Design, manufacture and evaluation of a new flexible constant velocity mechanism for transmission of power between parallel shafts

This paper presents a new mechanism (coupling) for power transmission between parallel shafts in more ranges. The mechanism consists of one drive shaft and one driven shaft, 3 S-shape transmitter links and 8 connecting links. The advantage of this mechanism is that the velocity ratio between input and output shafts remains constant at all movements, and its capacity to offset misalignments is greater than that of other couplings. This research also includes a kinematic analysis and simulations using Visual NASTRAN, Autodesk inventor dynamic and COSMOS motion to prove that the mechanism exhibits a constant velocity. Finally, the mechanism was fabricated and evaluated; results showed that the mechanism can practically transmit a constant velocity ratio.