Flexible shaft coupling and method of manufacturing the same

摘要

A flexible shaft coupling demonstrates a high performance in transmitting torque and accommodating positional deviations, and is yet highly durable. A first elastomer member (82) having a relatively high rubber hardness is circumferentially interposed between a first claw (32) of a first shaft coupling member (20) and a second claw (62) of a second shaft coupling member (50), and a second elastomer member (84, 86) having a lower rubber hardness than the first elastomer member is interposed between a surface portion (end surface) (30) of the first shaft coupling member (20) and the second claw (62) and/or between a surface portion (end surface) (60) of the second shaft coupling member (50) and the first claw (32).

主权项

1. A flexible coupling, comprising a first shaft coupling member fixed to an end of a first shaft member; a second shaft coupling member fixed to an end of a second shaft member; and an elastomer member connecting the first and second shaft coupling members to each other, wherein:
the first and second shaft coupling members are provided with surface portions opposing each other; the first shaft coupling member is provided with a first claw projecting from the surface portion thereof toward the surface portion of the second shaft coupling member; the second shaft coupling member is provided with a second claw projecting from the surface portion thereof toward the surface portion of the first shaft coupling member; the first and second claws are angularly displaced from each other so as to be circumferentially spaced from each other to define a circumferential gap therebetween, and are axially spaced from the opposing surface portions of the second and first shaft coupling members, respectively; and a first elastomer member having a first rubber hardness is circumferentially interposed between the first and second claws to fill the circumferential gap between the first and second claws, and a second elastomer member having a second rubber hardness lower than the first rubber hardness is interposed between the surface portion of the first shaft coupling member and the second claw and/or between the surface portion of the second shaft coupling member and the first claw.