JP4067615B2 - Fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a propeller shaft made of fiber reinforced plastic (hereinafter referred to as FRP) generally used in automobiles.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The propeller shaft for an automobile transmits the driving force of the internal combustion engine to the wheels and rotates at a high speed. Therefore, it is necessary to attach a balance piece to a necessary portion after manufacturing the main body to balance the rotation.
[0003]
With metal propeller shafts, heavy metal balance pieces can be easily attached to the required locations by welding. However, when using FRP ones for weight reduction, there is a problem with how to install the balance piece. It becomes.
[0004]
Conventionally, an annular plate is joined to the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical body portion of an FRP propeller shaft, and a balance piece is fixed to a required portion of the annular plate by spot welding (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 55-61637, Japanese Utility Model No. 5-3626) and the like have been proposed, but those using such welding are not preferable because the FRP propeller shaft is affected by heat even in spot welding.
[0005]
Therefore, the fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-91554 is an example in which the balance piece is caulked and fixed at a predetermined position using an attachment auxiliary member.
[0006]
That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the ring member 03 is integrally fixed to the end portion of the FRP tubular body portion 01 where the base end portion of the yoke 02 is fitted, and the tubular body portion 01 and the ring member 03 are A part of the balance piece 04 is inserted into the gap therebetween, and the end portion of the ring member 03 is caulked and fixed to the groove 04a of the balance piece 04.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since no welding process is required, the FRP tubular body 01 is not affected by heat.
However, the groove 04a formed in the balance piece 04 is engaged in the axial direction to prevent it from coming off, but it is not engaged in the circumferential direction and is not fixed enough. If this is not the case, the balance piece is likely to move in the circumferential direction and the rotational balance may be lost.
[0008]
In addition, the balance piece 04 that is fixed by crimping is partly inserted into the ring member 03 and is crimped, so it is covered by the ring member 03, but the other part of the balance piece 04 is exposed to the outside, so that the vehicle is running In addition, there is a risk of falling off due to direct hitting of flying stones, etc., and there is a problem in durability reliability.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the object of the present invention is a fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft that can firmly fix the balance piece with a simple operation and has a balance piece fixing structure excellent in durability. It is in the point to offer.
[0010]
[Means for solving the problems and effects]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a rectangular plate member that is externally fitted and fixed to a cylindrical body portion of a fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft, and is curved in an arc shape. Inserting a balance piece formed with a locking projection in which both edges in the circumferential direction protrude like a wedge toward the center of the arc between the inner peripheral surface of the annular member and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body, A portion of the annular member facing the balance piece was caulked to press the balance piece, and a propeller shaft made of fiber reinforced plastic was fixed by biting the locking protrusion of the balance piece into the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body.
[0011]
Since the annular member is crimped and the balance piece is pressed and the locking projection of the balance piece is bitten into the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion, the balance piece is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the annular member and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion. It is fixed firmly between.
[0012]
Even if there is some loosening of the balance piece due to some factors such as collision of stepping stones, etc., the locking projection engages with the recess formed by biting into the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body, and the balance piece moves relatively. This prevents the balance piece from moving and loses the rotational balance, and is excellent in durability.
When the balance piece is pressed by caulking of the annular member, the locking projections protruding like wedges at both ends of the balance piece bite into the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion, so that the balance piece is firmly fixed.
The latching protrusions at both ends of the balance piece can be easily manufactured by using a punching sag generated during press molding.
[0013]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft according to the first aspect, the annular member has a small diameter portion and a step portion having an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical body portion of the fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft. The balance piece is inserted between the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical trunk portion. .
[0014]
A simple operation in which the small-diameter portion of the annular member is fitted into the cylindrical body, the annular member is easily positioned, and the annular member is caulked between the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body. Thus, the balance piece is pressed, and the locking projection is bitten into the cylindrical body portion, so that the balance piece can be easily and reliably fixed.
[0017]
According to a third aspect of the invention, the fiber-reinforced plastic propeller shaft according to claim 2, caulking the portion corresponding to at least the engaging projection of the balance piece of the annular member presses the back portion of the locking projection And biting into the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body.
The caulking of the annular member can be performed effectively and the working efficiency can be improved.
[0018]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft according to any one of the first to third aspects, the balance piece is covered at least in the axial direction by the annular member. .
[0019]
Since the balance piece is covered in the axial direction by the annular member, it is possible to prevent the balance piece from falling off due to a direct collision with a flying stone or the like.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an attachment structure of a balance piece at an end of an FRP propeller shaft 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the balance piece is attached.
[0021]
With reference to FIG. 1, the base end portion of the yoke 3 is fitted inside and fixed to the end portion of the cylindrical body portion 2 of the FRP propeller shaft 1.
The annular member 4 fitted on the end of the cylindrical body 2 is composed of a small-diameter portion 4a having an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical body 2 and a large-diameter portion 4c expanded through a step portion 4b. It is a cylindrical member made of metal or resin.
[0022]
The balance piece 5 is a rectangular plate-shaped metal weight member that is curved in an arc shape, and can be easily press-molded. The press-out sag as 5a, 5a is formed.
Therefore, the balance piece 5 can be easily manufactured by press molding.
[0023]
First, the annular member 4 is press-fitted with the small diameter portion 4a first into the end portion of the cylindrical body portion 2 where the base end portion of the yoke 3 is fitted, and the end surface of the large diameter portion 4c is the end portion of the cylindrical body portion 2. The annular member 4 is externally fitted by being fitted at a position that is flush with the end face.
