Gkn Driveline North America, Inc.

Craig Andrew Campbell

Arthur J Ball

Donald W Dine

Crittenden A Bittick

Gavin B Streather

Michael James Miller

Hans Wormsbaecher

Robert Genway-Haden

Chadd M Yagiela

Robert Genway-Hayden

Leonard R Elias

David I Lysse

Steven L Dickens

Jerry E Shory

Daniel P Vandro

Robert L Weiss

An automotive driveline component includes a housing and a dampener carried by the housing. The dampener includes a plurality of shims joined together via at least one joint through which vibrations are transmitted among individual shims of the plurality of shims. When the housing experiences vibrations during use of the automotive driveline component, the vibrations are transmitted to the plurality of shims and relative movement among individual shims of the plurality of shims dampens the vibrations experienced by said housing.

Damped automotive driveline component

A damped automotive driveline component can be propshaft, a bar shaft, a torque tube housing, a power transfer unit (PTU) housing, or a final drive unit (FDU) housing, among other possibilities. The component is equipped with a dampener in order to dissipate vibration experienced during use of the component. The damper includes metal wire strands. Relative movement among the metal wire strand is believed to damp the vibrations.

A composite tubeshaft comprising a composite substrate defined by a first surface and a second surface; and a metallic substrate having at least two teeth. The teeth of the metallic substrate engage the composite substrate such that at least one tooth is positioned over the first surface and at least one tooth is positioned over the second surface.

Composite tubeshaft to metallic interface

A shaft assembly is provided to reduce breathing mode vibrations and resulting noises. The shaft assembly includes a shaft member having an outer surface and a damping member constructed at least in part from a damping material and including a substantially annular body and generally opposing ends. The opposing ends are biased such that at least a portion of the damping member engages with the shaft member.

Breathing mode damper

A vehicle driveline includes a tubular member () having an inside surface () and an axis, a mounting base () coupled to the tubular member (), and a plurality of resonator members () each having a first end (), a second end (), and a center portion () interposed therebetween coupled to the mounting base and extending therefrom.

Drive shaft with array tuned absorber

A sealing cover assembly for an articulating joint. The articulating joint includes a first rotational member and a second rotational member. The sealing cover assembly includes a first portion having a plurality of fastening portions. The fastening portions are coupled to the second rotational member for rotation therewith. The sealing cover assembly also includes a second portion adapted for connecting to the driveline and a plurality of damping members constructed of at least a first material and interconnecting the first portion to the second portion.

Constant velocity joint grease cap with increased torsional compliance

A shaft assembly includes a shaft member having an inside surface and defined by an axis, an absorber assembly disposed within the shaft member and including a cantilever device spacing a mass member away from a base and including damping material disposed around the cantilever device.

Tuned absorber

A shaft assembly, comprising: a generally hollow shaft having first and second ends and at least one internal tube positioned within the shaft so as to be adapted to be placed under tension to control the natural frequency of the shaft. The shaft assembly has a predetermined length and the series of internal tubes has a cumulative length that is greater than the predetermined length of the shaft.

Shaft assembly

An absorber for use within a shaft assembly of a vehicle is disclosed. The absorber includes at least one cantilever device and at least one constrained layer device. Both devices are disposed within a tube. The absorber is capable of being tuned to specific frequencies and capable of controlling the amount of damping within the shaft assembly. Also disclosed is a shaft assembly having a generally tubular shaft. Disposed within the tubular shaft is the absorber having at least one cantilever device and at least one constrained layer device.

Internal absorber for a shaft assembly

A rotary shaft may include a multi-piece liner for absorbing vibrations caused by rotational energy generated by the rear axle and/or clutch of a motor vehicle.

Self dampening rotary shaft

A frangible telescopic propeller shaft includes an elongated hollow cylindrical body, a reduced diameter intermediate portion along a length of the body, and at least one spin-formed transition area between the intermediate portion and the body. The transition area includes a frangible feature wherein at least a part of the cylindrical body lies over the intermediate portion such that, in response to a sufficient axial force, the frangible feature fractures to telescope the body over the intermediate portion.

Propshaft with improved crash-worthiness

A propeller shaft assembly includes a thin-walled tubular member, a connecting member fixed to each end of the tubular member, and a support member fixed within the tubular member. The support member includes a foamed plastic impregnated with a high modulus resin or cement extending a first length (L) within the tubular member and engaging an interior surface of the tubular member to increase the bending frequency of the propeller shaft assembly.

Propeller shaft assembly with stiffening feature

A propeller shaft assembly includes a thin-walled tubular member, a connecting member fixed to each end of the tubular member, and a support member fixed within the tubular member. The support member includes a plurality of radial elements extending a first length (L) within the tubular member and engaging an interior surface of the tubular member to increase the bending frequency of the propeller shaft assembly. In one example, the support member includes a central hub coaxially located within the tubular member and the radial elements extend from the central hub to the interior surface of the tubular member. The radial elements can include enlarged end portions for engaging the interior surface of the tubular member. The radial elements, at their ends, can also include either axial or circumferential grooves which act as an adhesive reservoir.

Propeller shaft

A center bearing tuned absorber assembly includes a cylindrical center bearing for supporting a rotating propeller shaft, and a tuned absorber having an inner sleeve disposed around the center bearing, and a mass-spring assembly arranged on an outer circumference of the inner sleeve. The mass-spring assembly includes a mass radially offset from, and attached to, the inner sleeve by a first damping element. The mass-spring assembly is arranged circumferentially on the inner sleeve in the direction of a first bending frequency associated with the rotating propeller shaft. The mass-spring assembly may be axially or radially offset from the center bearing.

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West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Craig Andrew Campbell