US 11,725,707 B2
Joint for transmitting a torsional load with elastic response
Nicola Vitiello, Pontedera (IT); Francesco Giovacchini, Pisa (IT); Andrea Baldoni, Perugia (IT); and Marco Cempini, Terricciola (IT)
Assigned to SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO SANT'ANNA, Pisa (IT)
Filed by SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO SANT'ANNA, Pisa (IT)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/862,538.
Application 17/862,538 is a continuation of application No. 16/309,285, granted, now 11,408,478, previously published as PCT/IB2017/053531, filed on Jun. 14, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 102016000062595 (IT), filed on Jun. 17, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0381300 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. F16D 3/72 (2006.01); F16F 1/14 (2006.01); F16D 3/66 (2006.01); B29C 53/58 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16F 1/14 (2013.01) [F16D 3/66 (2013.01); F16D 3/72 (2013.01); B29C 53/583 (2013.01); B29L 2031/75 (2013.01); B60G 2202/1424 (2013.01); B60G 2206/42 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transmissive joint with an elastic response for transmitting a torsional load between an actuating and an actuated device, the joint comprising a body having a tubular structure around a central or longitudinal axis, the body showing a basic outline defined by sections on any planes orthogonal with said axis that are mutually identical aside from a scale factor; a distribution of slots being formed in said body through removal of material, said slots defining the following elements in the same body:
first and second annular elements are defined at respective longitudinal ends of said body, and defined as lying over planes orthogonal to a central axis of the transmissive joint, said first and second annular elements being adapted for a mechanical connection with the actuating or the actuated device;
a beam-shaped pattern including beam-shaped members extending in an axial direction between said first and second annular elements and providing for a plurality of junctions to respective of said first and second annular elements;
one or more connection members joining the beam-shaped members, said one or more connection members develop according to a serpentine shape;
wherein said beam-shaped pattern comprises at least one module located between a midpoint of respective consecutive junctions on the same one of the first and second annular elements, said at least one module repeating serially along a circumference of the transmissive joint, the at least one module having an internal symmetry mirrored with respect to plane passing through said central axis and for the midpoint of the module to an opposed one of the first and second annular elements;
wherein said body has an elongation along said central axis equal to or greater than a diameter of a circle circumscribing the outline;
wherein said at least one module comprises at least two beam-shaped members extending in an essentially axial direction starting from respective first ends that define respective spaced junctions alternatively to said first and second annular elements and having each a second end axially spaced from one of the first and second annular elements opposed to the element to which the first end is integral, the at least one module further comprising one or more connection members joining the second end of each of the two beam-shaped members to the second end of at least one beam-shaped member that is circumferentially consecutive in the at least one module;
wherein the second end of each of the beam-shaped member is axially spaced from one of the first and second annular elements opposed to another one of the first and second annular elements to which the first end is integral by a gap distance not greater than ⅕ of said elongation;
wherein said connection members develop according to a serpentine shape, comprising at least one axial beam-shaped segment extending parallel with said central axis;
wherein said at least one axial beam-shaped segment extends axially for a length equal to said elongation minus twice said gap distance.