End cap for flexible shaft couplings and method

Claim 2

An end cap for use with a tubularly shaped flexible element comprising: a flanged hub tapered substantially throughout its length and having a plurality of spaced axially aligned convex grooves; and a corrugated sleeve axially aligned with and spaced radially away from said tapered hub to define a generally divergent and undulating annulus for rEceiving the flexible element, said sleeve having one end flared radially outward and the other end attached to said flange in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub.

Claim 3

An end cap as set forth in claim 1 and further including means on said hub for aligning said hub axially with said corrugated sleeve.

Claim 4

An end cap as set forth in claim 1 and further including means for adapting the sleeve and end cap to a rotatable shaft.

Claim 5

An end cap as set forth in claim 1 wherein the maximum diameter of the tapered hub is a predetermined amount greater than the minimum internal diameter of the flexible element.

Claim 6

An end cap as set forth in claim 1 wherein one end portion is flared radially outward, curled and crimped radially inward around said flange in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub.

Claim 7

An end cap for use with a tubularly shaped flexible element comprising: a flanged tapered hub having a plurality of spaced axially aligned grooves, said flange having a fluted circumferential edge; and a corrugated sleeve axially aligned with and spaced radially away from said tapered hub to define a generally divergent annulus for receiving the flexible element, said sleeve having one end flared radially outward and the other end attached to said flange in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub.

Claim 8

An end cap for use with a tubularly shaped flexible element comprising: a flanged tapered hub having a plurality of spaced axially aligned grooves, said flange having a fluted circumferential edge; and a corrugated sleeve axially aligned with and spaced radially away from said tapered hub to define a generally divergent annulus for receiving the flexible element, said sleeve having one end flared radially outward and the other end attached to said flange in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub.

Claim 9

An end cap as set forth in claim 6 wherein said flange has at least the same number of flutes at an angular spacing substantially equal to the spacing of the corrugations and wherein a portion of the corrugations partially extend into a portion of the flutes to further interlock said flange and corrugated sleeve.

Claim 10

An end cap for use with a tubularly shaped flexible element comprising: a flanged tapered hub having a plurality of spaced axially aligned grooves; and a corrugated sleeve axially aligned with and spaced radially away from said tapered hub to define a generally divergent annulus for receiving the flexible element, the number of axial grooves corresponding to the number of corrugations and the radially inward extending portions of the corrugations in radial alignment with the grooves, said sleeve having one end flared radially outward and the other end attached to said flange in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub.

Claim 11

An end cap for use with a tubularly shaped flexible element comprising: a flanged tapered hub having a plurality of spaced axially aligned grooves; and a corrugated sleeve axially aligned with and spaced radially away from said tapered hub to define a generally divergent annulus for receiving the flexible element, the number of axial grooves corresponding to the number of corrugations and the radially inward extending portions of the corrugations in radial alignment with the grooves, said sleeve having one end flared radially outward and the other end attached to said flange in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub.

Claim 12

An end cap adapted for use with a tubularly shaped flexible element having an internal diameter, said end cap comprising: a hub tapered substantially throughout its length and having a plurality of spaced axially aligned convex grooves, the largest portion of the tapered hub having a diameter that is larger than the nominal inside diameter of the flexible element; a corrugated sleeve axially aligned with and spaced radially away from said tapered hub to define a generally divergent and undulating annulus with the hub for receiving the flexible element; and means for attaching the sleeve to the hub in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub; whereby the tapered hub in combination with the corrugated sleeve flare end portions of the element radially outward in undulating fashion securing the hub and sleeve to the flexible element.

Claim 13

An end cap adapted for use with a tubularly shaped flexible element having an internal diameter, said end cap comprising: a hub tapered substantially throughout its length and having a plurality of spaced axially aligned convex grooves, the largest portion of the tapered hub having a diameter that is larger than the nominal inside diameter of the flexible element; a corrugated sleeve axially aligned with and spaced radially away from said tapered hub to define a generally divergent and undulating annulus with the hub for receiving the flexible element; and means for attaching the sleeve to the hub in such a manner to hold said sleeve in juxtaposed axial alignment with said hub; whereby the tapered hub in combination with the corrugated sleeve flare end portions of the element radially outward in undulating fashion securing the hub and sleeve to the flexible element.