Method for forming an axle shaft and related axle shaft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895931-B2
Application number	US-201514951555-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A method for forming an axle shaft that includes friction welding a tubular shaft to a shaft portion of a wheel flange. Portions of the joint members on the tubular shaft and the wheel flange are extruded into an annular weld cavity in the wheel flange during the formation of the friction weld. A related axle shaft is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming an axle shaft, the method comprising:
providing a wheel flange having a rotational axis, the wheel flange defining a shaft portion, a first joint member and a containment lip, the first joint member having an annular shape and extending along the rotational axis concentric with the shaft portion such that an annular weld cavity is formed radially between the first joint member and the shaft portion, the containment lip being fixedly coupled to the shaft portion and extending radially outwardly therefrom, the containment lip bounding a distal end of the annular weld cavity;
providing a tubular shaft that defines a second joint member; and
causing relative rotation between the wheel flange and the tubular shaft while engaging the first and second joint members to one another to thereby form a friction weld that retains the wheel flange to the tubular shaft;
wherein portions of the first and second joint members are extruded during the formation of the friction weld, the extruded portions of the first and second joint members being received into the annular weld cavity radially inward of the containment lip.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular shaft is formed of a steel material having a carbon content that is less than or equal to 0.35% by weight.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the tubular shaft has a surface hardness that is greater than or equal to 45 Rockwell C.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the steel material is a moderate strength low-alloy or plain carbon steel material.

5. An axle shaft comprising:
a wheel flange having a rotational axis, the wheel flange defining a shaft portion, a first joint member and a containment lip, the first joint member having an annular shape and extending along the rotational axis concentric with the shaft portion such that an annular weld cavity is formed radially between the first joint member and the shaft portion, the containment lip being fixedly coupled to the shaft portion and extending radially outwardly therefrom, the containment lip bounding a distal end of the annular weld cavity; and
a tubular shaft that defines a second joint member;
wherein the first and second joint members are friction welded together and wherein portions of the first and second joint members that are extruded during the formation of the friction weld are received into the annular weld cavity radially inward of the containment lip.

6. The axle shaft of claim 5 , wherein the tubular shaft is formed of a steel material having a carbon content that is less than or equal to 0.35% by weight.

7. The axle shaft of claim 6 , wherein the tubular shaft has a surface hardness that is greater than or equal to 45 Rockwell C.

8. The axle shaft of claim 6 , wherein the steel material is a moderate strength low-alloy or plain carbon steel material.

Assignees

• Hibbler John C
• American Axle & Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Hibbler John C

Classifications

• B60B2360/102

  Steel · CPC title

• B60B35/16

  Axle housings · CPC title

• F16H2048/082

  characterised by the arrangement of output shafts · CPC title

• B60B35/125 Primary

  of the planetary type · CPC title

• B60B2310/302

  by welding · CPC title