layer, while leaving other parts of the base layer outer surface not built up (i.e. forming the groove 4). As shown in FIG. 1, the grouping forms a cross-sectional shape of the helical ridge 3 that is trapezoidal with a flat outer surface 6 facing radially outwardly and thus facing the ball nut in use, and two sloped side surfaces 7 that form the general shape of the groove 4.

[0038] The helical ridge 3 is formed by passing a fibre dispenser back and forth along the axis of the mandrel in the same way as for base layer 2, but instead of rotating the mandrel continually in the same direction, the mandrel's rotational direction is changed each time the fibre dispenser direction is changed. In this way a fibre 5 laid during forward movement of the dispenser may be laid parallel to a fibre 5 laid during reverse movement of the dispenser, i.e. the helices of these two fibres are substantially the same and as more such fibres 5 are laid by the same process and grouped together, the helical ridge 3 is built up, rather than a more uniform cylindrical layer such as is formed by the process of forming base layer 2.

[0039] On top of the helical ridge 3 (and also on top of any exposed parts of the base layer 2), a further layer 8 of fibre reinforced polymer material is formed. This upper layer 8 may be formed in the same way as base layer 2, namely by passing a fibre dispenser back and forth while rotating the mandrel continually in the same rotational direction. The upper layer 8 provides a surface that can be abraded so as to finish and shape the groove 4 to a precise shape e.g. to be suitable for use as a ball race of a ball screw. Machining or grinding of the upper layer 8 only severs the fibres in that layer and does not disrupt the strength-providing fibres 5 of the helical ridge 3 which are thus left intact so as to provide the maximum axial load capability.

[0040] After machining, grinding and/or polishing of the upper layer 8, a hard protective top coat 9 is added to provide a smooth, hard, low friction surface that is resistant to wear during use and provides smooth, accurate operation of the ball screw.

[0041] As the whole shaft 1 is formed from composite material, it is light weight (much lighter than a metal or partly metal shaft) while the helical fibres 5 that form the helical ridge 3 and thus the load carrying surface of the ball screw shaft 1 are much stronger than is achievable with simple plastics.

[0042] Additionally, the composite shaft provides better characteristics for shaft bending or buckling in long length applications (e.g. those above about 1.5 m).

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a side view of part of a ball screw shaft 1 with a ball nut 10 (shown in cross-section for illustrative purposes) around the shaft 1. Ball bearings 11 run in the groove 4 as well as in a corresponding internal screw thread 12 on the ball nut 10, thereby transferring force between the shaft 1 and the ball nut 10. A ball return path formed within the ball nut 10 (not shown in FIG. 3) allows for cycling of the balls in known manner.

[0044] FIG. 4 illustrates a manufacturing apparatus comprising a mandrel 20 around which the cylindrical base layer 2 is formed. The fibre dispenser 21 dispenses fibre 22 which is pulled around the mandrel 20 by rotation thereof. The fibre dispenser can move axially back and forth as illustrated by arrows 23. The mandrel 20 can be rotated in both rotational senses as illustrated by double-headed arrow 24.

[0045] Table 1 shows how the axial direction of the fibre dispenser is related to the rotational sense of the mandrel for each of the three main layers of the ball screw shaft 1. It will be appreciated that to make each layer the two corresponding rows of the Table 1 are repeated several times.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Layer Fibre dispenser direction Mandrel rotation sense Base cylinder .fwdarw. ← Helical ridge .fwdarw. ← Upper Layer .fwdarw. ←

[0046] By way of further illustration, FIG. 5a shows a perspective view of a composite ball screw shaft 1 and FIG. 5b shows a half-section of the ball screw shaft 1.

[0047] The ball screw described above will find particular application in aircraft equipment due to its high strength and light weight. However, it will be appreciated that it is equally applicable to other areas of technology. Additionally, while the screw has been described in relation to use in ball screws, it will be appreciated that the same technique may be used to create any other load carrying screw of composite material.