Self-aligning coupler

1 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) for power transmission between driving shaft and driven shaft that are non-collinear and misaligned by connecting the driving shaft and the driven shaft comprising:

a. a first coupler ( 604 ), the first coupler ( 604 ) configured to be connected to a driving shaft, the first coupler ( 604 ) receiving the first end of a tie rod ( 608 ) and the first coupler ( 604 ) including a first screw nut assembly ( 624 ) comprising two pairs of screw nut assembly;

b. a tie rod ( 608 ), the tie rod having three degrees of freedom of movement connecting the first coupler ( 604 ) with a second coupler ( 612 ) and first coupler including the first screw nut assembly ( 624 );

c. the second coupler configured to be connected to a driven shaft and the second coupler ( 612 ) receiving the second end of the tie rod ( 608 ), and the second coupler ( 612 ) including a second screw nut assembly ( 628 ) comprising two pairs of screw nut assembly;

d. pairs of inserts, comprising a first pair of insert ( 614 ), and second pair of insert ( 618 ) being radially movable in arcuate openings ( 632 ) of first coupler ( 604 ) and arcuate openings ( 634 ) of the second coupler ( 612 ) respectively;

e. a pair of rings including a first ring ( 605 ) and a second ring ( 613 ), the first ring ( 605 ) is connected to the first coupler ( 604 ) for securely connecting the tie rod ( 608 ) to the first coupler ( 604 ), and the second ring ( 613 ) is connected to the second coupler ( 612 );

f. a plurality of screw nut assemblies ( 624 )/( 628 ), comprising the first screw nut assembly ( 624 ) configured to be receivable in the first coupler ( 604 ) in holes ( 625 ) and, the second screw nut assembly ( 628 ) configured to be receivable in the second coupler ( 612 ) in holes ( 629 ) respectively; and

g. at least three positions of the couplers ( 604 ), ( 612 ) including a first extreme position, an intermediate position and a third extreme position;

wherein a first pair of screw nut assembly ( 624 ) and a second pair of the screw nut assembly ( 624 ) being opposedly positioned on the first arcuate opening ( 632 ) of the first coupler ( 604 ), a third pair of screw nut assembly ( 628 ) and a fourth pair of the screw nut assembly ( 628 ) being opposedly positioned on the second arcuate opening ( 634 ) of the second coupler ( 612 ), a screw of each of the screw nut assemblies ( 900 ) guides and locks positions of the inserts ( 614 )/( 618 ) by balls ( 808 ), and the tie rod ( 608 ) by balls ( 712 ).

2 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 1 , wherein the pair of inserts ( 614 ), ( 618 ) includes a hemispherical cross section such that the pair of insert ( 800 ) (i.e. ( 614 )/( 618 )) includes a flat bottom and arcuate top.

3 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 2 , wherein a flat lower surface of the insert ( 800 ) including a blind hole ( 812 ) that is approximately centrally positioned on the flat lower surface of the insert ( 800 ) receiving a steel ball ( 712 ).

4 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 3 , wherein the steel ball ( 712 ) is partially positionable in the hole ( 812 ) of the insert ( 618 ), and partially positionable in a pocket ( 700 ) defining relative movement between first coupler ( 604 ), the tie rod ( 608 ) and the second coupler ( 612 ) maintains its position and guides the tie rod ( 608 ).

5 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 4 , wherein from the bottom side of the tie rod ( 608 ), another ball ( 712 ) is positionable in a respective pocket ( 812 ) of the same insert ( 618 ) and partially positioneable in a corresponding pocket ( 700 ′).

6 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 1 , wherein the first screw nut assembly ( 624 ) including a bolt ( 904 ) having a head ( 906 ), a check nut ( 908 ) and a scale ( 912 ) being defined along the length of the bolt ( 904 ), the check nut ( 908 ) being threadably rotatably movable along length of the bolt ( 904 ) between a bottom portion and the head ( 906 ) of the bolt ( 904 ).

7 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 6 , wherein a bottom portion of the bolt ( 904 ) including a dome shaped opening ( 916 ) to receive a ball ( 808 ) located in the respective radial groove of the insert.

8 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) for power transmission between driving shaft and driven shaft that are non-collinear and misaligned by connecting the driving shaft and the driven shaft comprising:

a. a first coupler ( 604 ), the first coupler ( 604 ) configured to be connected to a driving shaft, the first coupler ( 604 ) receiving the first end of a tie rod ( 608 ) and the first coupler ( 604 ) including a first screw nut assembly ( 624 ) comprising two pairs of screw nut assembly;

b. a tie rod ( 608 ), the tie rod having three degrees of freedom of movement connecting the first coupler ( 604 ) with a second coupler ( 612 ) and first coupler including the first screw nut assembly ( 624 );

c. the second coupler configured to be connected to a driven shaft and the second coupler ( 612 ) receiving the second end of the tie rod ( 608 ), and the second coupler ( 612 ) including a second screw nut assembly ( 628 ) comprising two pairs of screw nut assembly;

d. pairs of inserts, comprising a first pair of insert ( 614 ), and second pair of insert ( 618 ) being radially movable in arcuate openings ( 632 ) of first coupler ( 604 ) and arcuate openings ( 634 ) of the second coupler ( 612 ) respectively;

e. a pair of rings including a first ring ( 605 ) and a second ring ( 613 ), the first ring ( 605 ) is connected to the first coupler ( 604 ) for securely connecting the tie rod ( 608 ) to the first coupler ( 604 ), and the second ring ( 613 ) is connected to the second coupler ( 612 );

f. a plurality of screw nut assemblies ( 624 )/( 628 ), comprising the first screw nut assembly ( 624 ) configured to be receivable in the first coupler ( 604 ) in holes ( 625 ) and, the second screw nut assembly ( 628 ) configured to be receivable in the second coupler ( 612 ) in holes ( 629 ) respectively; and

g. at least three positions of the couplers ( 604 ), ( 612 ) including a first extreme position, an intermediate position and a third extreme position;

wherein the pair of inserts ( 614 ), ( 618 ) includes a hemispherical cross section such that the pair of insert ( 800 ) (i.e. ( 614 )/( 618 )) includes a flat bottom and arcuate top;

wherein each insert ( 800 ) including a pair of radial grooves ( 804 ) running on outer arcuate surface of the respective insert ( 800 ), each of the radial grooves ( 804 ) including a ball ( 808 ) being positioned below the screw-nut assembly ( 624 ).

9 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 8 , wherein a flat lower surface of the insert ( 800 ) including a blind hole ( 812 ) that is approximately centrally positioned on the flat lower surface of the insert ( 800 ) receiving a steel ball ( 712 ).

10 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 9 , wherein the steel ball ( 712 ) is partially positionable in the hole ( 812 ) of the insert ( 618 ), and partially positionable in a pocket ( 700 ) defining relative movement between first coupler ( 604 ), the tie rod ( 608 ) and the second coupler ( 612 ) maintains its position and guides the tie rod ( 608 ).

11 . A self-aligning coupler ( 600 ) of claim 10 , wherein from the bottom side of the tie rod ( 608 ), another ball ( 712 ) is positionable in a respective pocket ( 812 ) of the same insert ( 618 ) and partially positioneable in a corresponding pocket ( 700 ′).