Driveshaft with a resiliently deformable cushioning structure secured thereon

A watercraft for travelling along a surface of a body of water, said watercraft comprising:

• a hull for buoyantly supporting said watercraft on the surface of the body of water;
• an engine carried by said hull, said engine comprising an outer casing, a supply of lubricant, a rotatable output shaft, and a coupling structure provided on an abuttable end of said output shaft for rotation therewith, said coupling structure having a driveshaft receiving bore, and said output shaft having structure defining a fluid path communicating said supply of lubricant to said driveshaft receiving bore such that, during generation of power, said lubricant flows along said fluid path to said driveshaft receiving bore of said coupling structure;
• a driveshaft having an engine connecting axial end portion and a propelling structure connecting axial end portion, said engine connecting axial end portion having one or more lubricant distributing grooves formed thereon;
• said engine connecting axial end portion of said driveshaft being inserted into said driveshaft receiving bore of said coupling structure such that (a) said coupling structure couples said output shaft and said drive shaft together so that powered rotation of said output shaft is transmitted to said driveshaft and (b) said one or more lubricant distributing grooves are positioned in communication with said fluid path so that said lubricant flowing into said driveshaft receiving bore flows into said one or more lubricant distributing grooves, each of said one or more lubricant distributing grooves being configured to distribute said lubricant within said driveshaft receiving bore during the rotation of said driveshaft and said output shaft;
• and
• a propelling structure connected to said propelling structure axial end portion of said driveshaft such that powered rotation of said output shaft rotates said propelling structure via said driveshaft, said propelling structure being constructed and arranged to displace water during rotation thereof so as to propel said watercraft along the surface of the body of water.

A watercraft for travelling along a surface of a body of water, said watercraft comprising:

• a hull for buoyantly supporting said watercraft on the surface of the body of water;
• an engine carried by said hull, said engine comprising an outer casing, a supply of lubricant, a rotatable output shaft, and a coupling structure provided on an abuttable end of said output shaft for rotation therewith, said coupling structure having a driveshaft receiving bore, and said output shaft having structure defining a fluid path communicating said supply of lubricant to said driveshaft receiving bore such that, during generation of power, said lubricant flows along said fluid path to said driveshaft receiving bore of said coupling structure;
• a driveshaft having an engine connecting axial end portion and a propelling structure connecting axial end portion;
• a resiliently deformable cushioning structure secured to said engine connecting axial end portion, said cushioning structure having one or more lubricant distributing grooves formed thereon;
• said engine connecting axial end portion of said driveshaft with said cushioning structure secured thereon being inserted into said driveshaft receiving bore of said coupling structure such that (a) said coupling structure couples said output shaft and said drive shaft together so that powered rotation of said output shaft is transmitted to said driveshaft and (b) said one or more lubricant distributing grooves of said cushioning structure are positioned in communication with said fluid path so that said lubricant flowing into said driveshaft receiving bore flows into said one or more lubricant distributing grooves, each of said one or more lubricant distributing grooves being configured to distribute said lubricant within said driveshaft receiving bore during the rotation of said driveshaft and said output shaft;
• and
• a propelling structure connected to said propelling structure axial end portion of said driveshaft such that powered rotation of said output shaft rotates said propelling structure via said driveshaft, said propelling structure being constructed and arranged to displace water during rotation thereof so as to propel said watercraft along the surface of the body of water.

A driveshaft assembly for use in a vehicle having an engine with an output shaft, said driveshaft assembly comprising:

• a driveshaft having an engine connecting axial end portion, said engine connecting end portion providing a first cooperating interlocking structure;
• a resiliently deformable cushioning structure having a second cooperating interlocking structure and being mounted to said engine connecting axial end portion of said driveshaft, said first and second cooperating interlocking structures interlocking with one another in a cooperating relationship to secure said cushioning structure on said engine connecting axial end portion;
• and
• a propelling structure connecting axial end portion, said propelling structure axial end portion being adapted to be operatively connected to a propelling structure such that powered rotation of said output shaft rotates said propelling structure via said driveshaft.

A driveshaft for use in a vehicle having an engine with an output shaft, the output shaft having structure defining a fluid path communicating a supply of lubricant contained within the engine,

• said driveshaft comprising:
• an engine connecting axial end portion having one or more generally radially extending lubricant distributing grooves formed thereon;
• said engine connecting axial end portion of said driveshaft being adapted to be coupled with said output shaft so that powered rotation of said output shaft is transmitted to said driveshaft and said one or more generally radially extending lubricant distributing grooves are positioned in communication with said fluid path so that said lubricant flows into said one or more lubricant distributing grooves, each of said one or more lubricant distributing grooves being configured to distribute said lubricant radially by centrifugal force during the rotation of said driveshaft and said output shaft;
• and
• a propelling structure connecting axial end portion, said propelling structure axial end portion being adapted to be operatively connected to a propelling structure such that powered rotation of said output shaft rotates said propelling structure via said driveshaft.