Boron carbide aluminum driveshaft tube
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsDonald Joseph Kurecka, Karthik Sivakumar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a tube assembly containing an extruded torque tube (12) and two yokes (14) welded to either end of the tube. The tube is made from a base material metal and boron carbide particles in a ratio of approximately between 2:1 to 10:1 by weight. In another embodiment, a driveshaft assembly includes the above tube assembly with a front universal joint (24) and slip yoke (26) attached to a front end, and a rear universal joint (22) attached to a rear end. An axle yoke (28) is coupled at the rear universal joint (22).
Claims18
A tube assembly comprising:
- an extruded metal matrix composite dynamic torque tube having a front end and a rear end;
- and
- end fittings attached to the front and rear ends of the torque tube;
- wherein the end fittings on the front and rear ends of the tube may be the same or different, and are selected from the group consisting of external spline shafts, flanged yokes, external stub shafts, slip flanges, CV joints, double Cardan joints, sleeve couplings, weld yokes, and combinations thereof, and wherein the tube comprises a base material metal and boron carbide particles in a ratio of approximately between 2:1 to 10:1 by weight, and the base material metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, and alloys thereof.
A driveshaft assembly, comprising:
- an extruded dynamic torque tube having a front end and a rear end;
- two end fittings attached to the front and rear ends of the tube;
- a front universal joint attached to the fitting on the front end;
- a rear universal joint attached to the fitting on the rear end;
- and
- a slip yoke coupled to the front universal joint;
- wherein the dynamic torque tube is made of a metal matrix composite comprising a base material metal and boron carbide particles in a ratio by weight of approximately between 2:1 and 10:1, wherein the base material metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, and alloys thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.