JP2000337344A - Propeller shaft - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a cylindrical body made of FRP from breaking in collision. SOLUTION: The cylindrical shaft 11 of a propeller shaft 10 is composed of a large diameter part 11a and a small diameter part 11b and a tapered part 11c is formed between the large diameter part 11a and the small diameter part 11b. The yoke part 14 constitutes the universal joint 12 of the propeller shaft 10 that is press fitted and joined in the cylindrical shaft 11. At the joint part 14a of the yoke part 14, the distance K from the tip to the tapered part 11c of the cylindrical shaft 11 receives the impact force to be generated axially to the propeller shaft 10 in the collision. It is established based on the maximum movable distance when the universal joint 12 enters the inside of the cylindrical shaft 11. The inside diameter r1 of the large diameter part 11a is established larger than the outside diameter P1 of the maximum outside part of the yoke part 14 except for the joint part 14a. It is also established larger than the outside diameter P2 of the maximum outside part of the engine side coupling shaft part 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a propeller shaft for a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has been strongly desired to reduce the weight of automobiles from the viewpoints of improvement of fuel efficiency and environmental protection. However, as one means for achieving this, the use of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) for propeller shafts has been advanced. The propeller shaft has a structure in which a metal universal joint (for example, a universal joint) for connecting to a drive shaft or a driven shaft and transmitting the torque is connected to both ends of a shaft portion made of FRP. The shaft portion made of FRP is a cylindrical shaft formed by a method such as a filament winding method. And, the cylindrical shaft made of FRP and the universal joint made of metal are usually
Joined by serration joining.

[0003] Serrations are formed in advance on the outer peripheral surface of the joint portion of the universal joint, while no serrations are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical shaft. Then, by press-fitting the joint portion of the universal joint into the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical shaft, a groove is engraved on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical shaft by the teeth of the serration on the universal joint side, and the teeth bite into the groove. Thus, the universal joint and the cylindrical shaft are integrally joined.

Further, in recent automobile designs, an excessive impact is not generated at the time of a collision, and a time margin is given to the operation of various safety devices such as an airbag. There has been proposed a technique for absorbing shock smoothly and gently by compressive deformation or destruction in the axial direction. As a method,
When the impact force generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft at the time of collision exceeds a predetermined value (critical value), the universal joint is further pressed into the cylindrical shaft by the impact force, and the propeller shaft is compressed or deformed in the axial direction. For example, there is a method for performing the operation, which is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-9-175202.

In this prior art, as shown in FIG. 4, a cylindrical shaft 51 of a propeller shaft 50 has a large-diameter portion 51a formed at the end of the cylindrical shaft 51 and a diameter reduced from the large-diameter portion 51a. And a small-diameter portion 51b formed. That is, the tapered portion 51c is formed between the large diameter portion 51a and the small diameter portion 51b. And the large diameter portion 51
A connecting portion 53a of a yoke 53 constituting a universal joint 52 as a universal joint connected to a drive shaft (or a driven shaft) of a vehicle is connected to a. The axial length of the large diameter portion 51a is set to be substantially the same as the axial length of the joint 53a.

Accordingly, the impact force generated in the axial direction on the propeller shaft 50 at the time of collision exceeds a predetermined value (critical value), and the yoke 53 of the universal joint 52 is pressed into the cylindrical shaft 51 by the impact force. When the end of the joining portion 53a of the yoke 53 is
1c collides with the inner peripheral surface. Then, the tapered portion 51c is broken by the collision, and the impact is smoothly and gently absorbed by the axial compression deformation due to the breakage of the propeller shaft 50.

[0007]

When the tapered portion 51c is destroyed by collision, fragments of the cylindrical shaft 51 may fly out and be scattered on the road surface. When the debris is scattered on the road surface, there is a problem that road operation is hindered and the environment is polluted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the universal joint 52 has a maximum outer dimension T1 of the yoke 53.
Is formed so as to be larger than the inner diameter T2 of the large-diameter portion 51a which is press-fitted and joined. Therefore, when the yoke 53 of the universal joint 52 is pressed into the cylindrical shaft 51 by receiving an impact force generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft 50 at the time of the collision, the universal joint 52 hits the end of the cylindrical shaft 51. As a result, the cylindrical shaft 51 is broken from the end. Similarly, there is a problem that the debris of the destroyed portion scatters on the road surface, hindering road operation and polluting the environment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a propeller shaft capable of preventing the FRP cylinder from being broken at the time of a collision.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to the first aspect of the present invention relates to an FRP cylindrical body, and a joint of a universal joint is internally fitted to an end of the cylindrical body. In the propeller shaft described above, the gist is that the inner diameter of the FRP cylinder is larger than the outer diameter of the maximum outer shape of the universal joint except for the joint portion of the universal joint.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the propeller shaft according to the first aspect, the FRP cylindrical body includes:
The universal joint has a length in the axial direction longer than the maximum movable distance of the universal joint upon receiving an impact generated at the time of a collision from the tip of the joint of the universal joint internally fitted into the FRP cylinder, and The invention is characterized in that a metal part movement buffering portion having an inner diameter equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the portion joined with the metal part is provided.

