Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC

Dana Corporation

Torque-traction Technologies, Inc.

Philip A Eversole

Christopher B Corpus

Blake T Garretson

Bradley S Jones

Douglas E Breese

Ryan W Laskey

Bao T Luong

Nelson Wagner

David A Brock

Krisstina K Kohart

Robert N Jackson, Jr

Phillip J Bormuth

A multi-piece driveshaft assembly () includes a driveshaft assembly (). The driveshaft assembly comprises a yoke () provided at an end thereof. A universal joint () is attached to the yoke. A coupling shaft assembly () includes a tube yoke () and tube (). The tube yoke is attached near an end thereof to the universal joint and at or near an opposite end thereof to the tube. A rotational support member () is attached to and surrounds a portion of an outer surface of the tube yoke.

Multi-piece driveshaft assembly

A tube yoke has a tube seat, lugs and stiffening ribs. The tube seat has a base, a wall and the stiffening ribs. The lugs project outwardly from the tube seat. Various designs of the tube yoke may be used to achieve different performance characteristics.

Tube yoke for a driveshaft assembly

A tube yoke for a driveshaft assembly includes a 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. Each stiffening rib comprises an outer end portion which is attached to a middle portion and a pair of side portions. The tube yoke also includes a pair of lugs outwardly projecting from the tube seat. Each lug has a crosshole and the crossholes are aligned so as to have a common centerline. Each stiffening rib is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the common centerline of the crossholes and 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 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.

A method is provided for securing first and second splined members together, such as a midship tube shaft to an end fitting in a driveshaft assembly, to prevent relative axial movement from occurring therebetween. Initially, a first splined member is provided that includes an outer surface having a recess and a plurality of external splines provided thereon. Also, a second splined member is provided that includes an inner surface a plurality of internal splines provided thereon. The inner surface of the second splined member is disposed about the outer surface of the first splined member such that the plurality of internal splines cooperate with the plurality of external splines. Then, a portion of the second splined member is deformed into the recess of the first splined member to secure the first and second splined members together, while preventing relative axial movement from occurring therebetween.

Method of securing first and second splined members together

A cross for a universal joint includes a body portion having a trunnion that extends outwardly therefrom. The trunnion includes a surface. A bearing cup is mounted on the trunnion. A retainer includes a first portion that is supported on the bearing cup, a second portion that extends at an angle from the first portion, and a third portion that extends at an angle from the second portion into engagement with the surface of said trunnion. The retainer allows the assembly of the bearing cup and the retainer to be installed on the trunnion with a relatively small force, but requires a relatively large force to remove the assembly of the bearing cup and the retainer from the trunnion.

Bearing cup retainer for a universal joint

A slip joint includes first and second shafts that are connected for concurrent rotational movement and for relative axial movement, such as by respective pluralities of axially extending spline. A seal can is secured to the first shaft and extends about a portion of the second shaft. A seal assembly is secured to the second shaft and engages a portion of the seal can. The seal assembly includes first and second seals that are each generally concave in shape. Each of the first and second seals is generally V-shaped in cross section, having a radially innermost end, an intermediate portion, and a radially outermost end, wherein the radially innermost and outermost ends are located closer to one another than the radially intermediate portions. the first and second seals are axially spaced apart from one another so as to define an annular space therebetween that can be filled with a sealing material, such as a waterproof grease. The first and second seals can be secured to a backing member that is secured to the second shaft.

Sealed axially displaceable slip joint

A method for forming an enlarged diameter aluminum alloy driveshaft tube having an interior reduced diameter portion that avoids clearance issues with respect to other components of the vehicle includes the initial step of providing a tube of aluminum alloy material having a diameter that corresponds to the enlarged diameter of the driveshaft tube to be formed. Then, a determination is made as to whether any component of the vehicle is located sufficiently close to the driveshaft tube to interfere with the rotation thereof during normal operation. If so, the position and axial length of the potential interference is located on the aluminum alloy tube. A diameter reducing process is then performed on the aluminum alloy tube to form the interior reduced diameter portion to eliminate the potential interference. Next, the ends of the enlarged diameter tube may be reduced if desired, such as by swaging, to form the driveshaft tube having the first and second diameter reducing portions at the ends thereof If desired, the step of forming the first and second diameter reducing portions can precede or occur simultaneously with the step of forming the interior reduced diameter portion. To complete the method of this invention, yokes are secured to the reduced diameter end portions of the driveshaft tube, and the driveshaft tube is installed in the drive train system of the vehicle.

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Toledo, OH, United States of America

Philip A Eversole