Method of manufacturing a combined driveshaft tube and yoke assembly

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a combined driveshaft tube and yoke assembly includes the initial step of providing a workpiece having a first end portion, a central portion, and a second end portion. The workpiece may have a varying wall thickness, such as by providing the first end portion and the second end portion with a first wall thickness and the central portion with a second wall thickness that is greater than the first wall thickness. If desired, the central portion of the workpiece may be provided with a ridge that extends about the circumference thereof. Additionally, the central portion of the workpiece may be provided with a plurality of protrusions. The workpiece may be hollow can be deformed to the desired shape by hydroforming or magnetic pulse forming. The central portion of the workpiece is divided, such as along the circumferential ridge, to provide a pair of combined driveshaft tube and yoke assemblies. Also, portions of the protrusions can be removed to provide a plurality of openings in each of the pair of combined driveshaft tube and yoke assemblies.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.