The Snake Spring Coupling (also known as a serpentine spring coupling) is a high-performance flexible mechanical coupling widely used to transmit torque between two coaxial or slightly misaligned rotating shafts in industrial drives. Its core design feature—a curved, serpentine-shaped metal spring—enables it to balance torque transmission efficiency with excellent shock absorption and misalignment compensation, making it a critical component in heavy-duty and precision-driven systems.
The Snake Spring Coupling operates on a simple yet effective mechanical principle:
Torque Transmission: When the driving shaft rotates, its hub drives the snake spring (via the hub’s tooth grooves). The spring then transfers this torque to the driven hub, which in turn rotates the driven shaft. The spring’s curved shape ensures full contact with the hub grooves, avoiding slippage even under high loads.
Misalignment Compensation: Due to the spring’s flexibility, the coupling can accommodate three common types of shaft misalignment:
Radial misalignment: Minor offset (typically 0.1–0.5 mm) between the shafts’ centerlines.
Angular misalignment: Small angular deviation (usually ≤1.5°) between the shafts.
Axial misalignment: Slight end-to-end movement (≤2 mm) of the shafts (e.g., due to thermal expansion).
Shock & Vibration Damping: The snake spring acts as a "mechanical buffer." When the system experiences sudden load spikes (e.g., startup shocks) or vibrations, the spring deforms elastically to absorb impact energy, reducing vibration transmission to the driven equipment (e.g., motors, pumps).
Primary Advantages
Compared to other couplings (e.g., rigid couplings, jaw couplings, or disc couplings), the Snake Spring Coupling offers unique benefits:
High Torque Capacity: The spring’s large contact area with hubs allows it to transmit high torque (ranging from 50 N·m to over 10,000 N·m) while maintaining structural integrity—ideal for heavy-duty applications like mining or steel production.
Excellent Flexibility: Its ability to compensate for multi-directional misalignment reduces stress on shafts, bearings, and seals, extending the service life of the entire drive system.
Shock Resistance: The elastic spring effectively dampens startup shocks and operational vibrations, protecting sensitive components (e.g., sensors, gearboxes) from damage.
Easy Maintenance: Most models feature a split cover, allowing quick inspection or replacement of the spring without disassembling the entire coupling or disconnecting shafts.
Corrosion Resistance: Optional stainless steel springs and coated hubs make it suitable for harsh environments (e.g., marine, chemical processing) where moisture or chemicals are present.