(Operation) According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Since the inner diameter of the FRP cylinder is larger than the outer diameter of the maximum outer shape of the universal joint excluding the joint of the universal joint, the universal joint receives the impact force generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft at the time of collision, and the universal joint When entering the cylindrical body, the universal joint except for the joint portion enters without colliding with the FRP cylindrical body.

[0013] Therefore, since the FRP cylindrical body is not destroyed due to the collision of the universal joint, the fragments are not scattered on the road surface or the like, thereby hindering road operation or deteriorating the environment.

According to the invention described in claim 2, according to claim 1,
In addition to the operation of the invention described in the above, when the universal joint enters the FRP cylinder due to the impact force generated in the axial direction on the propeller shaft at the time of collision,
The joint moves in and out of the metal component movement buffer without collision.

[0015] Therefore, since the FRP cylindrical body is not destroyed by the collision of the joint portion of the universal joint, the fragments are scattered on the road surface or the like, thereby hindering road operation or deteriorating the environment. Absent.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The shaft portion of the propeller shaft in the present embodiment has a fiber reinforced resin (F
RP).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a propeller shaft 10 of the present invention is joined to a cylindrical shaft 11 made of fiber reinforced resin (FRP) as an FRP cylindrical body, and is joined to both ends of the cylindrical shaft 11. And a metal universal joint 12. The cylindrical shaft 11 and the universal joint 12
Serrated. Although the metal universal joint 12 is connected to both ends of the cylindrical shaft 11, the structure of the cylindrical shaft 11 at both ends and the configuration of the universal joint 12 connected to both ends are the same. In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the connection between the universal joint 12 on the engine drive shaft side and the cylindrical shaft 11 will be described, and the description on the connection between the universal joint 12 on the driven shaft side and the cylindrical shaft 11 will be omitted.

The cylindrical shaft 11 is formed of a cylinder having a substantially constant thickness, and is formed by, for example, a filament winding method. In addition, both ends of the cylindrical shaft 11 become thick portions slightly bulged outward by being reinforced with the tightening thread. That is, the resin-impregnated fiber is wound around a mandrel (core material) to form a cylindrical body, the resin impregnated into the fiber is thermally cured, and then the mandrel is pulled out to form the cylindrical shaft 11.

FRP, which is the material of the cylindrical shaft 11, uses carbon fiber as the reinforcing fiber and epoxy resin as the matrix resin. In addition, as the reinforcing fiber, other fibers generally called high elasticity and high strength such as aramid fiber and glass fiber are employed, and as the matrix resin, other thermosetting materials such as unsaturated polyester resin, phenol resin, and polyimide resin are used. Resin can be employed.

The cylindrical shaft 11 includes a large-diameter portion 11a formed at an end of the cylindrical shaft 11, and a small-diameter portion 11b formed by reducing the diameter of the large-diameter portion 11a. That is, the tapered portion 11 is provided between the large diameter portion 11a and the small diameter portion 11b.
c is formed. Further, the large diameter portion 11a is formed with a predetermined axial length L1.

The universal joint 12 has an engine-side connecting shaft portion 13 and a yoke portion 14. The engine-side connecting shaft portion 13 is drivingly connected to an output shaft of the engine. The yoke part 14 is provided with a joint part 14a which is press-fitted and connected to the large diameter part 11a of the cylindrical shaft 11.

The outer diameter r2 of the joint portion 14a is set slightly larger than the inner diameter r1 of the large diameter portion 11a. Serrations (not shown) are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the joint 14a. The joint 14a of the yoke 14 is pressed into the large-diameter portion 11a of the cylindrical shaft 11 by a known method, and the serration of the joint 14a is cut into the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 11a. 12
And the cylindrical shaft 11 are integrally joined as shown in FIG.

