Connector

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a connector for connecting a hollow composite shaft that has been manufactured to comprise an inwardly tapered portion towards one end of the hollow composite shaft to a collar includes an insert, a collar and a tensioner. The insert is received in the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft such that the inner surface of the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft in use will engage with the outer tapered surface of the insert and collar includes an inner tapered surface and being sized to fit over the insert and the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft. The tensioner is arranged, in use, to axially force the collar and the insert in opposite directions so as to exert a clamping force onto the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft. A method of forming the assembly is also included.

Claims

1. A shaft assembly comprising: a hollow composite shaft; wherein the hollow composite shaft has been manufactured to comprise an inwardly tapered linear portion towards one end of the hollow composite shaft; wherein an inner taper angle and an outer taper angle of the tapered portion of the composite shaft are different to each other, wherein the inner taper angle and the outer taper angle both comprise non-zero values; a connector for connecting the hollow composite shaft to a collar, wherein the connector comprises: an insert, the insert comprising an outer tapered surface, the insert being sized to be received in the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft such that the inner surface of the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft in use will engage with the outer tapered surface of the insert, and the insert being sized so as to be able to be inserted into the tapered portion from an end of the hollow shaft which is distal to the tapered portion; a collar, the collar comprising an inner tapered surface and being sized to fit over the insert and the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft; and a tensioner, the tensioner being arranged, in use, to axially force the collar and the insert in opposite directions so as to exert a clamping force onto the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft between the outer tapered surface of the insert and the inner tapered surface of the collar; wherein the hollow composite shaft comprises the inwardly tapered portion before attaching the connector to the hollow composite shaft.

2. A shaft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hollow composite shaft has a main body portion which extends from the tapered portion towards the end of the shaft which is distal to the tapered portion, and wherein the insert has a maximum outer diameter which is the same as or less than the minimum inner diameter of the main body portion of the hollow composite shaft.

3. A shaft assembly according to claim 1, wherein an inner taper angle and/or an outer taper angle of the tapered portion of the hollow composite shaft is between 8 and 15 degrees.

4. A shaft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer taper angle is less than the inner taper angle.

5. A shaft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hollow composite shaft is a piston rod of a hydraulic actuator, and wherein the collar is a piston head of a hydraulic actuator.

6. A shaft assembly according to claim 1, wherein a second connector is provided towards the end of the hollow composite shaft which is distal to the tapered portion, wherein the second connector comprises an embedded nut, and wherein the insert can be inserted through the embedded nut.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a connector assembly connecting a hollow composite shaft to a collar using a first connector;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross section of another connector assembly connecting a hollow composite shaft to a collar using a second connector;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a hollow composite shaft comprising the connector shown in FIG. 1 on one end and the connector shown in FIG. 2 on the other end; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a winding assembly for manufacturing a hollow composite tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a connector assembly 1 which comprises a hollow composite shaft 2, an insert 4 and a collar 6. The insert 4 and collar 6 may be made of metallic materials such as stainless steel.

(7) The hollow composite shaft 2 comprises an inwardly tapered portion 8 at one end and a main body portion 9. The main body portion 9 has a substantially constant inner and outer diameter. The outer diameter (at any given point) of the tapered portion 8 is the same as, or less than the outer diameter of the main body portion 9. This means that components (such as a gland seal of a hydraulic actuator which are not shown in figures) can be slid onto the composite shaft 2 over the tapered end portion 8 before the collar 6 is attached to the end of the hollow composite shaft 2.

(8) The insert 4 has an external tapered surface which engages with the internal tapered surface of the tapered portion 8. The collar 6 has an inner tapered surface which engages with the external tapered surface of the tapered portion 8.

(9) In this embodiment the collar 6 is a piston head and the hollow composite shaft 2 is a piston rod.

(10) The connector assembly 1 comprises a tensioner 10. The tensioner 10 may also be made of a metallic material such as stainless steel. The tensioner 10 comprises a main bolt 12 and a plurality of load means in the form of screws 14. The main bolt 12 has a bolt head in which there are a plurality of threaded holes for receiving the screws 14 (two of these are shown in the cross section of FIG. 1). The holes for the plurality of screws 14 may be spaced about the circumference of the bolt head. This is so the load applied on the collar 6 by the tensioner 10 can be applied gradually and evenly over the circumference of the collar 6.

(11) When assembled there is a gap 16 (which can just be seen for example in FIG. 1) between the end of the hollow composite shaft 2 and the tensioner 10. This is so that no force is exerted on the axial end face of the hollow composite shaft 2.

(12) The tapered portion 8 of the composite shaft 2 has an inner diameter taper angle and an outer diameter taper angle . Each of these taper angles , is between 8 to 15 degrees and the taper angles , may be different.

(13) For example, when the ratio of tensile load to compressive load is 3:1, the ratio of ID taper angle to OD taper angle may be 1.5:1.

(14) As shown in FIG. 1, the outer diameter taper angle is the angle between the outer diameter surface of the main body of the hollow composite shaft and the outer surface of the tapered portion. In other words, if the outer surface of the main body was imagined to continue over the tapered portion (as shown by the upper dotted line), the outer diameter taper angle would be the angle between the imaginary extension of the outer surface of the main body and the actual outer surface of the tapered portion.

