JP2580862Y2 - Elastic shaft coupling - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an elastic shaft coupling for connecting two coaxial shafts with elastic play in the rotational direction, and more particularly to an improvement in a cylindrical cover.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 4, for example, this kind of elastic shaft coupling is used in an operation mechanism of an automobile, and interrupts the transmission of vibration from wheels to a steering wheel and utilizes the torsion of an elastic body. The handle operation has elastic play. In the figure, 50 is a steering wheel, 51 is a steering shaft, 52 is an input shaft of a steering gear device (power steering device), 53 and 54 are universal joints, and 55 is an elastic shaft joint.

As shown in FIG. 5, for example, a conventional elastic shaft coupling 55 is provided on the upper end of a large-diameter cylindrical shaft 56 integrally formed with one yoke 54a of a lower universal joint 54. One yoke 5 of joint 53
The shaft end of a small-diameter cylindrical shaft 57 integrally formed with 3a is fitted inside via a cylindrical elastic member 58, and a large-diameter cylindrical shaft 56 is formed.
The protrusions at both ends of a pin 59 radially penetrated to the shaft end of the small-diameter cylindrical shaft 57 are engaged with U-shaped cutouts 56a, 56a provided at positions 180 degrees opposite to the shaft ends. 5
6, 57 are connected in the rotation direction. A cylindrical cover 60 is surrounded and mounted on the fitting portion and the coupling portion. One opening of the cylindrical cover 60 is in close contact with the shaft end of the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 56, and the other opening is Small diameter cylinder shaft 57
Are fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft end portion with a minute gap.

The cylindrical cover 60 has notches 56a, 5
6a is completely closed, and also serves as a stopper for the pin 59 to come off. The elastic member 58 is an elastic body 58 such as rubber between the inner and outer two metal cylinders 58a and 58b.
c is baked.

[0005]

When the elastic shaft coupling 55 is used for an operation mechanism of an automobile, the elastic shaft coupling 55 may be exposed to muddy water when running on rainy weather. A waterproof structure is provided by surrounding the cylindrical cover 60.

The elastic shaft coupling 55 is configured so that the two shafts 56 and 57 can relatively rotate slightly, in order to have a predetermined play in the rotational direction. One of the openings must be in non-contact with one of the small-diameter cylindrical shafts 57 (or 56). Therefore, a small gap is set between the other opening of the cylindrical cover 60 which is not contacted and the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter cylindrical shaft 57. Each of them enters the inner space of the tubular cover 60. The muddy water that has entered the internal space of the cylindrical cover 60 in this way accumulates without falling out, causing rust to occur in various parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to prevent muddy water from accumulating in the internal space of a cylindrical cover and prevent rust from occurring.

[0008]

According to the present invention, one of the two coaxial shafts is fitted inside one cylindrical shaft end from the axial direction via an elastic member. , The end of the cylindrical shaft 18
The notch provided at the 0-degree facing position has a 180
The elastic shaft coupling is configured such that the convex portions provided at the opposite positions are engaged and the two shafts are coupled in the rotational direction, and the cylindrical cover is surrounded and mounted on the fitting portion and the coupling portion of the two shafts. One opening of the cylindrical cover is fitted to the end of the cylindrical shaft, and the other opening is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the end of the cylindrical shaft with a small gap, and The edge of the one opening of the cylindrical cover is located at the deep end of the notch at the end of the cylindrical shaft, and the diameter of this edge is enlarged.

[0009]

The inner end of the notch at the end of the cylindrical shaft is exposed to the outside without completely closing it by enlarging the edge of the one opening of the cylindrical cover. On the other hand, even if water enters the internal space of the cylindrical cover from the minute gap between the edge of the opening and the end of the axial shaft, it does not collect in the internal space of the cylindrical cover, Will be discharged from the far end.

[0010]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of an elastic shaft coupling according to the present invention. In this embodiment, an example in which the basic configuration is the same as that of the conventional example will be described.

In the elastic shaft coupling 1 shown in the drawings, a large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2 integrally formed with one yoke of a universal joint is connected to a small-diameter cylindrical shaft 3 via a cylindrical elastic member 4 at the axial end thereof. The inner end of the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2 is
The protrusions at both ends of a pin 5 radially penetratingly mounted on the shaft end of the small-diameter cylindrical shaft 3 are engaged with the U-shaped cutouts 2a, 2a provided at opposite positions, and the two cylindrical shafts 2, 3 rotate. Are joined in a direction. A cylindrical cover 6 is surrounded and mounted on the fitting portion and the coupling portion. One opening of the cylindrical cover 6 is in close contact with the shaft end of the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2, and the other opening is The small-diameter cylindrical shaft 3 is externally fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft end with a small gap.

