Flexible transmission drive joint
A driveline includes a rotor adaptor and a bearing adaptor coupled to opposite ends of a drive shaft. The rotor adaptor includes a first plurality of drive pockets. Each of the first plurality of drive pockets receives a drive ball rotatably held between each of the first plurality of drive pockets and the end of the drive shaft. The bearing adaptor includes a second plurality of drive pockets. Each of the second plurality of drive pockets receives a drive ball rotatably held between each of the second plurality of drive pockets and the opposite end of the drive shaft. Each of the plurality of drive balls includes a flat surface and each of the first plurality of drive pockets and the second plurality of drive pockets includes a flat thrust face. The flat surface receives a rotational force from the flat thrust face in response to rotating the rotor adaptor.
1. A driveline comprising:
a rotor adaptor coupled to an end of a drive shaft;
a bearing adaptor coupled to an opposite end of the drive shaft;
the rotor adaptor including a first plurality of drive pockets, each of the first plurality of drive pockets receiving a flat faced drive ball rotatably held between each of the first plurality of drive pockets and the end of the drive shaft; and
the bearing adaptor including a second plurality of drive pockets, each of the second plurality of drive pockets receiving a flat faced drive ball rotatably held between each of the second plurality of drive pockets and the opposite end of the drive shaft;
wherein each of the plurality of flat faced drive balls is a sphere with a truncated section that creates a flat surface and each of the first plurality of drive pockets and the second plurality of drive pockets includes a flat thrust face, the flat surface receiving a rotational force from the flat thrust face in response to rotating the rotor adaptor.
2. The driveline of claim 1 wherein the end of the drive shaft or the opposite end of the drive shaft comprises a removable thrust ball end.
3. The driveline of claim 1 wherein a plane of the flat thrust face is perpendicular to a circumferential direction of movement of the rotor adaptor or the bearing adaptor.
4. The driveline of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of flat faced drive balls is oriented so that the flat surface of each of the plurality of flat faced drive balls makes a planar point of contact with one of the flat thrust faces.
5. The driveline of claim 1 wherein a plane of the flat thrust face is at an obtuse angle to a circumferential direction of movement of the rotor adaptor or the bearing adaptor.
6. A ball drive system comprising:
a plurality of flat faced drive balls, each said flat faced drive ball being a sphere with a truncated section that creates a flat surface; and
a drive pocket housing including a plurality of drive pockets distributed around an inner circumference of the housing, each of the plurality of drive pockets formed to rotatably receive a flat faced drive ball;
wherein each of the plurality of flat faced drive balls includes a flat surface and each of the plurality of drive pockets includes a flat thrust face, the flat surface receiving a rotational force from the flat thrust face in response to a rotational movement of the drive pocket housing.
7. The driveline of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of flat faced drive balls is oriented so that the flat surface of each of the plurality of flat faced drive balls makes a planar point of contact with one of the flat thrust faces.