JP2000320529A - Propeller shaft - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a propeller shaft which can increase sliding torque, without having an influence to torsional rigidity and characteristic of a rubber elastic unit. SOLUTION: This propeller shaft comprises a cylindrical outer side member 1, connected to a drive system, a cylindrical inner side member 2 arranged in a coaxial state with a distance in an inner side of the outer side member 1 to be connected to a driven system, and a plurality of ring-shaped rubber elastic units 3 interposed in a compressed condition in the diametric direction between an external peripheral surface of the inner side member 2 and an internal peripheral surface of the outer side member 1. A thermosetting bonding agent 4 in an unhardened condition, gradually hardened by heat in the atmosphere of use, is applied to a contact surface of the rubber elastic unit 3 and the outer side member 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a vibration-proof propeller shaft used for transmitting torque in a vehicle or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a FR vehicle, a propeller shaft has been used as a torque transmitting member for transmitting a driving force of an engine to a rear differential. The propeller shaft has a cylindrical outer member, a cylindrical inner member disposed coaxially at a distance inside the outer member, an outer peripheral surface of the inner member, and an inner peripheral surface of the outer member. And a plurality of ring-shaped rubber elastic bodies interposed in the state of being compressed in the radial direction and arranged along the axial direction.

This propeller shaft usually has a plurality of rubber elastic bodies fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the inner member by vulcanization bonding.
It is assembled by press-fitting the inner member into the outer member. Then, one end of the outer member is connected to one of the engine (drive system) side and the differential (driven system) side, and one end of the inner member is connected to the other one of the engine side and the differential side. Mounted. Thus, the rotation torque is transmitted from the engine to the differential via the rubber elastic body provided between the outer member and the inner member. The rubber elastic body interposed between the outer member and the inner member is provided for the purpose of reducing torsional rigidity in order to reduce noise vibration.

[0004]

In recent years, however, the engine torque and the ambient temperature of the entire drive system have been increasing, and accordingly, it is necessary to improve the sliding torque of the propeller shaft. . In this case, not only the initial sliding torque but also the improvement of the aging of the rubber elastic body due to the rise of the ambient temperature during use or the improvement of the sliding torque after the use are required, so that more severe conditions are required.

In response to this demand, conventionally, the number of rubber elastic bodies arranged in the axial direction has been increased, and the contact area between the rubber elastic bodies and the inner and outer members has been increased to cope with the improvement of the sliding torque. Was. For example, when the engine torque increases by 20%, the number of rubber elastic bodies is increased from five to six. However, in this case, not only the problem of increasing the weight and cost is caused but also the torsional rigidity is increased, which is a problem for a propeller shaft configured to reduce noise vibration. Often.

[0006] Further, it is possible to improve the sliding torque by bonding the contact surface between the rubber elastic body and the inner member or the outer member with a post-heating adhesive. However, in this case, although there is no increase in torsional rigidity, a large-scale facility or the like is required for performing the post-heating bonding treatment, which leads to an increase in cost, and furthermore, a vulcanized rubber elastic body. There is also a problem that the physical properties of the rubber elastic body are liable to change because a thermal load is applied to the rubber.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above problems, and provides a propeller shaft capable of improving a sliding torque without affecting the torsional rigidity and the characteristics of a rubber elastic body. Should be solved.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a propeller shaft having a tubular outer member connected to one of a driving system and a driven system;
A cylindrical inner member disposed coaxially at a distance inside the outer member and connected to one of the drive system and the driven system; an outer peripheral surface of the inner member and an inner periphery of the outer member; And a ring-shaped rubber elastic body interposed in a state of being compressed in the radial direction between the rubber member and the outer member.The contact surface between the rubber elastic body and the outer member is gradually cured by heat in a use atmosphere. Means is employed in which a thermosetting adhesive in an uncured state is applied.

According to this means, when the propeller shaft is mounted on an actual vehicle and exposed to a high-temperature use atmosphere, the uncured thermosetting adhesive applied to the contact surface between the rubber elastic body and the outer member. When the agent is heated by the heat in the use atmosphere, the curing gradually progresses over a long period of time, and the adhesive force is gradually enhanced. This compensates for the decrease in the sliding torque due to the aging of the rubber elastic body due to the thermal load in the use atmosphere, and maintains the high level of the initial stage sliding torque for a long time.

Further, the thermosetting adhesive of the present invention uses the heat in the use atmosphere so that the curing progresses gradually. Therefore, the thermosetting adhesive is used after being applied to at least a vehicle or the like after being applied. Until the heat treatment is completed, it is not necessary to perform a heat treatment or the like. Therefore, it does not affect the characteristics of the rubber elastic body. Therefore, according to the propeller shaft of the present invention, the sliding torque can be improved without affecting the torsional rigidity and the characteristics of the rubber elastic body.

The thermosetting adhesive according to the present invention comprises:
It is applied to the contact surface between the rubber elastic body and the outer member, and is left uncured without being subjected to heat treatment or the like. When the propeller shaft is used in an actual vehicle, the thermosetting adhesive gradually cures due to the heat in the use atmosphere as the rubber elastic body progresses to aging, and the adhesive force is reduced. Those that gradually increase over time are selected. It is also effective to use a thermosetting adhesive having a lower curing speed. As such a thermosetting adhesive, for example, in consideration of compatibility with a rubber elastic body or an outer member to which the thermosetting adhesive is to be applied, for example, a chlorinated rubber-based adhesive is preferably used. be able to.

