TORSIONALLY ELASTIC COUPLING

Abstract

A torsionally elastic coupling for connecting a drive shaft to an output shaft includes a first coupling part, a second coupling part comprising axially directed drivers, and a plurality of dumbbell-shaped buffer elements. Each buffer element has two end buffers which are connected via a central region. The buffer elements are held on a circular arc of the first coupling part via the respective central region in slotted radial webs of the first coupling part, with the axially directed drivers of the second coupling part seated between adjacent ones of the buffer elements in an operating situation. A woven fabric insert forms a contact surface of the buffer elements in facing relationship to the radial webs.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A torsionally elastic coupling for connecting a drive shaft to an output shaft, the torsionally elastic coupling comprising a first coupling part; a second coupling part comprising axially directed drivers; a plurality of dumbbell-shaped buffer elements, each buffer element comprising two end buffers which are connected via a central region, said buffer elements being held on a circular arc of the first coupling part via the respective one of the central regions in slotted radial webs of the first coupling part, with the axially directed drivers of the second coupling part seated between adjacent ones of the buffer elements in an operating situation; and a woven fabric insert forming a contact surface of the buffer elements in facing relationship to the radial webs.

12. The torsionally elastic coupling of claim 11, wherein the contact surface formed by the woven fabric insert extends from the central region to mutually facing flanks of the end buffers.

13. The torsionally elastic coupling of claim 11, wherein the contact surface formed by the woven fabric insert is arranged on either side of the central region as viewed in a radial direction.

14. The torsionally elastic coupling of claim 11, wherein the contact surface formed by the woven fabric insert is seated in a surface recess in the buffer element, with the surface recess having a depth which substantially corresponds to a thickness of the woven fabric insert.

15. The torsionally elastic coupling of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the woven fabric insert is between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

16. The torsionally elastic coupling of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the woven fabric insert is between 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm.

17. The torsionally elastic coupling of claim 11, wherein the woven fabric insert is made of a material having an elasticity which is lower than an elasticity of a material of the buffer element.

18. The torsionally elastic coupling of claim 11, wherein the buffer element is made of an elastomer which for producing the buffer element is compressed together with the woven fabric insert in a mold at a temperature.

19. A drive train, comprising: a first shaft designed as a drive shaft; a second shaft designed as an output shaft; and a coupling designed to couple the first shaft in a torque-transmitting manner to the second shaft, said coupling comprising a first coupling part connected to the first shaft, a second coupling part connected to the second shaft, and a plurality of dumbbell-shaped buffer elements, each buffer element comprising two end buffers which are connected via a central region, said buffer elements being held on a circular arc of the first coupling part via the respective one of the central regions in slotted radial webs of the first coupling part, with the second coupling part comprising axially directed drivers which are seated between adjacent ones of the buffer elements in an operating situation, the coupling further comprising a woven fabric insert forming a contact surface of the buffer elements in facing relationship to the radial webs.

20. An industrial application, comprising: an output unit; a drive unit; and a coupling designed to connect the drive unit in a torque-transmitting manner to the output unit, said coupling being designed as set forth in claim 11.

21. A data agglomeration, comprising data packets combined in a common file or distributed over various files for mapping a three-dimensional design and/or interactions between all constituent parts provided in the coupling set forth in claim 11, wherein the data packets, when loaded into a data-processing device, are set up to carry out additive production of constituent parts of the coupling and/or simulation of an operating behavior of the coupling.

22. The data agglomeration of claim 21, wherein the additive production of constituent parts of the coupling is carried out by 3D printing using a 3D printer,

Description

[0017] The invention will be explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings using preferred exemplary embodiments, wherein the features shown below can each represent an aspect of the invention both individually and in combination. In the drawings:

[0018] FIG. 1: shows an elastic coupling in a) a partially sectioned side view and b) a perspective view;

[0019] FIG. 2: shows a perspective axial section through drivers of the second coupling part of a coupling according to FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 3: shows a perspective axial view through the second coupling part of a coupling according to FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 4: shows a buffer element in the form of a detail in a perspective view, and

[0022] FIG. 5: shows a schematic illustration of an industrial application comprising a coupling.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows an elastic coupling 10; in view a) in a partially sectioned side view and in view b) in a perspective illustration. The coupling 10 consists structurally of a first coupling part 12 and a second coupling part 14 which are connected to one another in an interlocking manner in a way yet to be described for transmitting a torque. The first coupling part 12 can be drive-connected to a first shaft 2, functioning as a drive shaft, via a generally known shaft/hub connection. The second coupling part 14 can be correspondingly drive-connected to a second shaft 4 for functioning as an output shaft. The first shaft 2 can be connected to a drive motor, not illustrated. The second shaft 4 can be connected to a working machine, not Illustrated. However, in principle, a bidirectional torque flow can be provided when, for example, the drive motor is embodied as an electric machine and operated as a motor or generator depending on the respective operating state. Drive rotation for torque transmission takes place about a rotation axis A.sub.D of the coupling 10. The rotation axis A.sub.D describes, by way of its position, an axial direction of the coupling 10.

