GB2311758A - A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly - Google Patents

A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2311758A
GB2311758A GB9607133A GB9607133A GB2311758A GB 2311758 A GB2311758 A GB 2311758A GB 9607133 A GB9607133 A GB 9607133A GB 9607133 A GB9607133 A GB 9607133A GB 2311758 A GB2311758 A GB 2311758A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
drive
shaft assembly
joint
drive shaft
universal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9607133A
Other versions
GB9607133D0 (en
Inventor
John Michael Lipman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9607133A priority Critical patent/GB2311758A/en
Publication of GB9607133D0 publication Critical patent/GB9607133D0/en
Publication of GB2311758A publication Critical patent/GB2311758A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K17/00—Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles
    • B60K17/22—Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D3/00—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive
    • F16D3/02—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive adapted to specific functions
    • F16D3/06—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive adapted to specific functions specially adapted to allow axial displacement
    • F16D3/065—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive adapted to specific functions specially adapted to allow axial displacement by means of rolling elements
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D3/00—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive
    • F16D3/16—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts
    • F16D3/20—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members
    • F16D3/22—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts
    • F16D3/223—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D3/00—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive
    • F16D3/16—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts
    • F16D3/20—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members
    • F16D3/22—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts
    • F16D3/223—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts
    • F16D2003/22323—Attachments to the shaft of the inner joint member whereby the attachments are distanced from the core

Abstract

The motor drive shaft assembly 40 comprises a first universal drive joint 42 at one end of the drive shaft assembly 40 for receiving drive from an engine 46 of the vehicle, a second universal drive joint 48 at the opposite end of the drive shaft assembly for transmitting drive to a road wheel 52 and a third joint 54 between the first and second universal drive joints. The third joint 54 allows relative linear movement between its drive input and drive output members so as to permit length variation of the drive shaft assembly 40. It is of a type that would normally also allow angular movement but it is, however, secured to prevent such angular movement.

