Novel coupling applicable in off-centered condition

Abstract

A novel coupling was devised by utilizing the self-locking property of a belt. The torque is transmitted through a flexible belt. The belt length between the power disk and the driven shaft varies with a rotation of shaft in an off-centered condition. It causes an angular velocity fluctuation when the torque is transmitted by a single belt. In order to decrease this fluctuation in angular velocity, the looped belt method was devised. The looped belt is formed with the aid of the cam-followers to coil around the driven shaft so as to transmit torque through two points opposed. By running a looped belt so as to cancel the change in belt length between the power disk to the driven shaft, the fluctuation of angular velocity was successfully suppressed. The theory of looped belt coupling was examined. Experiments were carried out to confirm the theory of the looped belt method. Simple fatigue tests were also carried out to evaluate durability of the coupling. These tests showed that the looped belt method was quite effective in reducing angular velocity fluctuation in transmitting torque in an off-centered condition. It also has practical durability.