Patent ID: 6044726
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: F16F,Y10T

Abstract:
A support for connecting a flywheel rim to a shaft, comprising:(a) two shell halves, each shell half comprising:a disc without perforation having a radially outer extent, said disc connectable to said shaft along the extent of the interface between the end of said shaft and the surface of said disc;a first shell element connected at a radially inner extent to said radially outer extent of said disc at an interface, said interface defining a discontinuity in a meridional slope of said support; anda second shell element connected at a radially inner extent to a radially outer extent of said first shell element, said second shell element having a plurality of meridional slits;(b) a cylindrical shell element connected to a radially outer extent of said second element, said cylindrical shell element having an outer surface adapted for connection to an inner surface of said flywheel rim;(c) said first shell element has an optimal shape that provides shell membrane stresses that are uniform and equal through said first shell element, and said second shell element has an optimal shape that provides a non-uniform meridional membrane stress and zero hoop stress through said second shell element said optimum shape of each of said shell elements provides shell bending stresses that are zero through each of said shell elements; andsaid optimal shape of said first shell element and said optimal shape of said second shell element each having a thickness taper;said optimal shape of said first shell element and said optimal shape of said second shell element each having a curvature and slope;said thickness taper of said first shell element determined by satisfying the equation: ##EQU6## wherein: t is the thickness of said respective shell element at any radius r;t.sub.o is the thickness of said respective shell element at inner radius r.sub.o ;.rho. is the mass density of said shell element;w is the rotational speed (rad/sec); and.sigma. is the constant value of stress; andsaid curvature and slope of said first shell element determined by satisfying the equation: ##EQU7## wherein: Tan .phi. is the meridional slope of said respective shell element;and said thickness taper of said second shell element determined by satisfying the equation: ##EQU8## wherein: t is the thickness of said shell element at any radius r;t.sub.o is the thickness of said shell element at inner radius r.sub.o ;.rho. is the mass density of said shell element;w is the rotational speed (rad/sec);.sigma..sub.o is the stress at inner radius r.sub.o ; andm is a positive number; andsaid curvature and slope of said second shell element determined by satisfying the equation: ##EQU9## wherein: Tan .phi. is the meridional slope of said respective shell element;said non-uniform meridional membrane stress determined by satisfying the equation: ##EQU10## wherein: r is any radius of said respective shell element.