Patent ID: 9371835
Filing Date: 2016-06-21
CPC Classification: F01D,F04D,F05D,F16D

Claim Text:
1. A coupling to attach an impeller of a compressor to a shaft of an electric motor, said coupling comprising: a coupling body having opposite first and second ends; means for attaching the coupling body at the first of the ends to the impeller; and means for attaching the coupling body at the second of the ends to the shaft; wherein the coupling body has a deformable section between the first and second ends configured such that the deformable section will permanently deform under unbalanced loading exerted against the coupling body upon a failure of the impeller without the ultimate strength of a material forming the coupling body being exceeded and prior to a permanent deformation of the shaft; wherein the coupling body has an axial bore having a portion sized such that the coupling body has a reduced wall thickness at one location along the length of the coupling body as compared to the wall thickness of a remainder of the coupling body to form the deformable section.