[0024] The first coupling part 12 has, on a circular arc around the rotation axis A.sub.D, a plurality of circumferentially uniformly spaced apart slotted radial webs 22. The radial webs 22 are each formed by two web portions 36 situated on a radius and spaced apart by a slot 34. A buffer element 16 is held or clamped on each of the slotted radial webs 22. The buffer elements 16 are configured in a dumbbell-shaped manner, with two end buffers 20 and a central region 18 connecting the end buffers 20. The buffer elements 16 are held on the radial webs 22 in such a way that the central region 18 is clamped between the web portions 36 in a manner seated in the slot 34 and the end buffers 20, by way of their mutually facing flanks 30, engage around the web portions 36.

[0025] The second coupling part 14 likewise has a number of axially directed drivers 24, this number corresponding to the number of radial webs 22, on a circular arc about the rotation axis A.sub.D. The drivers 24 are seated between the buffer elements 16 of the first coupling part 14 in an operating situation, in which torque can be transmitted. Torque transmission is possible via the interlocking connection between the drivers 24 seated between the buffer elements 16. FIG. 1b) shows, for reasons of illustration, a relative position of the two coupling parts 12, 14 with respect to each other, in which these two coupling parts are axially pulled apart from each other to a certain extent.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows, in the form of a detail, a perspective axial section through the drivers 24 of the second coupling part 14. Shown in particular is the dumbbell-shaped configuration of the buffer elements 16, which can also be referred to as H-shaped. Further shown is how the buffer element 16 is held or clamped on the respective slotted radial webs 22. The buffer elements 16 are held on the radial webs 22 in such a way that the central region 18 is clamped between the web portions 36 in a manner seated in the slot 34 and the end buffers 20, by way of their mutually facing flanks 30, cf. FIG. 3 in this respect, engage around the web portions 36. The slotted radial webs 22 run in the first coupling part 12 between a radially inner hub 38 and a radially outer housing 40 connected to the hub 38.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a further detail in which the first coupling part 12 is hidden, apart from the buffer elements 16. Shown is the second coupling part 14 and a buffer element 16 circumferentially seated between the drivers 24.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows, in the form of a detail, a perspective illustration of a buffer element 16. Taking into account the above description, it is clear that a buffer element 16 rests against the respective radial web 22 via contact surfaces 26 or makes contact with the radial web 22 via the contact surfaces 26. In the case of the buffer element 16 described in the present case, contact surfaces 26, facing the radial web 22, of a buffer element 16 are formed by a woven fabric insert 28. Illustrated is an embodiment of the buffer element 16 in which a contact surface 26 formed by the woven fabric insert 28 is arranged on either side of the central region 18 as viewed in the radial direction. As an alternative however, it is also conceivable for the contact surface 26 formed by the woven fabric insert 28 to be arranged only on one side of the central region 18 as viewed in the radial direction. In addition, provision is made in the shown embodiment of the buffer element 16 for the contact surface 26 formed by the woven fabric insert 28 to extend, starting from the central region 18, onto the mutually facing flanks 30 of the end buffers 20. The contact surface 26 formed by the woven fabric insert 28 is seated in a surface recess 32 in the buffer element 16, wherein the magnitude of a depth of the surface recess 32 and of a thickness of the woven fabric insert 28 substantially correspond.

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a schematic design of an embodiment of the claimed industrial application 42 which comprises a drive unit 44 which can be designed as an electric motor, internal combustion engine or hydraulic motor. The drive unit 44 provides a drive power via a drive shaft 2, and the drive power can be transmitted to an output unit 44 via a coupling 10 and an output shaft 4. Here, the coupling 10 is designed and/or developed as described above.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0030] 2 Shaft [0031] 4 Shaft [0032] 10 Coupling [0033] 12 Coupling part [0034] 14 Coupling part [0035] 16 Buffer elements [0036] 18 Central region [0037] 20 End buffer [0038] 22 Radial web [0039] 24 Driver [0040] 26 Contact surface [0041] 28 Woven fabric Insert [0042] 30 Flank [0043] 32 Surface recess [0044] 34 Slot [0045] 36 Web portion [0046] 38 Hub [0047] 40 Housing ring [0048] 42 Industrial application [0049] 44 Drive unit [0050] 46 Output unit