Method of producing a drive shaft
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsMarc M. Menosky, Mark S. Barrett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive shaft is produced from an aluminum alloy torque tube and aluminum alloy yokes that are pressed into each end section of the torque tube and welded to the end of the torque tube. Each end section is reduced in diameter and joined to a larger central section by a transition section. The end sections and transition sections are formed by swaging the ends of an aluminum alloy tube blank radially inwardly in two stages. The transition sections include an annular rib in the form of a concentric circular band located midway between inner and outer conical portions. The annular ribs stiffen the transition sections to reduce oil canning and noise.
Claims16
In a method of producing an automotive drive shaft in which a drive yoke is attached to the end of a hollow, elongate aluminum tube that is reduced in diameter, the improvement comprising;
- reducing the diameter of at least one portion of the tube to form a reduced diameter end section and a transition section between the reduced diameter end section and the tube, the transition section having at least three subsections;
- a first conical portion attached to the reduced diameter end section;
- a second conical portion attached to the tube;
- and
- an annular stiffening rib extending from the first conical portion to the second conical portion to stiffen the transition section;
- the annular stiffening rib having an outer diameter and a length that is less then the outer diameter;
- and
- attaching the yoke to the reduced diameter end section.
A method of producing a drive shaft for automotive vehicles having an aluminum torque tube and a drive yoke at one end of the torque tube for connecting the drive shaft in an automotive drive line for transmitting mechanical power, comprising:
- providing an aluminum torque tube having a cylindrical center section of a given diameter,
- forming an end portion of the tube to provide a cylindrical end section of reduced diameter at one end of the torque tube for attaching the drive yoke to the aluminum torque tube, and a transition section connecting the cylindrical end section to the cylindrical center section,
- the transition section having inner and outer conical portions and an annular stiffening rib in the form of a narrow concentric cylindrical band that is between the inner and outer conical portions to reduce oil canning of the transition section,
- the cylindrical end section and the transition section having a length, and
- the cylindrical center section having a length that is greater than the length of the cylindrical end section and the transition section, and
- attaching the yoke to the cylindrical end section.
A method of producing a drive shaft for automotive vehicles having an aluminum torque tube and a drive yoke at one end of the torque tube for connecting the drive shaft in an automotive drive line for transmitting mechanical power, comprising:
- providing an aluminum torque tube having a cylindrical center section of a given diameter,
- forming an end portion of the tube to provide a cylindrical end part of reduced diameter at one end of the torque tube and an inner conical portion connecting the cylindrical end part to the cylindrical center section,
- forming the cylindrical end part of reduced diameter at the one end of the torque tube to provide a cylindrical end section of further reduced diameter at the one end of the torque tube for attaching the drive yoke to the aluminum torque tube, an outer conical portion connected to the cylindrical end section and an annular stiffening rib between the outer conical portion and the inner conical portion to reduce oil canning of a transition section,
- the outer conical portion, the annular stiffening rib and the inner conical portion being part of a transition section having a length, and
- the cylindrical center section having a length that is greater than the length of the cylindrical end section and the transition section, and
- attaching the yoke to the cylindrical end section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.