Coupling element with non-regular shaft interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9581205-B2
Application number	US-201313959159-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2013
Priority date	Aug 5, 2013
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A shaft coupling assembly includes a shaft coupling element having a coupling wall defining a channel configured to receive a shaft end of a shaft. The channel includes a coupling interface configured to mate to a shaft interface defined by the shaft end. Each of the coupling interface and the shaft interface define a mating non-regular shape, which may be configured as one of an irregular polygon and a hybrid polygon including linear and non-linear sides. The shaft coupling element includes a fastener bore and a counterbore having an axial counterbore depth greater than an axial depth of the fastener bore. The shaft end inserted in the channel to an inserted depth greater than the fastener bore depth and less than the axial counterbore depth is displaceable into the counterbore such that the shaft end is not engaged with the coupling interface by the fastener bore receiving the fastener.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shaft coupling element comprising:
a coupling wall defining a channel accessible via a shaft receiving aperture defined by the coupling wall and configured to receive a shaft end of a shaft;
the channel defined by a coupling interface configured to mate to a shaft interface defined by the shaft end; and
wherein the coupling interface defines a non-regular shape;
a fastener bore defined by the coupling wall and configured to align with a fastener receiving recess defined by the shaft end with the shaft end inserted in an installed position, to receive a fastener through the bore and the recess;
wherein the fastener bore is in communication with the channel and the coupling interface and characterized by an axial fastener bore depth and by a radial bore height;
wherein the coupling interface is defined by a plurality of coupling faces including a first coupling face partially defining the fastener bore and configured to mate to a first shaft face defining the shaft interface;
wherein the first coupling face is characterized by a height greater than the radial bore height such that the first shaft face protrudes into the fastener bore when the shaft end is inserted into the channel at a depth greater than the axial fastener bore depth and less than an installed depth;
wherein the channel defines a counterbore in communication with the shaft receiving aperture of the coupling wall, wherein the counterbore:
is characterized by an axial counterbore depth greater than the axial fastener bore depth;
includes a counterbore base extending radially from the coupling interface; and
defines a substantially radial gap corresponding to the radial width of the counterbore base and the axial counterbore depth.

2. The shaft coupling element of claim 1 , wherein the channel includes:
a receiving portion in communication with the shaft receiving aperture and the fastener bore;
a terminating portion in communication with the fastener bore and defined by the coupling interface;
wherein the shaft end inserted in the installed position includes a leading portion of the shaft end in communication with the fastener receiving recess engaged with the terminating portion of the channel and the fastener receiving recess aligned with the fastener bore; and
wherein the leading portion of the shaft end inserted in the channel to a first inserted depth greater than the fastener bore depth and less than the installed depth protrudes into the fastener bore such that the shaft end interferes with the fastener bore receiving the fastener.

3. The shaft coupling element of claim 2 , further comprising:
the receiving portion including a pair of opposing retention features defining the shaft receiving aperture and defining a radial space therebetween;
wherein the radial space is in communication with the channel; and
each of the retention features is partially defined by the coupling interface and configured to orient the shaft interface to the coupling interface when the shaft end is received into the channel.

4. The shaft coupling element of claim 1 , further comprising:
a counterbore defined by the receiving portion;
the counterbore having an axial counterbore depth greater than the axial fastener bore depth;
wherein the leading portion of the shaft end inserted in the channel to a second inserted depth greater than the fastener bore depth and less than the axial counterbore depth is displaceable into the counterbore by the fastener received in the fastener bore, and such that the leading portion of the shaft end is not engaged by the coupling interface by the fastener bore receiving the fastener.

5. The shaft coupling element of claim 1 , wherein:
the coupling interface includes a plurality of coupling faces; and
the non-regular shape is defined by the plurality of coupling faces.

6. The shaft coupling element of claim 5 , wherein:
the plurality of coupling faces includes a first coupling face, a second coupling face and at least a third coupling face;
the first coupling face is adjacent the second coupling face such that the first and second coupling faces define a first included angle therebetween;
wherein the first included angle is not equal to a second included angle defined by the third coupling face and another of the plurality of coupling faces adjacent the third coupling face.

7. The shaft coupling element of claim 5 , wherein:
the plurality of coupling faces includes a first coupling face having a first coupling face length and a second coupling face having a second coupling face length; and
the first coupling face length is not equal to the second coupling face length.

8. The shaft coupling element of claim 1 , wherein the non-regular shape is configured as an irregular polygon.

9. The shaft coupling element of claim 1 , wherein the non-regular shape is configured as a hybrid polygon including at least one linear side and at least one non-linear side.

10. A method of assembling a shaft and a shaft coupling element, wherein:
the shaft coupling element includes:
a coupling wall defining a channel accessible via a shaft receiving aperture of the coupling wall and configured to receive a shaft end of the shaft;
the channel including a coupling interface configured to mate to a shaft interface defined by the shaft end;
wherein the coupling interface defines a non-regular shape;
wherein the shaft interface defines a mating non-regular shape;
a fastener bore defined by the coupling wall and in communication with the channel and the coupling interface and defining an axial fastener bore depth;

the shaft end includes:
a fastener receiving recess defined by the shaft end and configured to align with the fastener bore with the shaft end inserted to an installed depth in the channel, such that a fastener is insertable through the fastener bore and the fastener receiving recess to retain the shaft end in the channel;
wherein the shaft interface is configured to protrude into the fastener bore with the shaft end inserted at a first inserted depth greater than the axial fastener bore depth and less than the installed depth;

the method comprising:
progressively inserting the shaft end of the shaft into the channel via the shaft receiving aperture from the first inserted depth to the installed depth;
wherein at the first inserted depth the shaft interface interferes with insertion of the fastener in the fastener bore;
inserting the fastener through the fastener bore and the fastener receiving recess with the shaft end inserted to the installed depth; and
operatively fastening the fastener to the coupling element such that the coupling interface exerts a clamping force on the shaft interface and the fastener engages the recess to restrain the shaft end in the channel at the installed depth.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the coupling element includes a counterbore defined by a receiving portion of the channel and extending radially from the coupling interface;
the counterbore having an axial counterbore depth greater than the axial fastener bore depth;
wherein the shaft end inserted in the channel to a second inserted depth greater than the fastener bore depth and less than the axial counterbore depth is displaceable into the counterbore such that the shaft end is not engaged with the coupling interface by the fastener bore receiving the fastener;
the method further comprising:
with the shaft end inserted in the channel at the second inserted depth, inserting the fastener into the fastener bore such that the fastener interferes with a leading end of the shaft interface protruding into the fastener bore; and
displacing the shaft end

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Knoth Richard A
• Callender Ricky L

Classifications

• Y10T29/49947

  by applying separate fastener · CPC title

• Y10T403/70

  Interfitted members · CPC title

• Y10T403/7075

  including discrete retainer · CPC title

• F16D1/0864 Primary

  due to tangential loading of the hub, e.g. a split hub · CPC title

• F16D3/387

  Fork construction; Mounting of fork on shaft; Adapting shaft for mounting of fork · CPC title