Spring spacer coupling

Abstract

Devices to couple a drive hub to a driven hub. The devices may comprise a drive hub contoured end connected to a first end of a spacer column and to a spacer drive hub flange. A portion of the drive hub contoured end may project radially out from the spacer column with a first contoured side and a first flat side and may allow movement in an axial direction and transmit torque and an axial load. The devices may comprise a driven hub contoured end connected to a second end of the spacer column and to a spacer driven hub flange. A portion of the driven hub contoured end may project radially out from the spacer column with a second contoured side and a second flat side and may allow movement in an axial direction and transmit torque and an axial load.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method to attach a spring spacer coupling to a drive shaft and a driven shaft, the method comprising:
 attaching a spacer drive hub flange of the spring spacer coupling to a drive hub with drive hub bolts, wherein the drive hub is attached to the drive shaft, the spacer drive hub flange of the spring spacer is connected to a radial outside edge of a drive hub contoured end, the drive hub contoured end is connected to a first end of a spacer column, a driven hub contoured end is connected to a second end of the spacer column, and a spacer driven hub flange is connected to a radial outside edge of the driven hub contoured end, and   attaching the spacer driven hub flange of the spring spacer coupling to a driven hub with driven hub bolts, wherein the driven hub is attached to the driven shaft;   wherein a portion of the drive hub contoured end projects radially out from the first end of the spacer column with a first contoured side towards the spacer column and a first flat side opposite the first contoured side, the drive hub contoured end is configured to allow movement in an axial direction relative to a central axis of the spacer column, and the drive hub contoured end is configured to transmit torque and an axial load and a portion of the driven hub contoured end projects radially out from the second end of the spacer column with a second contoured side towards the spacer column and a second flat side opposite the second contoured side, the driven hub contoured end is configured to allow movement in an axial direction relative to the central axis of the spacer column, and the driven hub contoured end is configured to transmit torque and an axial load.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the portion of the drive hub contoured end has a first thickness at contact with the first end of the spacer column, decreases in thickness to a second thickness as the drive hub contoured end projects away from the spacer column, and increases in thickness to a third thickness as the drive hub contoured end projects to the spacer drive hub flange. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , the portion of the driven hub contoured end has a first thickness at contact with the second end of the spacer column, decreases in thickness to a second thickness as the driven hub contoured end projects away from the spacer column, and increases in thickness to a third thickness as the driven hub contoured end projects to the spacer driven hub flange. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the drive hub contoured end flexes proportionally to a force applied to the drive hub contoured end in an axial direction relative to the central axis of the spacer column. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the second thickness determines the amount of movement in the axial direction relative to the central axis of the spacer column allowed by the drive hub contoured end. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second thickness determines the amount of movement in the axial direction relative to the central axis of the spacer column allowed by the driven hub contoured end. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the driven hub contoured end flexes proportionally to a force applied to the driven hub contoured end in an axial direction relative to the central axis of the spacer column. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the drive hub contoured end flexes proportionally to a force applied to the drive hub contoured end in an axial direction relative to the central axis of the spacer column and the driven hub contoured end flexes proportionally to a force applied to the driven hub contoured end in an axial direction relative to the central axis of the spacer column.