Patent ID: 6846240

Claim:
Torsionally flexible shaft coupling ( 10 ) comprising a centrally disposed universal joint ( 12 ), which has a first and a second substantially rigid joint body ( 14 , 28 ), a rim ( 40 ), disposed around the universal joint ( 12 ), of loop-shaped flexible coupling elements ( 42 ), which are each looped around one first moulded piece ( 50 ) and one second moulded piece ( 52 ), wherein the first moulded pieces ( 50 ) are connected substantially rigidly to the first joint body ( 14 ) and disposed between second moulded pieces ( 52 ), and the joint bodies ( 14 , 28 ) as well as the coupling elements ( 42 ) are disposed substantially rotationally symmetrically in relation to a common joint axis (A) as well as substantially symmetrically in relation to a common center plane (B) normal to the joint axis (A) and are arranged in line for the transmission of torques, characterized in that the first joint body ( 14 ) has a first flange ( 22 ), to which the first moulded pieces ( 50 ) are firmly connected and from which they extend parallel to the joint axis (A), the second moulded pieces ( 52 ) are firmly connected to a counter-flange ( 34 ) and extend from it parallel to the joint axis (A), the counter-flange ( 34 ) forms part of a rotational body ( 62 ), which forms one end of a torque transmission chain, the other end of which is the second joint body ( 28 ), and the first joint body ( 14 ) comprises a tubular piece ( 16 ), which encloses the second joint body ( 28 ) and has an outer lateral surface ( 18 ) of circular cross section, against which the flexible coupling elements ( 42 ) are supported in radial direction, and further characterized in that the first moulded pieces ( 50 ) are disposed on the first flange ( 22 ) and the second moulded pieces ( 52 ) are disposed on the counter-flange ( 34 ), in each case in pairs, and each moulded piece ( 50 , 52 ) is connected only to a single other moulded piece ( 52 , 50 ) by a flexible coupling element ( 42 ), so that all of the coupling elements ( 42 ) are interlinked without overlapping.