Due to greater demands in modern machine design and construction, R+W has developed its EK7 series of SERVOMAX Zero Backlash Elastomer Couplings.
This coupling was specifically designed to mount to hollow bores with an expanding tapered clamping element, making it ideal for belt driven linear actuators. The EK7 provides design engineers with a number of advantages, including:
· Most belt driven linear actuators require a shaft adapter in order to couple the pulley to a motor or gear head. The EK7 eliminates the need for this additional hardware.
· In designs where motor shafts are typically mounted directly into the pulley, customer specified products often provide shafting that is too large. The EK7 can couple to the large shaft with a smaller expanding element to link the two together.
· Assemblies involving a motor, gear head and coupling used to drive the actuator can become quite large and cumbersome. The EK7 plays a small part in reducing that system size by reducing the coupling adapter flange by the length of one hub.
In addition to providing these and other novel mechanical linkage solutions, the EK7 also offers the benefits of all SERVOMAX couplings, particularly in its zero backlash torque transmission. The moment of inertia is also very low due to its low mass and low weight; ideal for high-speed servo applications where rapid acceleration/deceleration cycles exist.
The couplings are manufactured with precision machined jaws and an elastomer insert press fit between them for vibration damping and zero backlash transmission of torque. The coupling hub is custom bored and can accommodate shaft diameters from 4 to 60 mm (3/16 to 2.25 in.) and the expanding hub can accommodate bores from 12 to 70 mm (1/2 to 2.75 in.). Sizes are available for torque capacities up to 450 Nm (4,000 in. lbs.).