Method of installing axially adjustable driveshaft assembly
AssigneeDana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
InventorsEric M. Fischer, Johnny N. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of installing an axially adjustable driveshaft assembly in a drive train system is described. Two hollow driveshaft sections, where one has a valve through an aperture in it and each has an end fitting, engage each other to form an axially adjustable driveshaft assembly that has a sealed internal chamber within. When a pressurized air or vacuum source is connected to the valve, air fills the chamber or air is removed from the chamber, which correspondingly increases or decreases a drive train system length. This results in facilitating the installation of the driveshaft assembly between a transmission and an axle assembly in a drive train system.
Claims12
A method of installing an axially adjustable driveshaft assembly in a drive train system comprising:
- (a) providing a first driveshaft section being hollow therethrough and having either a female or a male splined end, and a first driveshaft section end fitting;
- (b) providing a second driveshaft section being hollow therethrough and having the other of a female or a male splined end, and a second driveshaft section end fitting;
- (c) providing a valve disposed in an aperture formed through one of the driveshaft sections;
- (d) inserting the driveshaft section having the female splined end about the driveshaft section having the male splined end, thereby forming the axially adjustable driveshaft assembly with a sealed internal chamber defined by the valve, the interior surfaces of the first and second driveshaft sections, and the first and second driveshaft section end fittings, the valve preventing ambient air from passing into or out of the sealed internal chamber;
- and
- (e) selectively pressurizing and evacuating the sealed internal chamber by either connecting a pressurized air or vacuum source to the valve to fill the chamber with air or to remove air from the chamber, so as to correspondingly increase or decrease a drive train system length, thereby the female splined end slides axially relative to the male splined end allowing relative axial movement therebetween, thus facilitating an installation process of the axially adjustable driveshaft assembly between a transmission and an axle assembly in the drive train system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.