BKL-DOUBLEFLEX -

Shaft misalignment is virtually unavoidable in most machine design. Tolerance stack-up in machined interfaces between motor frames, gearboxes, actuators, ball screws, etc, will normally result in slight misalignment between the driving and driven shafts in the lateral and angular directions. While most motor mounting brackets allow for sufficient alignment to accommodate single-flex bellows couplings, occasionally a given machine layout will require flexible couplings to accommodate more than just a few thousandths of an inch of shaft offset. For this purpose R+W has recently released a special series of double flex bellows couplings.

The BKL-DOUBLEFLEX allows for a multiplication of the allowable lateral misalignment by taking advantage of the greater flexibility in the angular direction of each bellows. Compared to their single-flex counterparts, the BKL-DOUBLEFLEX allows for up to 5 times more lateral misalignment depending on the size. Additionally the angular and axial misalignment ratings are doubled, allowing for easy absorption of shaft expansion. Compared to other types of flexible couplings, the BKL-DOUBLEFLEX possesses a high level of torsional stiffness, a low moment of inertia, and only light restoring loads on shaft bearings. Special miniature versions are available for encoders and stepper motors.

The BKL-DOUBLEFLEX is currently available in torque ratings from 15 – 500 Nm (132– 4425 in-lbs.) and can accept English or metric shafts from 8 – 62 mm (5/16” – 2-5/16” in.).