Universal joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9939026-B2
Application number	US-201715466138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2017
Priority date	Mar 24, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A universal joint comprises an input shaft comprising at one end thereof a first pair of arms and an output shaft comprising at one end thereof a second pair of arms. Respective opposed first pivot pins are provided on the distal ends of the first pair of arms and aligned along a first axis (P 1 ). Respective opposed second pivot pins are provided on the distal ends of the second pair of opposed arms and aligned along a second axis (P 2 ), the second axis (P 2 ) being perpendicular to the first axis (P 1 ). The joint further comprises a compliant ring extending around the input and output shafts and having first and second pairs of opposed openings for receiving the first and second pivot pins.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A universal joint comprising:
an input shaft comprising at one end thereof a first pair of arms;
an output shaft comprising at one end thereof a second pair of arms;
respective opposed first pivot pins provided on distal ends of the first pair of arms and aligned along a first axis (P 1 );
respective opposed second pivot pins provided on distal ends of the second pair of arms and aligned along a second axis (P 2 ), the second axis (P 2 ) being perpendicular to the first axis (P 1 ); and
an axially compliant ring extending around the input and output shafts and having first and second pairs of opposed openings for receiving the first and second pivot pins;
wherein the respective first and second arms are formed with clevises and the respective pivot pins are received in the clevises and extend through the openings in the ring.

2. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the clevises are provided with bushings which receive the pivot pins.

3. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring is formed with enlarged bosses through which the pivot pin receiving openings are formed and webs extending between the bosses.

4. A universal joint as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the webs have a ratio of axial thickness to radial depth of between 1:1 and 1:20.

5. A universal joint as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the webs have a rectangular cross section.

6. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring has, in the axial direction, a stiffness of less than or equal to 4.0 kN/mm.

7. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring is made from a fibre reinforced composite material.

8. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring is made from a metallic material.

9. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring comprises a plurality of ring elements laminated face to face.

10. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring is made by an additive manufacturing process.

11. A drive transmission system comprising a universal joint as claimed in claim 1 .

12. An aircraft actuator system comprising a power drive unit and a plurality of actuators driven by said power drive unit through a drive transmission system as claimed in claim 11 .

13. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring has, in the axial direction, a stiffness of of between 4.0 kN/mm and 1.0 kN/mm.

14. A universal joint as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the axially compliant ring has, in the axial direction, a stiffness of greater than or equal to 1.0 kN/mm.

Assignees

• Goodrich Actuation Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Davies Stephen

Classifications

• F16D3/387 Primary

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

• F16D3/42 Primary

  with ring-shaped intermediate member provided with bearings or inwardly-directed trunnions · CPC title

• F16C11/00 Primary

  Pivots; Pivotal connections (arrangements of steering linkage connections B62D7/16) · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• F16D3/30

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