Flexible coupling means, a mechanical transmission, and an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10267367-B2
Application number	US-201615227158-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A coupling means having a first member provided with a first diaphragm and a second member provided with a second diaphragm. The coupling means include an additional device having a plurality of protrusions circumferentially distributed on a first cylinder of the first member and a plurality of abutments distributed circumferentially on a second cylinder of the second member, each protrusion presenting at least one sliding face facing a first bearing face of an abutment, each protrusion presenting a blocking face facing a face of the second member referred to as a “second bearing” face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling means provided with a first member suitable for being fastened to a first rotary unit and a second member suitable for being fastened to a second rotary unit, the first member being provided with a first diaphragm and the second member being provided with a second diaphragm that is secured to the first diaphragm in order to allow shifting between the first rotary unit and the second member, the coupling means including an additional torque transmission device for at least connecting together the first and second members in the event of at least one of the diaphragms or of a connection between the diaphragms rupturing;
wherein the additional device has at least one plurality of protrusions distributed circumferentially on a first cylinder of the first member and a second plurality of abutments distributed circumferentially on a second cylinder of the second member, each protrusion presenting at least one face with two angles of inclination referred to as a sliding face facing a face with two angles of inclination of an abutment referred to as a first bearing face, each protrusion presenting a face referred to as a blocking face facing a face referred to as a second bearing face of the second member;
wherein in the absence of rupture, first radial clearance lies between each protrusion of the first member and the second member in a direction passing via a radius (R 1 ) of the first cylinder and second radial clearance lies between each bearing face of the second member and the first member in a direction passing via a radius (R 2 ) of the second cylinder, first axial clearance lying between each protrusion and a respective first bearing face, and second axial clearance lying between each blocking face and a respective second bearing face in an axial direction parallel to an axis of rotation (AX 3 ) of the first member and of the second member; and
wherein each face with two angles of inclination presents a first angle of inclination (ALPHA) to enable a respective protrusion to be wedged between a respective first bearing face and a respective second bearing face by eliminating the axial clearances as a result of the protrusions turning relative to the bearing faces about the axis of rotation (AX 3 ) in the event of rupture, each face with two angles of inclination presenting a second angle of inclination (BETA) for centering the first cylinder relative to the second cylinder following the relative turning.

2. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein each face with two angles of inclination extends radially from a cylinder of a segment referred to as a bottom segment towards a segment referred to as a top segment, each segment extending circumferentially from a first end towards a second end, and the first angle of inclination (ALPHA) shifts the first end of each segment relative to the second end of the segment axially in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

3. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the first end of a segment represents the point of the segment closest to a reference plane (PREF) containing the diaphragm of the member having the segment, a line referred to as a tangential line passing via the first end and a point of the segment other than the first end, and the first angle of inclination (ALPHA) has a value lying in the range 15 degrees to 80 degrees, extending between the tangential line and the reference plane (PREF).

4. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein each face having two angles of inclination extends radially from a cylinder of a segment referred to as a bottom segment towards a segment referred to as a top segment, each segment extending circumferentially from a first end towards a second end, the second angle of inclination (BETA) shifting the bottom segment axially from the top segment in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

5. A coupling means according to claim 4 , wherein the bottom segment is connected by a line referred to as the line in elevation to the top segment in a radial plane (P 1 ) orthogonal to a reference plane (PREF) containing the diaphragm of the member having the segments, and the second angle of inclination (BETA) has a value lying in the range 15 degrees to 80 degrees between the line extending in elevation and the reference plane.

6. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are coaxial.

7. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the second cylinder is surrounded by the first cylinder.

8. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the first member has at least three protrusions.

9. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are uniformly distributed circumferentially on a circumference of the first cylinder.

10. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein each second bearing face is a portion of a single annular projection extending radially from the second cylinder, each blocking face being parallel to the annular projection.

11. A coupling means according to claim 10 , wherein the annular projection is offset axially relative to the second diaphragm of the second member.

12. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the second member has a plurality of radial excrescences, each radial excrescence facing a respective abutment and including at least one respective second bearing face.

13. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has two sliding faces.

14. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions has two blocking faces, each blocking face being a face with two angles of inclination.

15. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein at least one abutment of the plurality of protrusions has two first bearing faces.

16. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling means includes a first reversible fastener device for fastening a respective protrusion to the first member, and/or a second reversible fastener device for fastening a respective abutment to the second member.

17. A coupling means according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling means comprises:
the first member provided with the first cylinder in the form of a first hollow cylinder extending axially, a first base of the first diaphragm being secured to the first cylinder;
the second member provided with the second cylinder in the form of a second hollow cylinder extending axially, a second base of the second diaphragm being secured to the second cylinder, a second outer periphery of the second diaphragm being fastened to a first outer periphery of the first diaphragm;
the plurality of the protrusions secured to the first cylinder, each protrusion projecting into an internal space (INT) of the coupling means; and
one abutment of the plurality of abutments per protrusion, each abutment being secured to the second cylinder and projecting into the internal space (INT), each protrusion being wedged against a respective abutment and a respective second bearing face of the second member in the event of a diaphragm rupturing.

18. A rotary mechanical transmission having a first rotary unit and a second rotary unit, wherein the mechanical transmission includes at least one coupling means according to claim 1 .

19. An aircraft, wherein the aircraft includes a mechanical transmission according to claim 18 .

Assignees

• Airbus Helicopters

Inventors

• Le Ru John

Classifications

• Y10T403/7005

  Lugged member, rotary engagement · CPC title

• F16D9/10

  having a part movable after disconnection so as to provide reconnection, e.g. advanceable shear pins · CPC title

• F16D2011/006

  Locking or detent means, i.e. means to keep the clutch in engaged condition · CPC title

• F16D3/72 Primary

  with axially-spaced attachments to the coupling parts (F16D3/56 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D11/16

  with clutching members movable otherwise than only axially (F16D11/02, F16D11/08 take precedence) · CPC title