In the present invention, the rubber elastic body interposed between the inner member and the outer member is in a state of being compressed in the radial direction. The compression of this rubber elastic body is, for example,
The inner member to which the rubber elastic body is fixed is press-fitted into the outer member and assembled, or a gap is formed between the inner member 2 to which the rubber elastic member is fixed and the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1. And the outer member 1 is squeezed in the centripetal direction, or the inner member 2 is bulged in the centrifugal direction and assembled.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cross section of a part of the propeller shaft according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the propeller shaft according to the present embodiment includes a cylindrical outer member 1, an inner member 2 coaxially arranged inside the outer member 1 at a distance, and an outer peripheral surface of the inner member 2. The ring-shaped five rubber elastic bodies 3 interposed in a radially compressed state between the rubber elastic body 3 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1, and are applied to a contact surface between the rubber elastic body 3 and the outer member 1. And an uncured thermosetting adhesive 4.

The outer member 1 is formed in a cylindrical shape having one end opened by metal. On the closing side of the outer member 1, there is provided a connecting portion 11 extending bifurcated outward in the axial direction, and the connecting portion 11 is fixed to one of a driving system and a driven system. 13. The inner member 2 is formed of a metal into a cylindrical tube shape having one end opened. The inner member 2 has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the outer member 1 by a predetermined dimension, and is coaxially arranged inside the outer member 1 at a distance. On the closing side of the inner member 2, there is provided a connecting portion 21 extending bifurcated outward in the axial direction, and the connecting portion 21 is fixed to one of the driving system and the driven system. 23.

The rubber elastic body 3 is formed in a ring shape by vulcanizing a rubber material. The rubber elastic body 3 has its inner peripheral surface vulcanized and bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the inner member 2, and five rubber elastic bodies 3 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the axial direction. By press-fitting and assembling the inner member 2 to which the rubber elastic body 3 is vulcanized and bonded into the inside of the outer member 1, a radial direction is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the inner member 2 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1. It is interposed in a compressed state. By compressing the rubber elastic body 3 by a predetermined amount, an appropriate torsional stiffness and sliding torque are given.

The thermosetting adhesive 4 is applied to the contact surface between the rubber elastic body 3 and the outer member 1 and is in an uncured state. This thermosetting adhesive 4 is applied to the outer peripheral surface of each rubber elastic body 3 before the inner member 2 to which each rubber elastic body 3 is vulcanized and bonded is pressed into the inside of the outer member 1 and assembled. I have. In the present embodiment, a chlorinated rubber-based adhesive (trade names “Chemlock 220” and “Chemlock 252” (manufactured by Road Corporation)) is used as the thermosetting adhesive 4. A press-fitting liquid (for example, a soap) is provided on the outer peripheral surface of each rubber elastic body 3 coated with the thermosetting adhesive 4 so that the inner member 2 can be pressed into the outer member 1 smoothly. Water or oil) is applied.

In the propeller shaft of this embodiment configured as described above, the connecting portion 11 of the outer member 1
3 and connected to the engine side, and the connecting portion 21 of the inner member 2 is connected to the differential side via a connecting member 23 to be mounted on the actual vehicle. As a result, the rotation torque is transmitted from the engine to the differential via the rubber elastic body 3 provided between the outer member 1 and the inner member 2.

When the propeller shaft is exposed to a high-temperature use atmosphere, the sliding torque gradually decreases due to the aging of the rubber elastic body 3 due to a thermal load.
However, the thermosetting adhesive 4 in the uncured state applied to the contact surface between the rubber elastic body 3 and the outer member 1 rapidly cures due to repeated heating by the heat in the use atmosphere. Progresses gradually over a long period of time, and the adhesive strength gradually increases. As a result, a decrease in the sliding torque due to the aging of the rubber elastic body 3 is compensated, and a high level of the initial stage sliding torque is maintained for a long time.

As described above, according to the propeller shaft of the present embodiment, the uncured thermosetting in which the curing gradually progresses due to the heat in the use atmosphere is applied to the contact surface between the rubber elastic body 3 and the outer member 1. Since the adhesive 4 is applied, the slip torque can be improved. Further, since the thermosetting adhesive 4 is left in an uncured state after being applied and does not need to be subjected to heat treatment or the like, the properties of the rubber elastic body 3 are not affected, and the propeller shaft is not affected. Function quality can be stabilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cross section of a part of a propeller shaft according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... outer member 2 ... inner member 3 ... rubber elastic member 4 ... thermosetting adhesive 11,21 ... connecting portion 13,23 ... connecting member

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical outer member connected to one of a driving system and a driven system, and one of the driving system and the driven system disposed coaxially at a distance inside the outer member. A cylindrical inner member connected to the other, and a ring-shaped rubber elastic body interposed in a radially compressed state between an outer peripheral surface of the inner member and an inner peripheral surface of the outer member. A propeller shaft, wherein an uncured thermosetting adhesive whose curing gradually progresses due to heat in a use atmosphere is applied to a contact surface between the rubber elastic body and the outer member. 2. The propeller shaft according to claim 1, wherein the thermosetting adhesive is a chlorinated rubber-based adhesive.