Shaft for transmitting torques

{
  "publication_number": "US9028333B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Shaft for transmitting torques",
  "abstract": "A shaft for transmitting torques includes a hollow shaft made of fiber-reinforced plastic. A flange which can be used to connect the hollow shaft to a driving or driven machine part is fastened at least to one end of the hollow shaft. The flange is fastened to the hollow shaft via a number of screw connections. Each screw connection includes a screw and a nut. The shank of the screw projects in the direction of the hollow shaft through an opening in the flange that is arranged in the connection region between the end edge of the hollow shaft and the flange. The shank extends at least partially inside the shell of the hollow shaft and engages with the nut arranged on the hollow shaft. The head of the screw is supported on that side of the flange opposed to the hollow shaft.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A shaft for transmitting torques, comprising: a hollow shaft made of fiber-reinforced plastic; wherein a flange which can be used to connect the hollow shaft to a driving or driven machine part is fastened at least to one end of the hollow shaft; wherein the flange is fastened to the front edge of one end of one end of the hollow shaft via a plurality of screw connections; wherein each screw connection comprises a screw and a nut; wherein the shank of the screw projects in a longitudinal direction of the hollow shaft through an opening in the flange that is arranged in the connection region between the end edge of the hollow shaft and the flange, and extends at least partially inside the material of the shell of the hollow shaft and engages with the nut arranged on the hollow shaft; and wherein the head of the screw is supported on that side of the flange opposed to the hollow shaft.",
    "2. The shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein the screw of at least one screw connection is configured as an expansion screw.",
    "3. The shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein the nut of at least one screw connection is configured as a crossway bolt with a female thread, said crossway bolt being arranged in a radial bore at the hollow shaft.",
    "4. The shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one screw connection comprises a crossway bolt with a passage bore without female thread, at the side of which opposed to the flange the nut is supported.",
    "5. The shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein the end of the hollow shaft is frictionally connected to the flange fastened to it.",
    "6. The shaft as defined in claim 5, wherein the material-to-material connection is given by adhesive bonding, utilizing an epoxy resin or an anaerobic adhesive system.",
    "7. The shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein the end of the hollow shaft is positive-lock connected to the flange fastened to it.",
    "8. The shaft as defined in claim 7, wherein the flange is made of steel and wherein the positive-lock connection is configured as a micro-positive lock, which is established by knurling or any other method for roughening the flange.",
    "9. A shaft for transmitting torques, comprising: at least two hollow shafts made of fiber-reinforced plastic connected at one end or connected at least via a flange; wherein the said hollow shafts are arranged concentrically to a longitudinal axis of the shaft; wherein the end edges of the hollow shaft ends facing each other are connected to each other via the flange via a plurality of screw connections, forming a connecting range of the end edges; wherein each screw connection comprises a screw and a nut; wherein the head of the screw is arranged in a radial bore in the first hollow shaft; and wherein the shank of the screw mainly extends at the flange inside the material of the shells of the two hollow shafts and through an opening arranged with the flange in the connecting range of the end edges of the ends facing each other of the hollow shafts with the flange and engages with the nut arranged in a radial bore at the second hollow shaft.",
    "10. The shaft as defined in claim 9, wherein the screw of at least one screw connection comprises an expansion bolt comprising the shaft and a crossway bolt forming the head; wherein the crossway bolt is fastened to the expansion bolt.",
    "11. The shaft as defined in claim 9, wherein at least one screw connection comprises a crossway bolt with a passage bore, said bolt being arranged in the radial bore on the second hollow shaft; and wherein the nut is supported on the hollow shaft side opposed to the first hollow shaft.",
    "12. The shaft as defined in claim 9, wherein the radial bore on the second hollow shaft is configured as an oblong hole.",
    "13. The shaft as defined in claim 9, wherein the end edges of the hollow shaft ends facing each other are material-to-material connected to the flange.",
    "14. The shaft as defined in claim 13, wherein the material-to-material connections are given by adhesive bonding, utilizing an epoxy resin or an anaerobic adhesive system.",
    "15. The shaft according to claim 9, wherein the end edges of the hollow shaft ends facing each other are positive-lock connected to the flange.",
    "16. The shaft as defined in claim 15, wherein the flange is made of steel; and wherein the positive-lock connections are configured as microform positive-lock connections established by knurling or any other method for roughening the flange.",
    "17. The shaft as defined in claim 9, wherein the flange is comprises two equally configured and coaxially arranged flange parts; wherein the first hollow shaft is connected to a first flange part; and wherein the second hollow shaft is connected to the second flange part.",
    "18. The shaft as defined in claim 17, wherein the two flange parts are are positive-lock connected to each other."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe invention relates to a shaft for transmitting torques, comprising a hollow shaft made of fiber-reinforced plastic, wherein a flange which can be used to connect the hollow shaft to a driving or driven machine part is fastened at least to one end of the hollow shaft.\n\nThe invention furthermore relates to a shaft for transmitting torques, comprising at least two single-end connected hollow shafts linked to each other via at least one flange, said hollow shafts made of fiber-reinforced plastic and arranged coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nA shaft of this type is disclosed, for example, in DE 297 08 324 U1. The hollow shaft is connected via radial bolts to a flange sleeve section concentric to the hollow shaft rotation axis, there being a radial passage bore arranged both in the hollow shaft and in the sleeve section. As compared with conventional shafts, entirely formed of metal, this shaft has a relatively low weight. Nevertheless, the hollow shaft features good strength properties and good fatigue behavior. Such a shaft is particularly suitable for use in shipbuilding, for example.\n\nIt is an object of the present invention to provide a novel shaft for transmitting torques which has less weight and can be produced in a more cost-effective manner than conventional shafts whilst maintaining hitherto known shaft robustness.",
  "cpc": [
    "F16C 3/026",
    "F16B 2200/506",
    "F16D 1/076"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16C 3/02",
    "F16D 1/076"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Hackforth GmbH and Co KG"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Guenther Lutz"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2011-09-05",
  "publication_date": "2015-05-12",
  "grant_date": "2015-05-12",
  "priority_date": "2010-09-06",
  "application_number": "US-201113820833-A",
  "family_id": "44773018",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
    "US2879092A",
    "US4380443A",
    "US4747806A",
    "US4758109A",
    "EP0385839A1",
    "DE4009031A1",
    "US5665187A",
    "DE29708324U1",
    "WO2009144484A2",
    "US8291678B2"
  ]
}