Description

A MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY The invention relates to a motor vehicle drive shaft assembly.
A typical known drive shaft assembly for a front wheel drive motor vehicle is shown in Fig 1 of the accompanying drawings.
In Fig 1, the drive shaft assembly indicated at 10 comprises a universal drive joint 12 at a drive input end of the drive shaft assembly 10 and which receives drive from an engine 14. The drive joint 12 comprises a drive input member 16 having a tubular housing 17 thereon having transmission components 18 therein of known kind. The transmission components 18 comprise axially extending splines 17a on the housing 17 and rollers 18a on a drive output member 20 of the drive joint 12. The rollers 18a are arranged to roll along the splines 17a. Transmission components 18 enable drive to be transmitted between the drive input member 16 and the drive output member 20.
Also, the drive transmission components 18 permit some relative angular movement A to take place between the drive input member 16 and the drive output member 20. Typically, the angle A will be around 400 only, ie 20 each side of a linear axis of rotation X of the shaft assembly 10. The transmission components 18 also permit relative axial movement to take place between the drive input member 16 and the drive output member 20 to permit variation in length of the drive shaft assembly 10.
A further universal drive joint 22 is mounted at the opposite end of the drive shaft assembly 10. The drive joint 22 is of known kind and has a drive output member 24 which, in use, drives a road wheel illustrated in broken lines at 26. The drive joint 22 receives drive from the drive output member 20 of the drive joint 12 and transmits drive to the drive output member 24 through transmission components 27. The drive joint 22 permits relative angular movement alone between the drive output member 20 and the drive output member 24 through a substantial angle B which is typically around 900.
A universal drive joint such as drive joint 12 which permits both angular and linear relative movement between its drive input and output members is referred to herein as 'a combined angular and linear drive joint" and a universal drive joint such as drive joint 22 which permits only angular relative movement is referred to herein as "an angular drive joint." Flexible gaiters 28, 30 are arranged between the respective drive joints 16, 22 to prevent ingress of foreign matter into the transmission components 18, 27 of the drive joints.
The drive shaft assembly shown in Fig 1 is typically used in a front wheel drive of a motor vehicle where up and down movement of the wheel 26 is accommodated by the combined angular and linear drive joint 12, and steering movement of the wheel 26 from lock to lock and up and down movement thereof is accommodated by the angular drive joint 22.
The angular drive joint 22 will permit drive to be transmitted through a substantial angle but it will not accommodate axial relative movement between the drive output member 20 and the drive output member 24. Although such axial relative movement is possible between the drive input member 16 and the drive output member 20 through the combined angular and linear drive joint 18, that joint accommodates only a small amount of angular deflection.
Whilst in a normal road vehicle, the drive shaft assembly 10 shown in Fig 1 has proved satisfactory for the transmission of drive between the engine 14 and the wheel 26, it is less satisfactory for use on a vehicle which is intended for both on-road and off-road use. The limited angular deflection which can be accommodated by the combined angular and linear drive joint 12 may at times be insufficient to cater for the relatively greater vertical wheel travel which can be experienced during off-road use.
Moreover, that problem will be increased where the vehicle body can be raised for additional ground clearance during off-road travel.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved motor vehicle drive shaft assembly which will help to overcome the foregoing problem.
According to the invention there is provided a motor vehicle drive shaft assembly comprising a first universal drive joint at one end of the drive shaft assembly for receiving drive from an engine of the vehicle, a second universal drive joint at the opposite end of the drive shaft assembly for transmitting drive to a driven member such as a wheel and a third universal drive joint between the first and second universal drive joints, the first and second universal drive joints being angular drive joints as hereinbefore defined and the third universal joint being a combined angular and linear drive joint as hereinbefore defined to permit length variation of the drive shaft assembly, the third universal drive joint being secured to prevent relative angular movement taking place between drive input and drive output members thereof.
By providing an angular universal drive joint at the end of the drive shaft assembly which receives drive from the engine, the shaft will be able to deflect through a much greater angle than the shaft assembly shown in Fig 1.
Moreover, by using the combined linear and angular third drive joint, the drive shaft assembly can vary in length utilising transmission members of the third drive joint which are designed to permit such movement.
Preferably, the third universal drive joint is arranged adjacent the first said universal drive joint.
Preferably, the drive input member of the third universal joint has means thereon which secures the drive output member against angular movement relative to the drive input member. In such a case, the drive input member may comprise a housing for transmission components, the housing carrying the said means which secures the drive output member against angular movement relative to the drive input member. The means which secures the drive output member against angular movement may comprise a bearing on the drive input member which permits sliding movement of the drive output member towards and away from the drive input member to permit length variation of the drive shaft assembly.
The drive shaft assembly is particularly suitable for use in an off-road vehicle for transmitting drive from an engine of the vehicle to a road wheel, for example a steerable front wheel of the vehicle.
A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the remaining accompanying drawings in which: Fig 2 is a view similar to Fig 1 but showing a drive shaft in accordance with the invention and, Fig 3 is a diagrammatic view looking towards the rear of the vehicle from the front and showing the way in which a drive shaft assembly in accordance with the invention can accommodate large angular movements of a road wheel.
In Fig 2, a drive shaft assembly 40 comprises a first universal drive joint 42 of an angular type as hereinbefore defined which has a drive input member 44 connected to an engine 46. A second universal drive joint 48 of an angular kind is arranged at the opposite end of the drive shaft assembly 40 and has a drive output member 50 for driving a road wheel 52. A third universal drive joint 54 of a combined angular and linear type as hereinbefore defined has a drive input member 46 arranged to receive drive from the first drive joint 42. The drive input member 46 extends from a flange 56 which has a shroud 58 thereon enclosing part of the first drive joint 42 and a housing 60 extending therefrom containing transmission components 62.
The transmission components 62 are of a known kind and correspond to those of the drive joint 12 of Fig 1. The transmission components 62 transmit drive to an output member 64 of the third drive joint 54.
Normally, the transmission components 62 of the third drive joint 54 will permit relative angular movement and relative linear movement to take place between the drive input member 46 and the drive output member 64. However, in the present case, the housing 60 carries a bearing 66 at its end remote from the flange 56. The bearing 66 is formed with a bore 67 through which the drive output member 64 extends slidably. The bearing 66 is arranged to prevent relative angular movement taking place between the drive input member 46 and the drive output member 64 but to permit relative linear movement therebetween. Flexible gaiters 68, 70 respectively extend between the second and third drive joints 48, 54 and the drive output member 64 to prevent ingress of foreign matter into the second and third drive joints.
In use, the first drive joint 42 permits relative angular movement to take place between the drive input member 44 and the drive output member 64 through angle C, eg 90". It will be appreciated that the angular drive joint 42 will permit a much greater relative angular movement between the drive input member 44 and the drive output member 64 than is possible with the drive joint 12 alone as shown in Fig 1.
The second drive joint 48 will permit substantial angular movement of the drive output member 50 to accommodate steering movement of the wheel 52 and up and down movement thereof.
The third drive joint 54 will permit the second drive joint 48 to move towards and away from the first drive joint 42 as the wheel 52 rises and falls. Such effective shortening and lengthening of the shaft assembly 40 easily takes place through the third drive joint 54 as the drive components 62 thereof are especially designed to accommodate such movement with minimum friction.
In Fig 3, the range of vertical movement of the wheel 52 each side of a mean position P using the shaft assembly as shown in Fig 2 is illustrated in solid lines. If a drive shaft assembly of the kind as shown in Fig 1 were used, a more restricted range of movement would be available as illustrated in broken lines in Fig 3.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that the drive shaft assembly 40 of the kind shown in Fig 2 will accommodate a wider range of vertical wheel movements making it particularly suitable for use on off-road vehicles.
The drive shaft assembly 40 as shown in Figure 2 can be used at the front or rear of the vehicle. Where used for a non-steerable wheel at the rear of the vehicle, the second drive joint 48 will accommodate up and down movement of the wheel 52

