US 7,462,105 B2
Flexible drive interface
Robert M. Lattin, Minneapolis, Minn. (US)
Assigned to Thermo King Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn. (US)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/898,820.
Prior Publication US 2006/0019756 A1, Jan. 26, 2006
Int. Cl. F16D 3/28 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 464—71  [464/72; 464/137; 464/138] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A coupling between a driving element and a driven element, the coupling comprising:
a first disc coupled to one of the drive element and the driven element and rotatable about a rotational axis, the first disc including a first quantity of apertures;
a second disc coupled to the other of the drive element and the driven element and rotatable about the rotational axis, the second disc including bores;
a second quantity of pins received by the bores, the bores sized to define an interference fit between the pins and the second disc;
a third quantity of resilient bushings, each of the bushings at least partially disposed in one of the apertures and directly snug fit into the associated aperture without a rigid outer collar, each of the resilient bushings including a retaining lip positioned between the first disc and the second disc, the retaining lip directly engaged by the first disc and the second disc; and
a fourth quantity of inner liners, each of the inner liners at least partially disposed within one of the resilient bushings, each of the inner liners including a cylindrical bore and formed from a composite material that is harder than the resilient bushings to inhibit wear of the resilient bushings, each one of the pins engageable with one of the inner liners to couple the first disc and the second disc for rotation, each of the pins including an end terminating within one of the cylindrical bores without extending completely through the first disc, the pins movable in both axial directions relative to the inner during operation of the coupling without axial compression of the resilient bushings.