Tube yoke for a driveshaft assembly
AssigneeDana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
InventorsPhilip A. Eversole, Christopher B. Corpus, Bradley S. Jones, Blake T. Garretson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tube yoke for a driveshaft assembly includes a tube seat and a pair of lugs. The lugs outwardly project from the tube seat. The tube seat comprises a base, a wall, and a plurality of stiffening ribs. The stiffening ribs extend between an inner surface of the base and an end surface of the wall. A portion of the stiffening ribs between the inner surface of the base and the end surface of the wall gradually decreases in thickness. A method of reducing the radial deformation of the tube yoke of a driveshaft assembly is also provided.
Claims17
A tube yoke for a driveshaft assembly, comprising:
- a tube seat comprising a base, a wall, and a plurality of stiffening ribs, wherein the wall has a height, the stiffening ribs extend between an inner surface of the base and an end surface of the wall and each stiffening rib comprises an outer end portion which is attached to a middle portion and a pair of side portions and extends less than the height of the wall;
- and
- a pair of lugs outwardly projecting from the tube seat;
- wherein each stiffening rib gradually decreases in thickness from the side portions to the outer end portion and from the middle portion to the outer end portion.
A tube yoke for a driveshaft assembly, comprising:
- a tube seat comprising a base, a wall and a plurality of stiffening ribs, wherein the wall has a height and the stiffening ribs are surrounded by the wall and separated from an adjacent stiffening rib by a portion of the base and each stiffening rib comprises an outer end portion which is attached to a middle portion and a pair of side portions and extends less than the height of the wall, wherein each stiffening rib gradually decreases in thickness from the side portions to the outer end portion and from the middle portion to the outer end portion;
- and
- a pair of lugs outwardly projecting from the tube seat and formed in a unitary manner therewith, wherein each lug has a crosshole and the crossholes are aligned so as to have a common centerline;
- wherein each stiffening rib is oriented at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the common centerline of the crossholes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.