The axial length L2 of the joint 14a is
The length of the large diameter portion 11a is set shorter than the length L1 in the axial direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, when the joint 14a is completely pressed into the large-diameter portion 11a, the joint 14a
K from the tip of the shaft to the tapered portion 11c of the cylindrical shaft 11
(= L1−L2) is set in advance.

The universal joint 12 receives the impact force generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft 10 at the time of collision, and the universal joint 12 is moved to the small diameter portion 11 b of the cylindrical shaft 11.
The distance is set based on the maximum movable distance when moving toward (i.e., press-fitting). In other words,
When the universal joint 12 moves toward the small-diameter portion 11b of the cylindrical shaft 11 (that is, press-fits and moves) by receiving an impact force generated in the axial direction on the propeller shaft 10 at the time of a collision, Even when the universal joint 12 moves to the maximum, the distance is set so that the tip of the joint portion 14a does not reach the tapered portion 11c. In the present embodiment, the portion of the large diameter portion 11a having the inner diameter r1 forming the distance K is used as the metal component movement buffering portion 15.

The inner diameter r1 of the large-diameter portion 11a is equal to the outer diameter P of the largest outer portion of the yoke portion 14 excluding the joint portion 14a.
1 and the outer diameter P of the largest outer portion of the engine-side connecting shaft portion 13
It is set larger than 2. Therefore, at the time of collision,
When the universal joint 12 is press-fitted and moved toward the small-diameter portion 11b by receiving an impact force generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft 10, as shown in FIG.
The universal joint 12 except a moves in the large diameter portion 11a having the inner diameter r1 without colliding with the large diameter portion 11a.

According to the propeller shaft 10 of the present embodiment, the following features can be obtained. (1) In the present embodiment, the inner diameter r1 of the large-diameter portion 11a
Is set larger than the outer diameter P1 of the maximum outer portion of the yoke portion 14 excluding the joint portion 14a and the outer diameter P2 of the maximum outer portion of the engine-side connecting shaft portion 13. Therefore, the universal joint 12 receives the impact force generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft 10 and the universal joint 12 becomes small as shown in FIG.
When the universal joint 12 except for the joint portion 14a moves into the large-diameter portion 11a having the inner diameter r1 without colliding with the large-diameter portion 11a. As a result, since the cylindrical shaft 11 does not collide and be destroyed by the universal joint 12 except for the joint portion 14a, debris is not scattered on a road surface or the like, and does not hinder road operation or deteriorate the environment. .

(2) In this embodiment, the cylindrical shaft 11
The joint 14a of the universal joint 12 press-fitted to the large-diameter portion 11a is joined to the large-diameter portion 11a with a distance K between the tip and the tapered portion 11c of the cylindrical shaft 11. This distance K is determined when the universal joint 12 moves toward the small-diameter portion 11b of the cylindrical shaft 11 (that is, press-fits and moves) by receiving an impact generated in the axial direction on the propeller shaft 10 at the time of collision. Even when the universal joint 12 moves to the maximum, the distal end of the joint portion 14a is set to a distance that does not reach the tapered portion 11c.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, even if the universal joint 12 is press-fitted into the cylindrical shaft 11 by receiving an impact generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft 10 at the time of collision, the tip of the joint 14a Is the tapered portion 11c
, The tip of the joining portion 14a does not collide with the tapered portion 11c.

As a result, the cylindrical shaft 11 is not broken due to the collision between the tip of the joint portion 14a and the tapered portion 11c, and the fragments are not scattered on the road surface. In addition, adverse effects on road operation and environmental protection due to scattering of debris on the road surface can be eliminated.

The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above, and may be carried out in the following modes. The cylindrical shaft 11 may be formed as shown in FIG. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the cylindrical shaft 11 is entirely formed with the inner diameter r1 of the large diameter portion 11a. That is, the small diameter portion 11b and the tapered portion 11c are omitted. In this case, when the universal joint 12 moves toward the center of the cylindrical shaft 11 due to the impact force generated in the axial direction on the propeller shaft 10 at the time of collision,
The universal joint 12 can freely move into the cylindrical shaft 11, and the movement of the universal joint 12 does not destroy the cylindrical shaft 11. Therefore, an effect similar to the effect described in the feature (1) of the above embodiment can be obtained.