The present invention is characterized by the cylindrical cover 6. That is, the cylindrical cover 6 has one opening end located at the deep end of the notches 2a, 2a of the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2, and this end extending radially outward. It is curved. The curved portion is denoted by reference numeral 7. For this reason, the deep ends of the notches 2a, 2a of the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2 are exposed to the outside without being completely closed. Therefore, even if water enters from the minute gap between the edge of the other opening of the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2 and the small-diameter cylindrical shaft 3, it does not accumulate in the internal space of the cylindrical cover 6, Notches 2a, 2a of cylindrical shaft 2
Will be discharged from the far end. In particular, when this elastic shaft coupling 1 is used as 53 in FIG.
The above-mentioned water drainage becomes extremely good because it is used in a state of oblique posture with the upper side. Moreover, the notches 2a, 2
Since the back end of a is covered with the cylindrical cover 6 when viewed from the radial direction, it is difficult for water to directly enter the vicinity of the back end of the cutouts 2a, 2a.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned elastic member 4 has a structure in which an elastic body 4c such as rubber is baked between two inner and outer metal cylinders 4a, 4b. May be baked or may be constituted only by an elastic body.

As shown in FIG. 3 (a), such a cylindrical cover 6 is formed by pressing a metal flat plate 10 of, for example, JIS standard SPCC into a cylindrical pressing die 11 and a receiving die 12 having a cylindrical depression. , And the dashed line L in FIG.
It can be obtained by cutting into a circle in the range indicated by 1, L2. In other words, the bend naturally obtained by the drawing is replaced with the curved portion 7 at the edge of one opening of the cylindrical cover 6.
If the cutout position is devised so that it can be used, the bending portion 7 does not need to be formed in a separate step, and the production cost can be reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the present invention is also applied to an elastic shaft coupling having a structure in which the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2 and the small-diameter cylindrical shaft 3 are spline-fitted in the rotation direction and an elastic member (4) is interposed at the spline-fitted portion. it can. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the pin 5 may be inserted through a portion where the large-diameter cylindrical shaft 2, the elastic member 4, and the small-diameter cylindrical shaft 3 are fitted. Further, the pin 5 can be replaced by a projection provided at a position 180 degrees opposite to the small diameter cylindrical shaft 3.

[0016]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention,
By expanding the edge of the one opening of the cylindrical cover, the rear end of the cutout at the end of the cylindrical shaft is exposed to the outside without completely closing it. Even if water enters the internal space of the cylindrical cover from the minute gap between the end of the axial shaft, it does not collect in the internal space of the cylindrical cover,
It will be discharged from the back end of the aforementioned notch. Therefore, rusting of the portion covered by the cylindrical cover can be prevented, and the original function of the elastic shaft coupling can be exhibited without any trouble.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the elastic shaft coupling of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a mounting portion of a cylindrical cover with respect to a large-diameter cylindrical shaft.

FIG. 3 is a process explanatory view showing a procedure for manufacturing a cylindrical cover.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an operation mechanism of a general automobile.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional elastic shaft coupling.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Elastic shaft coupling 2 Large diameter cylindrical shaft 3 Small diameter cylindrical shaft 4 Elastic member 5 Pin 6 Cylindrical cover 7 Curved part of cylindrical cover

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Sugimoto 3-5-8 Minamisenba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (56) References Japanese Utility Model 4-90733 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Sho 56-30157 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) F16D 3/76 F16D 3/12 F16D 3/84

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] An end of one of the two coaxial shafts is axially fitted into the end of the other cylindrical shaft via an elastic member, and the other end of the cylindrical shaft is connected to the other end of the cylindrical shaft. The two shafts are connected in the rotational direction by engaging a notch provided at a position opposing the shaft and a protrusion provided at a position 180 degrees opposite to the end of the shaft-like shaft. An elastic shaft coupling having a configuration in which a cylindrical cover is surrounded and mounted on a portion, wherein one opening of the cylindrical cover is in close contact with the end of the cylindrical shaft, and the other opening is the end of the shaft. Each of the cylindrical covers is externally fitted in a state having a minute gap, and the edge of one opening of the cylindrical cover is located at the deep end of the cutout at the end of the cylindrical shaft. An elastic shaft coupling characterized in that a portion is enlarged in diameter.