Flexible torsion shaft and an arrangement using it and a cleaning device for air-conditioning ducts
A flexible composite torsion shaft for attachment to a drive shaft includes an elongated core element having a circular cross section. A reinforcement comprising at least one polymer layer and multiple layers of reinforcing-fiber wound around the core element inside the at least one polymer layer. Each reinforcing-fiber layer is wound around the core element at a winding angle in a range of 40° to the hoop winding angle, depending on a width of a reinforcing-fiber being wound, relative to a longitudinal direction of the core element. At least one reinforcing-fiber-layer is wound at an opposite angle from another reinforcing-fiber layer inside the at least one polymer layer. The winding angle increases as an average layer diameter of reinforcing-fiber insider the at least one polymer layer increases.
1. A flexible composite torsion shaft for attachment to a drive shaft, comprising:
an elongated core element having a circular cross section;
a reinforcement comprising at least one polymer layer; and
multiple layers of reinforcing-fiber wound around the core element inside the at least one polymer layer, each reinforcing-fiber layer being wound around the core element at a winding angle in a range of 40° to the hoop winding angle, depending on a width of a reinforcing-fiber being wound, relative to a longitudinal direction of the core element, wherein at least one reinforcing-fiber-layer is wound at an opposite angle from another reinforcing-fiber layer inside the at least one polymer layer, wherein the winding angle increases as an average layer diameter of reinforcing-fiber inside the at least one polymer layer increases, and wherein the reinforcing-fiber of an innermost reinforcing-fiber layer wound around the core is at a lower winding angle than other reinforcing-fiber layers.
2. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of consecutive reinforcing-fiber layers alternate in opposite directions of the winding angle.
3. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymer layer comprises polyurethane.
4. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 1 , wherein at least one reinforcing-fiber layer is selected from a group comprising one of the following: glass fiber, polyamide, aramid, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and carbon fiber.
5. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible torsion shaft has a length in a range of 1 m-40 m.
6. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 5 , wherein the flexible torsion shaft has a minimum curvature radius in a range of 30 cm-200 cm.
7. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing-fibers have a weight in a range of 50%-75% of the total weight.
8. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 1 , further including an outer coating of PTFE.
9. An arrangement comprising the flexible torsion shaft according to claim 1 , and a casing tube fitted around the flexible torsion shaft.
10. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the casing tube comprises a polyamide.
11. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the casing tube has an inner surface having a PTFE coating.
12. A flexible composite torsion shaft for attachment to a drive shaft, comprising:
an elongated core element having a circular cross section;
a reinforcement surrounding the core element and comprising at least inner and outer polymer layers, wherein the inner polymer layer is of a harder polymer than the outer polymer layer which is of a more elastic polymer than the inner polymer layer; and
multiple layers of reinforcing-fiber wound around the core element inside each of the inner and outer polymer layers, each reinforcing-fiber layer being wound around the core element at a winding angle in a range of 40° to the hoop winding angle, depending on a width of a reinforcing-fiber being wound, relative to a longitudinal direction of the core element, wherein at least one reinforcing-fiber layer is wound at an opposite angle from another reinforcing-fiber layer inside the respective inner and outer polymer layers, wherein the winding angle increases as an average layer diameter of reinforcing-fiber inside the respective inner and outer layer increases.
13. A flexible composite torsion shaft for attachment to a drive shaft, comprising:
an elongated core element having a circular cross section;
a reinforcement comprising at least one polymer layer; and
multiple layers of reinforcing-fiber wound around the core element inside the at least one polymer layer, each reinforcing-fiber layer being wound around the core element at a winding angle in a range of 40° to the hoop winding angle, depending on a width of a reinforcing-fiber being wound, relative to a longitudinal direction of the core element, wherein at least one reinforcing-fiber layer is wound at an opposite angle from another reinforcing-fiber layer inside the at least one polymer layer, wherein the winding angle increases as an average layer diameter of reinforcing-fiber inside the at least one polymer layer increases, and wherein the at least one polymer layer comprises a polymer that has a great elongation in a range of 150%-500% and a tensile strength in a range of 10 Mpa-40 Mpa.
14. The flexible torsion shaft according to claim 13 , wherein the torsion shaft has a nominal torque M in a range of 2 Nm-30 Nm and a diameter in a range of 2.2 mm×√(M/Nm)±30%.
15. A series of flexible torsion shafts each for attachment to a drive shaft, each flexible torsion shaft comprising:
an elongated core element having a circular cross section;
a reinforcement comprising at least one polymer layer; and
multiple layers of reinforcing-fiber wound around the core element inside the at least one polymer layer, each reinforcing-fiber layer being wound around the core element at a winding angle in a range of 40° to the hoop winding angle, depending on a width of a reinforcing-fiber being wound, relative to a longitudinal direction of the core element, wherein at least one reinforcing-fiber-layer is wound at an opposite angle from another reinforcing-fiber layer inside the at least one polymer layer, wherein the winding angle increases as an average layer diameter of reinforcing-fiber inside the at least one polymer layer increases, wherein the flexible torsion shafts in the series have diameters, average core thicknesses, and wall thicknesses according to the following table:
Core thickness mm
Wall thickness mm
Shaft diameter mm
tolerance ±30%
tolerance ±15%
4 mm
0.5 mm
1.7 mm
6 mm
0.5 mm
2.75 mm
8 mm
1 mm
3.5 mm
10 mm
3 mm
3.5 mm
12 mm
5 mm
3.5 mm
14 mm
7 mm
3.5 mm
16 mm
9 mm
3.5 mm
18 mm
10 mm
4 mm
20 mm
12 mm
4 mm
30 mm
20 mm
5 mm.
16. A device for cleaning air-conditioning ducts, comprising: an arrangement comprising:
a flexible composite torsion shaft for attachment to a drive shaft, the flexible composite torsion shaft comprising:
an elongated core element having a circular cross section;
a reinforcement comprising at least one polymer layer;
multiple layers of reinforcing-fiber wound around the core element inside the at least one polymer layer, each reinforcing-fiber layer being wound around the core element at a winding angle in a range of 40° to the hoop winding angle, depending on a width of a reinforcing-fiber being wound, relative to a longitudinal direction of the core element, wherein at least one reinforcing-fiber-layer is wound at an opposite angle from another reinforcing-fiber layer inside the at least one polymer layer, and wherein the winding angle increases as an average layer diameter of reinforcing-fiber inside the at least one polymer layer increases; and
a casing tube fitted around the flexible torsion shaft; and
reeling means operatively connected to the flexible torsion shaft fitted with the casing tube;
drive-motor machinery adapted for rotating the flexible torsion shaft; and
a brush device attached to a free end of the flexible torsion shaft.