The Scope for a Compliant Homokinetic Coupling Based on Review of Compliant Joints and Rigid-Body Constant Velocity Universal Joints

Abstract

Many applications require a compliant mechanism to transmit rotation from one direct to another direct with constant velocity. This paper presents a literature survey towards the design of compliant constant velocity universal joints. The traditional constant velocity universal joints available from the literature were studied, classified and their mechanical efficiencies were compared. Also the graph representation of them was studied. In the same manner, literature review for different kind of compliant joints suitable for the Rigid-Body-Replacement of constant velocity universal joints was also performed. For the first time a comparison with analytical data of compliant joints was performed. All of compliant universal joints are non-constant velocity and designed based on rigid Hooke’s universal joint. Also we show there are no equivalent compliant joints for some rigid-body joints such as cylindrical joint, planar joint, spherical fork joint and spherical parallelogram quadrilateral joint. However, we may achieve them by combining numbers of available compliant joints. The universal joints found are non-compliant non-constant velocity universal joint, non-compliant constant velocity universal joint or compliant non-constant velocity universal joint. A compliant constant velocity universal joint has a great horizon for developments, for instance in medical or rehabilitation devices.