The inner diameter of the cylindrical shaft 11 may be larger than the outer diameter r2 of the joint 14a except for the joint with the joint 14a. Also in this case, when the universal joint 12 moves toward the center of the cylindrical shaft 11 due to the impact force generated in the axial direction on the propeller shaft 10 at the time of collision, the universal joint 12 is moved into the cylindrical shaft 11. The universal joint 12 can be moved freely, and the cylindrical shaft 11 is not broken by the movement of the universal joint 12. Therefore, an effect similar to the effect described in the feature (1) of the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the above-described embodiment and other examples, the universal joint 12 has a shape as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, but is not limited to such a shape, and a large impact is applied in the axial direction. Sometimes the universal joint 12 may be embodied in other shapes that can be pressed into the cylindrical shaft 11. In this case, effects similar to the effects described in the features (1) and (2) of the above embodiment can be obtained.

A position on the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 11a of the cylindrical shaft 11 at a predetermined distance from the tip of the joint portion 14a of the universal joint 12 press-fitted into the cylindrical shaft 11 is a universal joint at the time of collision. 12 may be provided with a low elastic member having low resistance to the press-in movement. In this case, in addition to the effects described in the features (1) and (2) of the above-described embodiment, the axial compression deformation of the propeller shaft 10 can be quickly performed at the time of a collision.

Serrations are also formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical shaft 11 in advance, and the universal joint 12 having the serrations is attached to the cylindrical shaft 1 while adjusting the serrations.
1 may be carried out so as to be pressed into the inner peripheral surface. In this case, in addition to the effects described in the features (1) and (2) of the above-described embodiment, the press fitting work between the cylindrical shaft 11 and the universal joint 12 can be easily performed during manufacturing.

In the above embodiment, the universal joint 12 and the cylindrical shaft 11 are integrally joined and connected by a serration connection. However, the universal joint 12 and the cylindrical shaft 11 are integrated by a method other than the serration connection, such as an adhesive method. It may be implemented by being joined to and connected to. in this case,
The same effects as those described in the features (1) and (2) of the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the metal parts movement buffering parts 15 are provided at both ends of the cylindrical shaft 11 and the universal joint 12 is connected. However, one end of the cylindrical shaft 11 (for example, the engine drive shaft) is used. Side), a metal part movement buffer 15 is provided only in the universal joint 1
2 may be combined. In this case, substantially the same effects as those described in the features (1) and (2) of the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the component shape is not limited to a cylinder. The shape may be an elliptical cylinder or a polygonal cylinder such as a triangular cylinder or a square cylinder. In the above embodiment, the FRP matrix resin is not limited to a thermosetting resin. For example, an ultraviolet curable resin or a thermoplastic resin can be used as the matrix resin.

In the above embodiment, the method of manufacturing the FRP cylinder is not limited to the filament winding method.
For example, a sheet winding method can be adopted. The manufacturing method is not particularly limited as long as the FRP cylinder can be manufactured so as to satisfy necessary characteristics when the shaft is used as a component.

[0039]

As described above in detail, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the universal joint receives the impact force generated in the axial direction with respect to the propeller shaft at the time of collision, and the universal joint is made of the FRP cylinder. The FRP cylindrical body is not destroyed even if the vehicle enters, and the fragments of the FRP cylindrical body caused by the destruction of the FRP cylindrical body are prevented from scattering on the road surface, which is disadvantageous for road operation and environmental protection. The effect can be eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a propeller shaft of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an essential part of a propeller shaft compressed in an axial direction.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a principal part of another example of a propeller shaft.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a propeller shaft according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Propeller shaft, 11 ... Cylindrical axis | shaft as FRP cylinder, 12 ... Universal joint, 14 ... Yoke part of a universal joint, 14a ... Joint part of a yoke part, 15 ... Metal part movement buffer part, r1 ... Cylindrical axis Inner diameter,
P1: Outer diameter of the maximum outer portion of the yoke except for the joint, P
2 ... The outer diameter of the largest external part of the engine-side connecting shaft.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiharu Yasui 2-1-1 Toyota-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi F-term in Toyota Industries Corporation (reference) 3D042 AA08 DA02 DA05 DA09 DA12 DA15 3J033 AA01 AB02 AC01 BA03 BA07 BA08 BA20

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A universal joint, wherein the inner diameter of the FRP cylinder is a joint other than the joint of the universal joint, wherein the joint of the universal joint is internally fitted to and joined to the end of the FRP cylinder. A propeller shaft characterized by having a larger outer diameter than the maximum outer diameter of the propeller shaft. 2. The propeller shaft according to claim 1, wherein the FRP cylinder receives an impact generated at the time of a collision from a distal end of a joint portion of the universal joint which is internally fitted into the FRP cylinder. A metal part movement buffer having an axial length longer than the maximum movable distance of the universal joint and having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the inner diameter of the portion joined to the joint. Propeller shaft.