(15) The inner diameter taper angle is the angle between the inner diameter surface of the main body of the hollow composite shaft and the inner surface of the tapered portion. In other words, if the inner diameter surface of the main body of the hollow composite shaft was imagined to continue in a straight line over the tapered portion (as shown by the lower dotted line), the inner diameter taper angle would be the angle between the imaginary extension of the inner surface of the main body and the actual inner surface of the tapered portion.

(16) To form the connector assembly 1 the insert 4 is inserted through the hollow composite shaft 2 from an end which is distal to the tapered portion 8 of the hollow composite shaft. The collar 6 is pushed over the insert 4 and the tapered portion 8 so that the collar 6 is radially outwardly of at least a portion of the insert and the tapered portion 8. The bolt 12 of the tensioner 10 is screwed into the insert 4 and the screws 14 are then tightened to axially force the collar 6 onto the tapered portion 8 (i.e. towards the distal end of the hollow composite shaft 2) and axially force the insert 4 into the tapered portion (i.e. away from the distal end of the follow composite shaft 2). This acts to clamp the tapered portion 8 of the hollow composite shaft 2 between the insert 4 and collar 6 so as to fix the collar on the hollow composite shaft.

(17) FIG. 2 shows another connector assembly 20. This connector also comprises a hollow composite shaft 2. The hollow composite shaft comprises a main body portion 9 of substantially constant diameter and a flared portion 26. The flared portion 26 comprises an outwardly tapered portion 28 (in a direction toward the end of the hollow composite shaft 2) and an inwardly tapered portion 30 (again in a direction towards the end of the hollow composite shaft 2).

(18) The connector assembly 20 comprises an embedded nut 32. The hollow composite shaft 2 is formed onto the embedded nut 32 during manufacture (e.g. when the composite is in the green state) to form the flared portion 26.

(19) The embedded nut 32 has a substantially ovoid shape.

(20) The connector assembly 20 comprises an annular wedge 34. The annular wedge 34 has an inner tapered surface which corresponds to the outer tapered surface of the inwardly tapered portion 30 of the flared portion 26 of the hollow composite shaft 2.

(21) The connector assembly 20 comprises a tensioner 36 which comprises a main bolt 38 and screws 40.

(22) The main bolt 38 has an annular recess so that when the tensioner 36 exerts force on the annular wedge 34 there will be a gap 41 between a bolt head of the main bolt 38 and the axial end face of the hollow composite shaft 2. This means that it is possible to avoid putting any direct force on the axial end face of the hollow composite shaft 2.

(23) To form the connector assembly 20 the annular wedge 34 is pushed over a portion of the embedded nut and inwardly tapered portion 30 of the hollow composite shaft 2. The main bolt 38 is then screwed into the embedded nut 32 to a desired length. The screws 40 may then be screwed through the bolt head of the main bolt 38 to force the annular wedge 34 onto the inwardly tapered portion 30 and to force the embedded nut 32 in the opposite direction. This causes the inwardly tapered portion 30 of the hollow composite shaft 2 to be clamped between the embedded nut 32 and the annular wedge 34.

(24) FIG. 3 shows a hollow composite shaft 2 with the connector assembly 1 (as shown in detail in FIG. 1) at a first end and the connector assembly 20 (as shown in detail in FIG. 2) at the other end.

(25) The inner diameter of the embedded nut 32 is large enough that the insert 4 can pass through the centre of the embedded nut 32. This means that connector assembly 1 can be formed even when the nut 32 is embedded in the composite tube 2 during manufacture.

(26) FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a winding assembly 42 for manufacturing the hollow composite tube 2.

(27) The winding assembly 42 comprises a winding mandrel 44. The winding mandrel has a tapered portion 46 for forming the tapered portion 8 of the hollow composite tube 2. The mandrel 44 is shaped so that it can be extracted from the hollow composite tube 2 after curing.

(28) Before winding, the embedded nut 32 is attached to the winding mandrel 44 at the end where the second connector assembly 20 will be formed (opposite the tapered end 8). The mandrel 44 at this side has two annular grooves 48 which each extend circumferentially around the winding mandrel 44 so that o-ring seals can be attached to prevent resin leaking to the thread at the internal diameter of the embedded nut 32. The mandrel 44 has a step where the embedded nut 32 is located. A nylon pin 50 is provided that connects the embedded nut 32 with the mandrel 44. This is to lock the nut 32 from spinning and moving axially. There is an extension 52 at the left side (the side near the tapered end) which is connected with the mandrel using a pin 54.

(29) The whole system may then be attached in the winding machine. Specifically, the extension 52 is attached to a chuck and the other side is attached to a centre of the winding machine via a winding machine attachment portion 56. When the filament winding process and the curing profile are completed, the mandrel 44 is extracted from the composite tube 2. The nylon pin 50 is sheared during extraction and the embedded nut 32 stays inside the composite 2. Afterwards, the composite rod 2 is cut at both sides to achieve the required length and the outside diameter profile is machined to achieve the required diameter tolerances.