Mercedes-benz Aktiengesellschaft

Harmut Albers

Dittmar Wieland

Dieter Kandert

Bertold Ediger

Karl-Heinz Ilzhofer

A drive shaft with an endless-fiber-reinforced plastic tube made of a thermosetting plastic matrix material and with a joint-connecting body that is connected nonrotatably with a plastic tube by means of a pin inserted into the plastic tube. The drive shaft is intended to be capable of being manufactured universally in large quantities efficiently and in different lengths for use, and can also handle severe loads mechanically even at high operating temperatures. For this purpose, an internal layer with axially aligned fibers or fiber strands, preferably made of carbon, is provided in the plastic tube, on which at least one double layer with fibers arranged inclined symmetrically to the axial direction is applied. The plastic tube is provided internally with axially aligned profiling that remains constant over the entire length of the plastic tube and is formed of the matrix material, in the manner of a spline bore. The pin, provided on its outer circumference with a negatively shaped matching opposite profile, engages positively by a sliding fit or gentle press fit in the internal profile of the plastic tube. The pin is also secured in the plastic tube in the axial direction by gluing or by a locking connection using a snap ring.

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Stuttgart, Germany

Harmut Albers