Propeller shaft and production method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12196275-B2
Application number	US-202017634099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2020
Priority date	Aug 14, 2019
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

Propeller shaft has boot member ( 7 ) whose one end is fixed to sleeve shaft ( 2 ) and whose other end is fixed to stub shaft ( 3 ), and boot bands ( 8 ) fixing boot member ( 7 ) to sleeve shaft ( 2 ) and stub shaft ( 3 ). Protrusions ( 74 ) fitted in respective fitting grooves ( 26 ) formed on outer circumferential surfaces of sleeve shaft ( 2 ) and stub shaft ( 3 ) are provided on inner circumferential sides of one end and the other end of the boot member ( 7 ). At each of sleeve shaft ( 2 ) and stub shaft ( 3 ), first outer diameter section ( 231 ) having diameter larger than an inside diameter (D 1 ) of protrusion ( 74 ) is provided at one side with respect to fitting groove ( 26 ), also second outer diameter section ( 232 ) having diameter larger than an outside diameter (X 1 ) of first outer diameter section ( 231 ) is provided at the other side with respect to fitting groove ( 26 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A propeller shaft configured to transmit a rotation force from a power source of a vehicle to a wheel of the vehicle, the propeller shaft comprising:
a cylindrical boot member including a protruding portion protruding in a radially inward direction with respect to a rotation axis of the boot member, and a boot band tightening portion provided on a side opposite to the protruding portion in the radial direction and recessed toward the rotation axis;
a shaft member which is inserted into the boot member and which includes a first outside diameter portion, a groove portion, and a second outside diameter portion which are disposed in this order from a tip end portion of the shaft member in the rotation axis direction,
the first outside diameter portion having an outside diameter greater than an inside diameter of the protruding portion,
the groove portion which has an outside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the first outside diameter portion and in which the protruding portion is received, and
the second outside diameter portion having an outside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the first outside diameter portion; and
a boot band tightened on the boot band tightening portion,
wherein
the shaft member includes a first connection portion connected with a groove bottom portion of the groove portion and the first outside diameter portion, and a second connection portion connected with the groove bottom portion of the groove portion and the second outside diameter portion, wherein
a length from the rotation axis to the first connection portion in the radial direction is gradually shorter from the first outside diameter portion toward the groove bottom portion of the groove portion in the rotation axis direction, and
a length from the rotation axis to the second connection portion in the radial direction is gradually longer from the groove bottom portion of the groove portion toward the second outside diameter portion in the rotation axis direction, and
the boot member includes a first abutment portion abutted on the first connection portion and a second abutment portion abutted on the second connection portion, wherein
a length from the rotation axis to the first abutment portion is shorter than a lengthy from the rotation axis to the second abutment portion.

2. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an angle formed by the groove bottom portion of the groove portion and the first connection portion is smaller than an angle formed by the groove bottom portion of the groove portion and the second connection portion when viewed from a section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the boot member.

3. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the boot band is made from a resin material.

4. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the shaft member includes a raised portion which is formed between the first outside diameter portion and the groove portion in the rotation axis direction, and which has a diameter that is greater than an outside diameter of the first outside diameter portion, and that is smaller than an outside diameter of the second outside diameter portion.

5. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the boot band tightening portion includes a first end portion provided on the first outside diameter portion side in the rotation axis direction, a second end portion provided on the second outside diameter portion side in the rotation axis direction, and the recessed portion recessed in the radially inward direction; the second width portion which is a width from the recessed portion to the second end portion is longer than the first width portion which is a width from the recessed portion to the first end portion, in the rotation axis direction.

6. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inner circumference surface of the protruding portion of the boot member 7 has a shape corresponding to the outer circumference surface of the mounting groove.

7. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the boot band tightening portion includes a first recessed portion recessed in the radially inward direction; and a second recessed portion which is connected to the first recessed portion, and which is recessed in the radially inward direction to have a depth smaller than a depth of the first recessed portion.

8. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the boot band tightening portion includes a tightening portion side protruding portion protruding toward the boot band.

9. The propeller shaft as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the boot band includes a band side protruding portion which is provided on the surface confronting the boot band tightening portion, and which protrudes toward the boot band tightening portion.

10. A manufacturing method of a propeller shaft,
the propeller shaft including:
a rod member;
a cylindrical boot member which is mounted to the rod member and which includes a protruding portion protruding in a radial direction with respect to a rotation axis of the boot member toward the rotation axis, and a boot band tightening portion provided on a side opposite to the protruding portion in the radial direction, and recessed toward the rotation axis, and
a cylindrical shaft member into which a tip end portion of the rod member is inserted and which includes a portion covered by the boot member and which includes a first outside diameter portion, a mounting groove, and a second outside diameter portion which are disposed in this order from a tip end portion of the shaft member in the rotation axis direction, wherein
the first outside diameter portion having an outside diameter greater than an inside diameter of the protruding portion,
the mounting groove which has an outside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the first outside diameter portion and in which the protruding portion is received, and
the second outside diameter portion having an outside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the first outside diameter portion,

wherein
the shaft member includes a first connection portion connected with a groove bottom portion of the mounting groove and the first outside diameter portion, and a second connection portion connected with the groove bottom portion of the mounting groove and the second outside diameter portion, wherein
a length from the rotation axis to the first connection portion in the radial direction is gradually shorter from the first outside diameter portion toward the groove bottom portion of the mounting groove in the rotation axis direction, and
a length from the rotation axis to the second connection portion in the radial direction is gradually longer from the groove bottom portion of the mounting groove toward the second outside diameter portion in the rotation axis direction, and
the boot member includes a first abutment portion abutted on the first connection portion and a second abutment portion abutted on the second connection portion, wherein
a length from the rotation axis to the first abutment portion is shorter than a length from the rotation axis to the second abutment portion,

the manufacturing method comprising;
a first process of mounting the boot member to the rod member;
a second process of inserting the rod member into an inner circumference surface of the shaft member; and
a third process mounting the protruding portion in the mounting groove.

11. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the boot member is formed by the blow molding.

12. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:
another protruding portion is further provided at t

Assignees

• Hitachi Astemo Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Shinichi
• Masuda Toshiyuki
• Ishikura Kenichiro

Classifications

• F16D3/845

  allowing relative movement of joint parts due to the flexing of the cover · CPC title

• F16J15/52

  by means of sealing bellows or diaphragms (connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title

• F16J3/042

  Fastening details · CPC title

• B60K17/22 Primary

  characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft · CPC title

• F16D3/06

  specially adapted to allow axial displacement · CPC title