Axle shaft and assembly
AssigneeSypris Technologies, Inc.
InventorsStephen W. Straub, Patrick T. Maled
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axle shaft has radially outwardly extending drive fingers which drivingly engage drive slots in a wheel hub cover. The hub cover is rigidly secured to a wheel hub and maintains the axial position of the axle shaft. A shock absorber may be positioned between the drive fingers and the drive slots. The axle shaft may be formed from a hollow tube or a solid shaft by cutting an end portion of the shaft and deforming a cut section radially outwardly to form a drive finger.
Claims14
A one-piece axle shaft comprising a longitudinal axis of rotation and first and second axially spaced end portions, the first axle shaft end portion having an outer diameter defining a radially outer surface, wherein the first axle shaft end portion comprises a first drive finger extending radially outwardly directly from the outer surface of the first axle shaft end portion, the drive finger having a radial length and an axial thickness, wherein the radial length of the drive finger from the radially outer surface of the first axle shaft end portion is greater than the axial thickness of the drive finger.
An axle shaft assembly comprising:
- (a) an axle shaft having a longitudinal axis of rotation, and (b) a hub cover drivingly engaging the axle shaft, the hub cover configured for driving connection with a wheel hub and for substantially completely sealing the wheel hub, wherein the shaft comprises a radially extending drive finger, and wherein the hub cover comprises a radially extending drive slot in driving engagement with the drive finger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.