Constant velocity joint with control mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399513-B2
Application number	US-201213673475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2012
Priority date	Nov 9, 2012
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a constant velocity (CV) joint includes a first yoke, a second yoke, and a control mechanism. The first yoke is configured to be rotatably coupled to an input device about a first axis and configured to receive the input device through a first opening. The second yoke is rotatably coupled to the first yoke about a second axis and rotatably coupled to an output device about a third axis. The control mechanism is adapted to constrain the first yoke and the second yoke so as to achieve a substantially CV characteristic between the input device and the output device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a body;
a power train coupled to the body and comprising a power source and a drive shaft coupled to the power source;
a hub;
a rotor blade coupled to the hub; and
a constant velocity (CV) joint coupled between the drive shaft and the hub, the CV joint comprising:
a first yoke rotatably coupled to the drive shaft about a first axis and configured to receive the drive shaft through a first opening;
a second yoke rotatably coupled to the first yoke about a second axis and rotatably coupled to the hub about a third axis; and
a control mechanism adapted to constrain the first yoke and the second yoke so as to achieve a substantially CV characteristic between the drive shaft and the hub, the control mechanism comprising a positioning portion adapted to position the first and second yokes such that the second axis substantially resides on a bisector of an angle between the drive shaft and the hub.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism is positioned so as to allow the drive shaft to pass through the first opening.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism is coupled to the drive shaft proximate the first opening.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the second yoke is disposed about the first yoke.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the hub is disposed about the drive shaft.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the first axis is substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the drive shaft.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the third axis is substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the hub.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism further comprises a first linkage and a second linkage coupling the first linkage to the hub.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the first axis and the second axis substantially intersect at an origin point;
the control mechanism comprises a first linkage coupled to the drive shaft at a first point and extending through openings in the first and second yokes to a second point, the second point being positioned at an angle corresponding to the angle between the drive shaft and the hub; and
the first linkage is adapted to position the first and second yokes such that the second axis substantially resides on a bisector of the angle corresponding to the angle between the drive shaft and the hub.

10. The rotorcraft of Claim 1 , wherein the positioning portion is configured to travel along an arc representing a range of bisection angles.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism is operable to position the first and second yokes when the first and third axes are substantially collinear.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 11 , wherein the control mechanism is operable to position the first and second yokes such that the second axis substantially resides on the bisector of the angle between the drive shaft and the hub when the first and third axes are substantially collinear.

13. A method of achieving a substantially constant velocity (CV) characteristic between an input device and an output device, comprising:
receiving the input device through a first opening in a first yoke, the first yoke rotatably coupled to the input device about a first axis and rotatably coupled to a second yoke about a second axis, the second yoke rotatably coupled to the output device about a third axis; and
constraining the first yoke and the second yoke so as to achieve a substantially CV characteristic between the drive shaft and the hub, wherein constraining the first and second yoke comprises positioning the first and second yokes such that the second axis substantially resides on a bisector of an angle between the input device and the output device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein constraining the first yoke and the second yoke comprises constraining an orientation of the second axis.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second yoke is disposed about the first yoke.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the output device is disposed about the input device.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first axis is substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the input device.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the third axis is substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the output device.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein constraining the first and second yoke comprises positioning the first and second yokes when the first and third axes are substantially collinear.

20. A constant velocity (CV) joint comprising:
a first yoke configured to be rotatably coupled to an input device about a first axis and configured to receive the input device through a first opening;
a second yoke rotatably coupled to the first yoke about a second axis and rotatably coupled to an output device about a third axis; and
a control mechanism adapted to constrain the first yoke and the second yoke so as to achieve a substantially CV characteristic between the input device and the output device, the control mechanism comprising a positioning portion adapted to position the first and second yokes such that the second axis substantially resides on a bisector of an angle between the input device and the output device.

21. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the control mechanism is positioned so as to allow the input device to pass through the first opening.

22. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the control mechanism is configured to be coupled to the input device proximate the first opening.

23. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the second yoke is disposed about the first yoke.

24. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the first axis is substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the input device.

25. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the third axis is substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the output device.

26. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the control mechanism further comprises a first linkage and a second linkage configured to couple the first linkage to the output device.

27. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein:
the first axis and the second axis substantially intersect at an origin point;
the control mechanism comprises a first linkage coupled to the input device at a first point and extending through openings in the first and second yokes to a second point, the second point being positioned at an angle corresponding to the angle between the drive shaft and the hub; and
the first linkage is adapted to position the first and second yokes such that the second axis substantially resides on a bisector of the angle corresponding to the angle between the drive shaft and the hub.

28. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the positioning portion is configured to travel along an arc representing a range of bisection angles.

29. The CV joint of claim 20 , wherein the control mechanism is operable to position the first and second yokes when the first and third axes are substantially collinear.

30. The CV joint of claim 29 , wherein the control mechanism is operable to position the first and second yokes such that the second axis substantially resides on the bisector of the between the drive shaft and the hub when the first and third axes are substantially collinear.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Sutton Drew A
• Foskey Christopher
• Smith Dudley
• Stamps Frank B

Classifications

• B64C27/32

  Rotors · CPC title

• F16D3/33

  with ball or roller bearings · CPC title

• B64C27/41 Primary

  with flapping hinge or universal joint, common to the blades · CPC title

• B64C27/37 Primary

  having articulated joints · CPC title

• F16D3/30

  in which the coupling is specially adapted to constant velocity-ratio · CPC title