Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Coupling facilitates relative axial motion between coupled...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2001-09-11
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Coupling facilitates relative axial motion between coupled...
C074S492000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287207
ABSTRACT:
(1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an assembly for coupling a pair of selectively rotatable members and more particularly, to an assembly for coupling two selectively rotatable members which allows torque to be transferred between the coupled members and which allows the coupled members to independently articulate.
(2) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Assemblies, such as automotive vehicles, often utilize various types of selectively movable and/or selectively rotatable members and require that these members or “shafts” be operatively coupled in a manner which allows the created torque or rotational energy to be communicated and/or transmitted between the coupled members and/or to other portions resident within the assembly.
For example and without limitation, an intermediate shaft is typically mounted within an automobile and is coupled to and transfers torque between the steering column and the gear shaft. Particularly, the selective rotational energy of the steering column is transferred through the intermediate shaft to the gear shaft and the wheel suspension assembly, thereby allowing the vehicle to be selectively steered.
Typically, the intermediate shaft comprises and/or represents a telescoping shaft which allows the steering column and gear shaft to be axially compliant (i.e., to selectively move “toward and away” from each other). This compliance compensates for the relative movement between the vehicle body and vehicle frame which occurs as the car is driven; absorbs and/or reduces the transmission of vibrations and/or energy generated from the vehicle's wheel suspension assembly, to the steering column; and allows the steering column to substantially and desirably “collapse” in the event of a collision or accident, thereby preventing and/or substantially reducing the probability of injury to the driver.
Another example of an “axially compliant” vehicle assembly for coupling two selectively rotatable shafts or members is a driveshaft. Particularly, a vehicle driveshaft is typically and operatively coupled to a transmission assembly and to a differential assembly and selectively transfers the transmission produced torque to the differential, thereby causing the vehicle wheels to desirably rotate. A vehicle driveshaft utilizes and/or comprises a telescoping member which selectively expands, thereby allowing the driveshaft to compensate for the relative movement between the differential and the transmission.
Although these prior assemblies effectively transmit torque between the two coupled members or shafts while allowing the members to reciprocally move with respect to each other (e.g., each of the coupled members may selectively and independently move “toward and away” from the other), they suffer from some drawbacks.
For example and without limitation, these prior telescoping members generate a relatively large amount of friction, which combined with their relatively short engagement lengths, hinders and/or slows the desired telescoping movement, generates undesirable inertial movements, and creates excessive wear and fatigue to and of the telescoping members, thereby resulting in failure, “frictional lock-up”, “shock loading”, and/or diminished performance. These telescoping members are further relatively highly susceptible to contamination from dirt, dust, moisture and other environmental materials, which become lodged between telescoping members.
Such contamination further causes performance degradation and/or failure of the telescoping members, thereby undesirably allowing vibrations and/or movement to be readily transferred between the coupled components, such as between the wheel suspension assembly and the steering column or between the transmission and the differential.
There is therefore a need to provide an assembly for coupling two members or shafts which overcomes at least some of the various and previously delineated drawbacks of prior coupling assemblies; which allows torque and rotational energy to be efficiently transmitted between the two coupled members or shafts; which allows each of the members or shafts to selectively and reciprocally move with respect to the other; which substantially eliminates and/or reduces frictional losses and the transfer of vibrational energy by and between the coupled members or shafts; and which allows the members or shafts to be moveable in a variety of orientations and/or positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide an assembly for coupling two members which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior coupling assemblies.
It is a second object of the invention to provide an assembly for coupling two members which selectively transmits torque and rotation between the two coupled members, while concomitantly allowing the coupled members to selectively, independently, and reciprocally move toward and away from each other.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an assembly for coupling two selectively rotatable shafts which substantially eliminates and/or reduces friction, and thereby substantially eliminates and/or reduces the amount of vibrational forces transferred between the coupled shafts, and substantially reduces the probability of “frictional lock up” and/or failure.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide an assembly for coupling two selectively rotatable shafts which allows the shafts to be moveable in a variety of directions or orientations.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an assembly is provided for coupling a first movable member of the type which provides a first torque, to a second member. The assembly includes a first universal joint which is coupled to the first movable member; a second universal joint which is coupled to the second member; and a third member having a first portion which is coupled to the first and to the second universal joints and a second portion which is coupled to the first and to the second universal joints. The second portion cooperates with the first portion to transmit the first torque from the first member to the second member. The first and the second portions further cooperatively move from a first expanded position to a second collapsed position, thereby allowing the first member to move toward the second member as the first torque is transmitted to the second member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an assembly for use in combination with a first torque generating shaft and a second shaft is provided, the first and second shafts having a respective first and second longitudinal axis of symmetry. The assembly includes a first cross member fixedly coupled to the first shaft; a second cross member fixedly coupled to the second shaft; a third member which is pivotally coupled to the first and the second cross members and which selectively pivots about a first axis; and a fourth member which is pivotally coupled to the first and the second cross members and which selectively pivots about a second axis which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The third member and fourth member cooperate to transmit the torque which is generated by the first shaft to the second shaft, to substantially align the first and second longitudinal axes of symmetry, and to allow the third and the fourth members to move from a first collapsed position to a second expanded position, thereby allowing the first shaft and the second shaft to independently move along the aligned first and second axes of symmetry.
According to a third aspect of the present invention a method for coupling a first rotating and torque producing shaft to a second shaft is provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing a first joint; coupling the first joint to the first shaft; providing a second joint; coupling the second joint to the second shaft; providing a collapsible member having a first portion and a second portion which is substantially identical to the first portions; and coupling the first and the second portions to the first joint and
Page Gregory Gene
Rui Yuting
Stapel Bernardus Johannes
Binda Greg
Browne Lynne H.
Ford Global Tech. Inc
Ford Global Tech., Inc.
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