Open composite shaft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344794-B2
Application number	US-201615355957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2016
Priority date	Nov 18, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A composite shaft assembly including a core structure formed by weaving fiber(s) into an open composite structure. The assembly further includes a first end piece and a second end piece having helically shaped groove(s) and/or axially groove(s) on an outer surface of an end portion of the first and second end piece. Woven into the helical and/or axial groove(s) on the first end piece and at least partially within through hole(s) disposed at an end of the groove(s) is the fiber(s) at a first end portion of the of the core structure. Woven into the helical and/or axial groove(s) on the second end piece and at least partially within through hole(s) disposed at an end of the groove(s) is the fiber(s) at a second end portion of the of the core structure. Structural adhesive(s) are applied over the fiber(s) and allowed to cure to form the composite drive shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a composite shaft comprising:
providing a first end piece, wherein said first end piece comprises one or more helically shaped grooves and/or one or more axial grooves on an outer surface of an end portion of said first end piece and one or more through holes disposed at an end of said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or disposed at an end of said one or more axial grooves, wherein said one or more through holes extend from an inner surface to said outer surface of said first end piece;
providing a second end piece, wherein said second end piece comprises one or more helically shaped grooves and/or one or more axial grooves on an outer surface of an end portion of said second end piece and one or more through holes disposed at an end of said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or disposed at an end of said one or more axial grooves, wherein said one or more through holes extend from an inner surface to said outer surface of said second end piece;
weaving one or more fibres into an open composite structure to form a core structure;
weaving a first end portion of said one or more fibres of said core structure into said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves on said outer surface of said first end piece and at least partially into said one or more through holes of said first end piece;
weaving a second end portion of said one or more fibres of said core structure into said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves on said outer surface of said second end piece and at least partially into said one or more through holes of said second end piece;
applying one or more structural adhesives to said one or more woven fibres; and
curing said one or more structural adhesives to form an open structure composite shaft.

2. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , wherein said one or more fibres of said open structure composite shaft are one or more helically oriented fibres and/or one or more axially oriented fibres.

3. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 2 , wherein said one or more helically oriented fibres are woven at one or more pre-determined helix angles A.

4. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
weaving one or more helically oriented fibres into said core structure of said open composite structure at one or more pre-determined helix angles θ; and
weaving one or more axially oriented fibres into said core structure of said open composite structure to interlace with said one or more helically oriented fibres of said core structure of said open composite structure.

5. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , wherein said one or more fibres are one or more carbon fibre tows, pre-impregnated carbon fibre tows, pre-impregnated carbon yarns, aramid fibres, Kevlar, poly-amide fibres, Nylon, Nylon 6-6, Nylon 6, polyester, vinyl, glass fibres, electrically conductive fibres and/or liquid crystal polymer fibres.

6. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , wherein said one or more structural adhesives are a binder composition, resin composition, epoxy composition, acrylic composition, urethane composition, cyanoacrylate composition or a mixture thereof.

7. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , wherein said first end piece and said second end piece is a metallic drive shaft end yoke.

8. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
attaching a metallic drive shaft end yoke to at least a portion of an end portion of said first end piece opposite said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves; and
attaching a metallic drive shaft end yoke to at least a portion of an end portion of said second end piece opposite said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves.

9. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
cutting an end portion of said first end piece opposite said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves to a desired length;
attaching a metallic drive shaft end yoke to at least a portion of an end portion of said first end piece opposite said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves;
cutting an end portion of said second end piece opposite said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves to a desired length; and
attaching a metallic drive shaft end yoke to at least a portion of an end portion of said second end piece opposite said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves.

10. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
attaching one or more balancing weights to at least a portion of said outer surface of said first end piece, to at least a portion of said outer surface of second end piece and/or to at least a portion of said core structure of said open structure composite shaft.

11. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
attaching one or more sensors within one or more of said one or more helically shaped grooves on said outer surface of said end portion of said first end piece, within one or more of said one or more axial grooves on said outer surface of said end portion of said first end piece, within one or more of said one or more helically shaped grooves on said outer surface of said end portion of said second end piece and/or within one or more of said one or more axial grooves on said outer surface of said end portion of said second end piece.

12. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 11 , wherein said one or more sensors are operably configured to determine when said composite shaft needs to be repaired or replaced.

13. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
encapsulating at least a portion of said core structure, at least a portion said first end piece and/or at least a portion said second end piece of said open structure composite shaft with one or more sealing elements.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said one or more sealing elements are a non-structural aluminium tube, a hydrophobic material, a sealant material, a shrink wrap material, a polymeric laminate material and/or an elastomeric laminate material.

15. The method of making a composite shaft of claim 1 , wherein one or more of said one or more fibres of said core structure are capable of converting an amount of electrical energy from a source of electrical power into an amount of heat energy.

16. A composite shaft assembly, comprising:
a first end piece having a first end portion and a second end portion;
wherein said second end portion of said first end piece has an inner surface and an outer surface defining a hollow portion therein;

one or more helically shaped grooves and/or one or more axial grooves extend along at least a portion of said outer surface of said second end portion of said first end piece;
wherein said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or said one or more axial grooves on said second end portion on said first end piece have a first end and a second end;

one or more through holes extend from said inner surface to said outer surface of said second end portion of said first end piece;
wherein said one or more through holes in said second end portion of said first end piece are disposed at said second end of said one or more helically shaped grooves and/or at

Assignees

• Dana Automotive Systems Group

Inventors

• Slesinski Steven G
• Steigerwalt Eve
• Trost Harry W

Classifications

• F16C3/026 Primary

  Shafts made of fibre reinforced resin · CPC title

• B29K2105/103

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• B29C53/58

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• B29L2031/75

  Shafts · CPC title

• F16D3/387

  Fork construction; Mounting of fork on shaft; Adapting shaft for mounting of fork · CPC title