Power transfer unit pinion shaft and propeller shaft coupling member for a vehicle, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315515-B2
Application number	US-201615230286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a pinion shaft assembly of a power transfer unit for transferring torque from an output gear of a transmission to a driveline structure of a vehicle. The embodiments include a hollow shaft that includes an internal splined portion, a pinion gear connected to a first end of the hollow shaft, and a coupling member that includes a flange and a coupling extension extending from the flange. The coupling extension includes an external splined portion at a first end such that the coupling extension mounts coaxially within the hollow shaft. The internal splined portion of the hollow shaft meshes with the external spline portion of the coupling extension in a spline connection for coupled rotation of the hollow shaft and the coupling extension, and the flange is disposed external to the hollow shaft and configured to be connected to the driveline structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pinion shaft assembly of a power transfer unit for transferring torque from an output gear of a transmission to a driveline structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a hollow shaft that includes an internal splined portion;
a pinion gear connected to a first end of the hollow shaft; and
a coupling member that includes a flange and a coupling extension extending from the flange, the coupling extension including an external splined portion at a first end such that the coupling extension mounts coaxially within the hollow shaft, the internal splined portion of the hollow shaft meshes with the external spline portion of the coupling extension in a spline connection for coupled rotation of the hollow shaft and the coupling extension, the coupling extension includes a second end that is spaced away from the external spline portion and the second end abuts the flange, and the flange is disposed external to the hollow shaft and configured to be connected to the driveline structure.

2. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pinion gear includes a first end aligned with the first end of the hollow shaft and a second end spaced inwardly of the first end of the hollow shaft, the pinion gear spans an axial length from the first end to the second end, the internal splined portion and the external splined portion terminate at the first and second ends of the pinion gear, and the coupling extension extends beyond the second end of the pinion gear.

3. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 2 , wherein the coupling extension extends beyond the second end of the pinion gear by a distance that is greater than the axial length of the pinion gear.

4. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coupling extension extends along a longitudinal axis, and the second end of the coupling extension can rotate about the longitudinal axis such that torsional vibrations transferred to the coupling extension are dampened.

5. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shim, disposed at the first end of the hollow shaft, which retains the coupling member inside the hollow shaft,
wherein the coupling extension is formed with a bevel that reduces a diameter of a coupling extension portion such that the shim coaxially mounts around the reduced diameter coupling extension portion.

6. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a circumferential groove formed on the coupling extension; and
a snap ring that engages the circumferential groove in order to retain the coupling member inside the hollow shaft.

7. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first bearing, mounted to the first end of the hollow shaft;
a second bearing, mounted to a second end of the hollow shaft;
a spacer, mounted to the hollow shaft; and
a shim, mounted to the hollow shaft,
wherein the second bearing is mounted between the spacer and the shim on the hollow shaft.

8. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 6 , wherein the shim is disposed adjacent the flange, and
wherein the spacer sets a mount location of the second bearing on the hollow shaft.

9. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coupling extension includes an external piloting surface, formed as an expanding bevel around the coupling extension with an outer diameter approximate to an inner diameter of the hollow shaft such that the external piloting surface guides the hollow shaft around the coupling extension to axially align the hollow shaft and the coupling extension.

10. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pinion gear is integrated with the hollow shaft to form a single member.

11. A power transfer unit for a vehicle transferring torque from an input gear of a transmission to a driveline structure of the vehicle, comprising:
an input gear;
a power transfer shaft connected to and driven by the input gear;
a crown gear connected to and driven by the power transfer shaft, such that the input gear and the crown gear are fixed for rotation with the power transfer shaft; and
a pinion shaft assembly connected to and driven by the pinion gear, the pinion shaft assembly including:
a hollow shaft that includes an internal splined portion;
a pinion gear connected to a first end of the hollow shaft and driven by the crown gear; and
a coupling member that includes a flange and a coupling extension extending from the flange, the coupling extension including an external splined portion at a first end such that the coupling extension mounts coaxially within the hollow shaft, the internal splined portion of the hollow shaft meshes with the external spline portion of the coupling extension in a spline connection for coupled rotation of the hollow shaft and the coupling extension, the coupling extension includes a second end that is spaced away from the external spline portion and the second end abuts the flange, and the flange is disposed external to the hollow shaft and configured to be connected to the driveline structure.

12. The power transfer unit of claim 11 , further comprising:
a power transfer gear; and
an input member connected to and driven by the power transfer gear.

13. The power transfer unit of claim 12 , wherein the input member is a vehicle differential assembly.

14. The power transfer unit of claim 11 , wherein the pinion gear includes a first end aligned with the first end of the hollow shaft and a second end spaced inwardly of the first end of the hollow shaft, the pinion gear spans an axial length from the first end to the second end, the internal splined portion and the external splined portion terminate at the first and second ends of the pinion gear, and the coupling extension extends beyond the second end of the pinion gear.

15. The power transfer unit of claim 14 , wherein the coupling extension extends beyond the second end of the pinion gear by a distance that is greater than the axial length of the pinion gear.

16. The pinion shaft assembly of claim 11 , wherein the coupling extension extends along a longitudinal axis, and the second end of the coupling extension can rotate about the longitudinal axis such that torsional vibrations transferred to the coupling extension are dampened.

17. The power transfer unit of claim 11 , further comprising:
a shim, disposed at the first end of the hollow shaft, which retains the coupling member inside the hollow shaft,
wherein the coupling extension is formed with a bevel that reduces a diameter of a coupling extension portion such that the shim coaxially mounts around the reduced diameter coupling extension portion.

18. The power transfer unit of claim 11 , further comprising:
a circumferential groove formed on the coupling extension; and
a snap ring that engages the circumferential groove in order to retain the coupling member inside the hollow shaft.

19. The power transfer unit of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first bearing, mounted to the first end of the hollow shaft;
a second bearing, mounted to a second end of the hollow shaft;
a spacer, mounted to the hollow shaft; and
a shim, mounted to the hollow shaft, such that the shim abuts the flange,
wherein the second bearing is mounted between the spacer and the shim on the hollow shaft, and
wherein the coupling extension includes an external piloting surface formed as an expanding bevel around the coupling extension with an outer diameter approximate to an inner diameter of the hollow shaft such that the external piloting surface guides the hollow shaft around the coupling extension to axial

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Onuma Yasushi
• Yokota Shintaro
• Scott Matthew R
• Clark William J
• Banks Christa S
• Nozaki Takahiro

Classifications

• F16D1/116

  the interengaging parts including a continuous or interrupted circumferential groove in the surface of one of the coupling parts (circlips for retaining hubs on shafts F16B21/18) · CPC title

• F16D2001/103

  the torque is transmitted via splined connections · CPC title

• F16H1/222

  with non-parallel axes · CPC title

• F16D1/104

  having retaining means rotating with the coupling and acting only by friction · CPC title

• F16H57/0025

  with gearing elements rigidly connected to a shaft, e.g. securing gears or pulleys by specially adapted splines, keys or methods · CPC title