Composite tubular structure
AssigneeA. O. Smith Corporation
InventorHerbert W. Nickel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite tubular structure, such as a drive shaft, composed of a tubular member formed of fiber reinforced resin and having metal yokes secured to the ends of the tubular member. Each yoke includes a cylindrical sleeve portion bonded in lapping relation to the respective end of the tubular member. A plurality of longitudinally extending ribs or bosses are formed on each sleeve portion and are received in slots provided in the respective end of the tubular member. Windings of a fibrous material impregnated with a thermosetting resin can be applied over the joint between the tubular member and each sleeve portion. With this construction the torsional load is transmitted through the ribs and slots rather than through an adhesive bonded interface between the members.
Claims7
A composite tubular structure, comprising a fiber reinforced resin tubular member having a uniform internal diameter, a yoke secured to an end of the tubular member and including a sleeve disposed in lapping relation with an end of said tubular member, a plurality of longitudinal circumferentially spaced ribs on said sleeve, said ribs projecting radially outward from said sleeve, said end of said tubular member having a plurality of longitudinal circumferentially spaced slots to receive the corresponding ribs and having a tongue disposed between each pair of adjacent slots, said slots opening at said end of the tubular member and extending completely through the wall of said tubular member, said ribs having a radial depth substantially equal to the thickness of said tubular member, said tongues being in contiguous overlapping relation with said sleeve, bonding means for adhesively bonding said end of the tubular member to said sleeve, and clamping means disposed on the outer surface of said tubular member and said sleeve and extending across the joint therebetween.
A composite tubular structure, comprising a fiber reinforced resin tubular member, a yoke secured to an end of the tubular member and including a sleeve disposed in lapping relation with an end of said tubular member, a plurality of longitudinal circumferentially spaced ribs on said sleeve, said ribs projecting radially outward from said sleeve, said end of said tubular member having a plurality of longitudinal circumferentially spaced slots to receive the corresponding ribs and having tongue disposed between each pair of adjacent slots, said slots opening at said end of the tubular member and extending completely through the wall of said tubular member, said tongues being in contiguous overlapping relation with said sleeve, and clamping means disposed on the outer surface of said tubular member and said sleeve and extending across the joint therebetween.
A composite tubular structure, comprising a fiber reinforced resin tubular member, a yoke secured to an end of the tubular member an including a sleeve disposed in lapping relation with an end of said tubular member, a plurality of longitudinal circumferentially spaced ribs on said sleeve, said ribs projecting radially outward from said sleeve, said end of said tubular member having a plurality of longitudinal circumferentially spaced slots to receive the corresponding ribs and having a tongue disposed between each pair of adjacent slots, said slots opening at said end of the tubular member and extending completely through the wall of said tubular member, said sleeve having a recess between each adjacent pair of ribs, each recess extending at an acute angle to the axis of said sleeve, said tongues being in contiguous overlapping relation with said sleeve and the outer end of each tongue being bent inwardly at an acute angle to the axis of said sleeve and disposed within a corresponding recess in said sleeve, and clamping means disposed on the outer surface of said tubular member and said sleeve and extending across the joint therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.