Hydroformed driveshaft tube with secondary shape

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624964-B2
Application number	US-201514749171-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 8, 2012
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A hydroformed driveshaft tube formed using a hydroforming process is provided. The hydroformed driveshaft tube comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion. The middle portion is at least partially defined by a circular arc shaped surface of revolution. At least a portion of the middle portion has a diameter greater than a diameter of the first end portion and the second end portion. The middle portion comprises a first distension, a constriction, and a second distension and is formed between the first end portion and the second end portion. The constriction is formed between the first distension and the second distension and the middle portion affects a critical speed and a breathing mode frequency of the hydroformed driveshaft tube. The hydroformed driveshaft tube reduces a cost of a driveshaft assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydroformed driveshaft tube, comprising:
a first end portion;
a second end portion; and
a middle portion at least partially defined by a circular arc shaped surface of revolution and at least a portion of the middle portion having a diameter greater than a diameter of the first end portion and the second end portion, the middle portion comprising a first distension, a constriction, and a second distension, wherein the middle portion is formed between the first end portion and the second end portion, at least one of the first distension and the second distension is defined by the circular arc shaped surface of revolution, the circular arc shaped surface of revolution having a radius about 40 times greater than a radius of the first end portion and the second end portion, and the constriction is formed between the first distension and the second distension.

2. The hydroformed driveshaft tube according to claim 1 , further comprising a first tangential transition and a second tangential transition, the first tangential transition formed between the first end portion and the first distension and the second tangential transition formed between the second end portion and the second distension.

3. The hydroformed driveshaft tube according to claim 2 , further comprising a third tangential transition and a fourth tangential transition, the third tangential transition formed between the constriction and the first distension and the fourth tangential transition formed between the constriction and the second distension.

4. The hydroformed driveshaft tube according to claim 1 , wherein a concavity of the constriction is opposite a concavity of the first distension and the second distension.

5. The hydroformed driveshaft tube according to claim 1 , wherein the constriction provides a datum to militate against tube buckling which may occur during a hydroforming process used to form the hydroformed driveshaft tube.

6. A hydroformed driveshaft tube, comprising:
a first end portion having a substantially cylindrical shape;
a first distension defined by a circular arc shaped surface of revolution;
a second distension defined by a circular arc shaped surface of revolution;
a constriction defined by a substantially circular arc shaped surface of revolution, the constriction formed between the first distension and the second distension, the constriction having a concavity opposite a concavity of the first distension and the second distension;
a second end portion having a substantially cylindrical shape;
a first tangential transition formed between the first end portion and the first distension;
a second tangential transition formed between the second end portion and the second distension;
a third tangential transition formed between the constriction and the first distension; and
a fourth tangential transition formed between the constriction and the second distension, wherein the constriction provides a datum to militate against tube buckling which may occur during a hydroforming process used to form the hydroformed driveshaft tube.

Assignees

• Dana Automotive Systems Group

Inventors

• Laskey Ryan W
• Dutkiewicz Jeffrey A

Classifications

• F16F15/322

  the rotating body being a shaft (F16F15/34, F16F15/36 take precedence) · CPC title

• B21D26/033

  Deforming tubular bodies (corrugating tubes by applying fluid pressure B21D15/03, B21D15/10) · CPC title

• B21D53/84

  other parts for engines, e.g. connecting-rods · CPC title

• F16C3/02 Primary

  Shafts; Axles · CPC title

• Y10T464/50

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic