Flex coupling assembly with restrictive bending feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11668349-B2
Application number	US-202017008566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Aug 31, 2020
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

A flex coupling assembly for coupling a first shaft to a second shaft of a shaft assembly. The flex coupling assembly includes a lower housing having a housing wall bounding a cavity between a first end having an end face and an open second end. A first shaft is fixed to the end face and extends along an axis. An upper flange, spaced from the lower housing, has a second shaft fixed thereto extending along the axis. A retention member, disposed in the cavity, is operably fixed to the upper flange. A resilient flex coupling, disposed between the end face and the flange, is operably fixed to the upper flange and the retention member and to the lower housing. The lower housing and the flange are moveable axially toward and away from one another and rotatably about the axis via flexing of the resilient flex coupling which dampens noise and vibrations between the first and second shafts.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A flex coupling assembly for coupling a first shaft of a shaft assembly to a second shaft of the shaft assembly, comprising:
a lower housing having a generally cylindrical housing wall extending along an axis and bounding a cavity between a lower housing first end and a lower housing second end, said lower housing first end having an end face extending generally transversely to said axis and generally closing off said cavity and said lower housing second end being generally open to said cavity;
a first shaft fixed to said end face of said lower housing and extending along said axis away from said cavity;
an upper flange spaced axially from said lower housing;
a second shaft fixed to said upper flange and extending along said axis;
a retention member disposed in said cavity of said lower housing and being fixed to said upper flange by a plurality of retention fastener members;
a resilient flex coupling sandwiched between said end face of said lower housing and said flange, said resilient flex coupling being fixed to said upper flange and to said retention member by said plurality of retention fastener members, said resilient flex coupling being fixed to said lower housing by a plurality of coupling fastener members,
wherein said lower housing and said upper flange are moveable relative to one another axially along said axis and relative to one another rotatably about said axis via flexing of said resilient flex coupling,
wherein said lower housing end face has a plurality of through openings, said plurality of retention fastener members extending through said plurality of through openings in clearance relation therewith, wherein said plurality of through openings act as a positive stop to limit the degree of relative rotation between said lower housing and said upper flange.

2. The flex coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said lower housing has a plurality of fastener receptacles extending in parallel relation to said axis in said cavity, said plurality of fastener receptacles receiving said plurality of coupling fastener members therethrough, said retention member having a plurality of slots sized for a clearance fit with said plurality of fastener receptacles, wherein said plurality of slots act as a positive stop to limit the degree of relative rotation between said lower housing and said upper flange.

3. The flex coupling assembly of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of through openings and said plurality of slots are circumferentially offset from one another.

4. The flex coupling assembly of claim 1 , further including a plurality of spacer members receiving said plurality of retention fastener members therethrough, said plurality of spacer members extending through said plurality of through openings in clearance relation therewith into engagement with said retention member and said resilient flex coupling.

5. The flex coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said lower housing has a plurality of fastener receptacles extending in parallel relation to said axis in said cavity, said plurality of fastener receptacles receiving said plurality of coupling fastener members therethrough, said retention member having a plurality of slots sized for a clearance fit with said fastener receptacles, wherein said plurality of slots act as a positive stop to limit the degree of relative rotation between said lower housing and said upper flange.

6. The flex coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said generally cylindrical housing wall and said retention member are spaced radially from one another by a gap and further including at least one bushing disposed in said gap.

7. The flex coupling assembly of claim 6 , wherein said at least one bushing includes a pair of bushings arranged diametrically opposite one another.

8. The flex coupling assembly of claim 6 , wherein said at least one bushing is fixed to one of said generally cylindrical inner housing wall and said retention member.

9. The flex coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said resilient flex coupling has a metal core overmolded with an elastomeric body.

10. A flex coupling assembly for coupling a first shaft of a shaft assembly to a second shaft of the shaft assembly, comprising:
a lower housing having a generally cylindrical housing wall extending along an axis and bounding a cavity between a lower housing first end and a lower housing second end, said lower housing first end having an end face extending generally transversely to said axis and generally closing off said cavity and said lower housing second end being generally open to said cavity;
a first shaft fixed to said end face of said lower housing and extending along said axis away from said cavity;
an upper flange spaced axially from said lower housing;
a second shaft fixed to said upper flange and extending along said axis;
a retention member disposed in said cavity of said lower housing and being fixed to said upper flange by a plurality of retention fastener members;
a resilient flex coupling sandwiched between said end face of said lower housing and said flange, said resilient flex coupling being fixed to said upper flange and to said retention member by said plurality of retention fastener members, said resilient flex coupling being fixed to said lower housing by a plurality of coupling fastener members,
wherein said lower housing and said upper flange are moveable relative to one another axially along said axis and relative to one another rotatably about said axis via flexing of said resilient flex coupling, wherein said resilient flex coupling has a first side with a first plurality of protrusions extending axially outwardly therefrom into engagement with said end face of said lower housing and a second side with a second plurality of protrusions extending axially outwardly therefrom into engagement with said upper flange.

11. The flex coupling assembly of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of first protrusions includes a pair of first protrusions arranged diametrically opposite one another and said plurality of second protrusions includes a pair of second protrusions arranged diametrically opposite one another, said first pair of protrusions being arranged in circumferentially offset relation with said second pair of protrusions.

12. A flex coupling assembly for coupling a first shaft of a shaft assembly to a second shaft of the shaft assembly, comprising:
a lower shaft subassembly including,
a lower housing having a generally cylindrical housing wall extending along an axis and bounding a cavity between a lower housing first end and a lower housing second end, said lower housing first end having an end face extending generally transversely to said axis; and
a first shaft fixed to said end face of said lower housing and extending along said axis away from said cavity;

an upper shaft subassembly including,
an upper flange;
a second shaft fixed to said upper flange and extending along said axis; and
a retention member fixed to said upper flange by a plurality of retention fastener members; and

a resilient flex coupling operably coupling said lower shaft subassembly to said upper shaft subassembly, said resilient flex coupling allowing said lower housing and said flange to move relative to one another axially along said axis and relative to one another rotatably about said axis via flexing of said resilient flex coupling, said resilient flex coupling being fixed between said upper flange and said retention member by said plurality of retention fastener members, said resilient flex coupling being fixed to said lower housing by a plurality of coupling fastener members,
wherein said lower housing e

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Partyka Michael E
• Molinar Sergio R
• Knight William J

Classifications

• B62D1/163

  Part of the steering column replaced by flexible means, e.g. cable or belt · CPC title

• F16D3/78

  shaped as an elastic disc or flat ring, arranged perpendicular to the axis of the coupling parts, different sets of spots of the disc or ring being attached to each coupling part, e.g. Hardy couplings · CPC title

• B62D7/224 Primary

  acting between the steering wheel and the steering gear, e.g. on the steering column · CPC title

• F16D3/12 Primary

  specially adapted for accumulation of energy to absorb shocks or vibration (by making use of fluid elements F16D3/80) · CPC title