Composite vehicle driveshaft with welded joint system

A composite vehicle driveshaft that defines a driveshaft input end that receives power from a vehicle prime mover and an output end that delivers power toward vehicle drive wheels, the composite vehicle driveshaft comprising:

• a composite tube having:
• a tube input end defined toward the driveshaft input end;
• a tube output end defined toward the driveshaft output end;
• and
• a tube sidewall that extends longitudinally between the tube input and output ends;
• wherein at least one of the driveshaft input and output ends includes a welded joint system having:
• a sleeve that is concentrically attached to a respective one of the tube input and output ends;
• and
• a joint assembly welded to the sleeve;
• wherein:
• the sleeve is bonded to the respective one of the tube input and output ends
• the tube defines a tube inner circumferential surface, and the sleeve is bonded concentrically within the respective one of the tube input and output ends and wherein the sleeve comprises:
• a sleeve circumferential sidewall that defines a sleeve inner circumferential surface that faces toward a longitudinal axis of the composite tube and a sleeve outer circumferential surface with at least part of the sleeve outer circumferential surface facing toward the tube inner circumferential surface and defining an annular cavity therebetween;
• and
• an adhesive injection passage configured to direct an adhesive between the sleeve outer circumferential surface and the tube inner circumferential surface during an adhesive injection procedure;
• the sleeve outer end includes a sleeve outer collar arranged longitudinally outward of the tube outer end, and the adhesive injection passage includes:
• an adhesive inlet defined at the sleeve outer collar and that is configured to receive a volume of adhesive during the adhesive injection procedure;
• an axial injection passage segment that extends longitudinally through at least a portion of the sleeve circumferential sidewall and is configured to convey the volume of adhesive in a longitudinal direction through the sleeve circumferential sidewall;
• and
• a radial release passage segment that extends radially through at least a portion of the sleeve circumferential sidewall to connect the axial injection passage segment to the annular cavity to release the volume of adhesive from the axial passage into the annular cavity during the adhesive injection procedure.

A vehicle comprising:

• a drive train including a composite vehicle driveshaft, wherein the composite driveshaft includes:
• a composite tube having opposed tube ends;
• a welded joint system having:
• a sleeve that is arranged concentrically in a respective one of the tube ends, wherein:
• a cavity is defined between respective surfaces of the sleeve and the respective one of the tube ends
• a passage that extends through the sleeve and that is configured to direct a volume of adhesive into the cavity during an adhesive injection procedure;
• and
• a joint assembly that is welded to the sleeve and that is configured to attach the composite driveshaft to an upstream or a downstream drivetrain component.