Claims (7)

  1. CLAIMS 1. A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly comprising a first universal drive joint at one end of the drive shaft assembly for receiving drive from an engine of the vehicle, a second universal drive joint at the opposite end of the drive shaft assembly for transmitting drive to a driven member such as a wheel and a third universal drive joint between the first and second universal drive joints, the first and second universal drive joints being of an angular kind as hereinbefore defined and the third universal joint being of a combined angular and linear kind as hereinbefore defined to permit length variation of the drive shaft assembly, the third universal drive joint being secured to prevent angular movement taking place between drive input and drive output members thereof.
  2. 2. A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly according to Claim 1 in which the third universal drive joint is arranged adjacent the first said universal drive joint.
  3. 3. A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the drive input member of the third universal drive joint has means thereon which secures the drive output member against angular movement relative to the drive input member.
  4. 4. A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly according to Claim 3 in which the drive input member comprises a housing for transmission components of the third universal drive joint the housing carrying the said means which secures the drive output member against angular movement relative to the drive input member.
  5. 5. A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly according to Claim 3 or 4 in which the means which secures the drive output member against angular movement comprises a bearing on the drive input member which permits sliding movement of the drive output member towards and away from the drive input member to permit length variation of the drive shaft assembly.
  6. 6. A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly according to Claim 5 in which the drive shaft assembly is part of a vehicle suitable for off-road use.
  7. 7. A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
GB9607133A 1996-04-04 1996-04-04 A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly Withdrawn GB2311758A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9607133A GB2311758A (en) 1996-04-04 1996-04-04 A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9607133A GB2311758A (en) 1996-04-04 1996-04-04 A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9607133D0 GB9607133D0 (en) 1996-06-12
GB2311758A true GB2311758A (en) 1997-10-08

Family

ID=10791620

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9607133A Withdrawn GB2311758A (en) 1996-04-04 1996-04-04 A motor vehicle drive shaft assembly

Country Status (1)

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2339461A (en) * 1998-07-10 2000-01-26 Gkn Loebro Gmbh Propeller shaft assembly
WO2010127794A2 (en) * 2009-05-08 2010-11-11 Bf New Technologies Gmbh Homocinetic joint and articulated shaft
WO2013117915A1 (en) * 2012-02-07 2013-08-15 Gibbs Technologies Limited Articulated halfshaft for an amphibian

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1366414A (en) * 1972-01-26 1974-09-11 Glaenzer Spicer Sa Power transmission
GB1448094A (en) * 1972-09-27 1976-09-02 Oerlikon Italiana Cardan shaft
GB2216631A (en) * 1988-03-22 1989-10-11 Voith Gmbh J M Telescopic universal joint shaft

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1366414A (en) * 1972-01-26 1974-09-11 Glaenzer Spicer Sa Power transmission
GB1448094A (en) * 1972-09-27 1976-09-02 Oerlikon Italiana Cardan shaft
GB2216631A (en) * 1988-03-22 1989-10-11 Voith Gmbh J M Telescopic universal joint shaft

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2339461A (en) * 1998-07-10 2000-01-26 Gkn Loebro Gmbh Propeller shaft assembly
GB2339461B (en) * 1998-07-10 2000-08-02 Gkn Loebro Gmbh Propeller shaft assembly
US6241617B1 (en) 1998-07-10 2001-06-05 Gkn Lobro Gmbh Propeller shaft assembly for a motor vehicle especially a passenger car
WO2010127794A2 (en) * 2009-05-08 2010-11-11 Bf New Technologies Gmbh Homocinetic joint and articulated shaft
WO2010127794A3 (en) * 2009-05-08 2011-01-27 Bf New Technologies Gmbh Homocinetic joint and articulated shaft
EP2508770A1 (en) * 2009-05-08 2012-10-10 BF New Technologies GmbH Universal shaft
WO2013117915A1 (en) * 2012-02-07 2013-08-15 Gibbs Technologies Limited Articulated halfshaft for an amphibian

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9607133D0 (en) 1996-06-12

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)