Driveline assembly with variable thickness tube wall
AssigneeNeapco Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC
InventorsGary K. Parker, Robert Joseph Wehner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A driveline assembly for a vehicle including a tube of a first material extending about and along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end and having an outer surface and an inner surface. A fitting of a second material extends axially between a first end and a second end. The first end of the fitting is coupled with the distal end of the tube. A weld interconnects the first end of the fitting and the distal end of the tube. The tube has a thicker portion at the distal end with a first thickness, and a thinner portion axially adjacent to the thicker portion with a second thickness. The first thickness is greater than the second thickness.
Claims13
A driveline assembly for a vehicle, the driveline assembly including:
- a tube of a first material extending about and along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end and having an outer surface and an inner surface;
- a fitting of a second material extending axially between a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled with the distal end of the tube;
- a weld interconnecting the first end of the fitting and the distal end of the tube;
- and
- the tube having a thicker portion at the distal end with a first thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface, and a thinner portion axially adjacent to the thicker portion with a second thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness to reduce weight of the tube and provide a sufficiently thick interface for the weld.
A driveline assembly for a vehicle, the driveline assembly including:
- a tube of an aluminum material extending about and along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end and having an outer surface and an inner surface;
- a fitting of a steel material extending axially between a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled with the distal end of the tube;
- a weld interconnecting the first end of the fitting and the distal end of the tube;
- and
- the tube having a thicker portion at the distal end with a first thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface, and a thinner portion axially adjacent to the thicker portion with a second thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness to reduce weight of the tube and provide a sufficiently thick interface for the weld.
A propeller shaft assembly for a vehicle, the propeller shaft assembly including:
- a tube of an aluminum material extending about and along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end and having an outer surface and an inner surface;
- a spline shaft of a steel material extending axially between a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled with the distal end of the tube and the second end presents a plurality of splines for coupling with a universal joint;
- a weld interconnecting the first end of the spline shaft and the distal end of the tube;
- and
- the tube having a thicker portion at the distal end with a first thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface, and a thinner portion axially adjacent to the thicker portion with a second thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness to reduce weight of the tube and provide a sufficiently thick interface for the weld.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.