# US 9,435,381 B2 · Sleeve with interior spline broaching system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,381 B2 - Document ID: US9435381B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/324,433 - Filed: 2014-07-07 - Published: 2015-01-15 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-09 - Assignees: BorgWarner Inc. - Applicants: BorgWarner Inc. - Inventors: Craig S. Larson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435381B2 ## CPC - F16D 1/027: non-disconnectable, e.g. involving gluing, welding or the like - F16D 1/072: involving plastic deformation (plastic welding F16D1/068) - F16D 1/10: Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially - F16D 2001/103: {the torque is transmitted via splined connections} - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - Y10T 403/4966: Deformation occurs simultaneously with assembly - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A metallic sleeve (20) may be pressed with relatively low axial forces onto a softer metallic shaft (12) to produce a permanent interference fit between the sleeve and the shaft even if subject to high torque loads. For this purpose, the sleeve incorporates a plurality of successively reduced diameter, axially spaced, arrays (52, 54, 56) of splines (50) within its interior, with a series of spaced circumferentially extending grooves (30, 32, 34) situated between the arrays. The arrays of splines define angled frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64) adapted to cut into the metal shaft for rigid securement of sleeve to shaft. The spaced grooves are adapted to collect chip debris (36, 38, 40) during installation of the sleeve to the shaft, each groove providing a volumetric space to provide for the uniform distribution of chip debris within the interface of sleeve and shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A metal sleeve securement system (10) adapted to frictionally affix a metal sleeve (20) to a softer metal shaft (12), the securement system (10) comprising: a sleeve (20) having an axis, and having arrays (52, 54, 56) of axially extending interior splines (50), each spline oriented radially inwardly toward the axis; a shaft (12) formed of a metal softer than the metal of the sleeve (20), the shaft having an axis adapted to be coaxial with the axis of the sleeve; the sleeve including a plurality of axially spaced interior circumferential grooves (30, 32, 34) defining circumferentially extending volumetric spaces between the arrays of interior splines, each of the arrays defining a plurality of frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64), wherein the sleeve is configured to provide an interior spline broaching mechanism (10) for achieving low axial forces to affix the sleeve to the shaft, wherein each of the arrays (52, 54, 56) of splines (50) has a successively reduced diameter for successively cutting deeper into the shaft (12), as the sleeve (20) is axially inserted onto the shaft (12). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The metal sleeve securement system (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64) defines an angled surface extending generally orthogonally to the axis, the angle being greater than a five degree angle with respect to an interior radius of the sleeve (20). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The metal sleeve securement system (10) of claim 1, wherein each groove (30, 32, 34) is adapted to accommodate chip debris (36, 38, 40) created by the cutting of the shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The metal sleeve securement system (10) of claim 3, wherein the chip debris (36, 38, 40) is axially spread within the spaced grooves (30, 32, 34), and wherein upon securement, the grooves extend circumferentially between the shaft (12) and sleeve (20). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The metal sleeve securement system (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64) makes at least a 10 degree angle with respect to an interior radius of the sleeve (20). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The metal sleeve securement system (10) of claim 1, wherein the spaced arrays (52, 54, 56) of splines (50) and the frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64) provide an interior spline broaching system within the sleeve (20). ### Claim 7 A metal sleeve (20) adapted for frictional securement to a softer metal shaft (12), comprising: the sleeve (20) having an axis, and having arrays (52, 54, 56) of axially extending interior splines (50), each spline oriented radially inwardly toward the axis; a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves (30, 32, 34) defining circumferentially extending volumetric spaces between each set of interior splines, each array defining a plurality of frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64), wherein the sleeve (20) defines an interior spline broaching mechanism for achieving low axial forces to affix the sleeve to a shaft (12), wherein each array (52, 54, 56) of splines (50) has a successively reduced diameter for successively cutting deeper into the shaft (12), as the sleeve (20) is axially inserted onto the shaft (12). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The metal sleeve (20) of claim 7, wherein each of the frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64) defines an angled surface extending generally orthogonally to the axis, the angle being greater than a five degree angle with respect to an interior radius of the sleeve (20). ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The metal sleeve (20) of claim 7, wherein each groove (30, 32, 34) is adapted to accommodate chip debris (36, 38, 40) created by the cutting of the shaft (12). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The metal sleeve (20) of claim 9, wherein the chip debris (36, 38, 40) is axially spread within the spaced grooves (30, 32, 34), and wherein upon securement, the grooves extend circumferentially between the shaft (12) and sleeve (20). ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The metal sleeve (20) of claim 7, wherein each of the frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64) makes at least a 10 degree angle with respect to an interior radius of the sleeve (20). ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The metal sleeve (20) of claim 7, wherein the spaced arrays (52, 54, 56) of splines (50) and the frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64) provide an interior spline broaching system (10) within the sleeve (20). ### Claim 13 A method of securing a hardened metal sleeve (20) to a relatively softer metal shaft (12), comprising the steps of: creating a metal sleeve broaching system (10) to frictionally secure the metal sleeve (20) onto the softer metal shaft (12) by providing a sleeve (20) having an axis, and forming arrays (52, 54, 56) of axially extending splines (50) in the interior of the sleeve (20), with each spline (50) oriented radially inwardly toward the axis; forming a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves (30, 32, 34) in the interior of the sleeve to create circumferentially extending volumetric spaces between each of the arrays of interior splines to capture chip debris (36, 38, 40) from the metal shaft, wherein each of the arrays defines a plurality of frontal cutting edges (60, 62, 64), wherein each of the arrays (52, 54, 56) of splines (50) has a successively reduced diameter for successively cutting deeper into the shaft (12), as the sleeve (20) is axially inserted onto the shaft (12), whereby the sleeve defines an interior spline broaching mechanism (10) for achieving low axial forces to affix the sleeve (20) to a shaft (12).