Then, since the gap 6 is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 4 c of the annular member 4 and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion 2, the balance piece 5 is inserted into the gap 6.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 5, the balance piece 5 is between the large-diameter portion 4c of the annular member 4 and the cylindrical body portion 2 and has sharply-pointed locking projections 5a and 5a at both ends in the circumferential direction of the inner peripheral surface. 3 can be hooked and temporarily held on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 2 made of metal, can be positioned at a required position based on the result of prior imbalance measurement, and the balance piece 5 is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, it is positioned at an appropriate position that balances rotation in the circumferential direction at a position completely immersed in the large-diameter portion 4 c of the annular member 4 in the axial direction.
[0025]
With the balance piece 5 being positioned and held in this manner, two points are caulked at each of the large-diameter portions 4c of the annular member 4 that are opposed to both ends of the balance piece 5 in the circumferential direction. The four protrusions 4p thus pressed press the circumferential edges of the balance piece 5.
[0026]
Further, the center of the balance piece 5 in the circumferential direction of the large-diameter portion 4c is caulked at three points, and the three convex portions 4q that are formed by the caulking engage with and press against both end edges.
[0027]
The convex portions 4p and 4q formed by caulking of the above seven points press the balance piece 5, and the locking projections 5a and 5a at both ends of the balance piece 5 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion 2 made of FRP. The balance piece 5 can be fixed by biting.
[0028]
In particular, the four convex portions 4p press both ends of the balance piece 5 in the circumferential direction, so that the locking projections 5a and 5a are pressed directly from the back portion so as to effectively bite into the cylindrical body portion 2. Can be.
[0029]
In this way, the balance piece 5 can be firmly fixed by a simple operation of biting the locking projections 5a, 5a into the outer peripheral surface of the FRP cylindrical body 2 by caulking at seven points.
[0030]
Even if the loosening of the balance piece 5 is somewhat loosened due to some reason such as collision of flying stones, etc., the locking projections 5a and 5a engage with the recesses formed by biting into the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 2. The relative movement of the balance piece 5 is prohibited, the balance piece 5 does not move and the rotation balance is not lost, and the durability is excellent.
[0031]
Since the outer peripheral surface of the balance piece 5 is entirely covered with the annular member 4 in the axial direction, the balance piece 5 does not fall off due to a direct collision such as stepping stones.
In addition, there is no process such as welding, and there is no influence of heat.
[0032]
In addition, you may apply | coat an adhesive material beforehand to the internal peripheral surface between both the latching protrusions 5a and 5a in the balance piece 5. FIG.
That is, the balance piece 5 having the adhesive applied to the inner peripheral surface is inserted and positioned in the gap 6 between the large-diameter portion 4c of the annular member 4 and the cylindrical body portion 2, and is pressed by caulking the large-diameter portion 4c. Then, the locking projections 5a, 5a bite into the outer peripheral surface of the FRP cylindrical body 2, and the inner peripheral surface of the balance piece 5 comes into contact with the cylindrical body 2 via an adhesive, and both are bonded. The balance piece 5 is firmly fixed to the cylindrical body 2 in combination with the biting of the locking projections 5a, 5a.
[0033]
In the above embodiment, the annular member 4 is fitted so as to be press-fitted into the end portion of the cylindrical body portion 2 of the FRP propeller shaft 1 with the small diameter portion 4a. May be.
[0034]
For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, except for the annular member 20, the other members are the same as those in the above embodiment (the same reference numerals are used), and the annular member 20 has the same shape and has a small diameter portion 20a, a step portion 20b, Although it consists of a large diameter portion 20c, circular holes 20e are formed in the small diameter portion 20a at four equally spaced positions in the circumferential direction.
[0035]
After the annular member 20 is externally fitted to the end of the cylindrical body 2 of the FRP propeller shaft 1, the adhesive 21 is injected into the four circular holes 20e so as to overflow as much as possible.
When the adhesive 21 is thus cured, the small diameter portion 20a of the annular member 20 is securely fixed to the cylindrical body 2.
[0036]
Thereafter, as in the above-described embodiment, the balance piece 5 is inserted into the gap 6 between the annular member 20 and the cylindrical body 2 and positioned, and a convex portion 20p formed by caulking the annular member 20 is formed. 20q presses the balance piece 5, and the locking projections 5a and 5a at both ends of the balance piece 5 are bitten into the outer peripheral surface of the FRP cylindrical body 2 to fix the balance piece 5.
[0037]
Since the annular member 20 is securely fixed to the cylindrical body 2 by the adhesive material 21, the balance piece 5 pressed by the caulking of the annular member 20 can be fixed more firmly.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a yoke mounting end portion of an FRP propeller shaft showing a structure for mounting a balance piece according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a yoke attachment end portion of an FRP propeller shaft with a balance piece attached.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same.
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view immediately before caulking.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a yoke attachment end portion of an FRP propeller shaft in a state in which a balance piece according to another embodiment is attached.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a yoke mounting end portion of a conventional FRP propeller shaft.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... FRP propeller shaft, 2 ... Cylindrical trunk | drum, 3 ... Yoke, 4 ... Ring member, 5 ... Balance piece, 6 ... Air gap, 20 ... Ring member, 21 ... Adhesive material.

Claims (4)

An annular member is externally fitted and fixed to the cylindrical body of the fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft,
A rectangular plate member that is curved in an arc shape, and a balance piece in which both end edges in the circumferential direction protrude in a wedge shape toward the center of the arc are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the annular member. Inserted between the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body,
A portion made of fiber reinforced plastic, wherein the portion of the annular member facing the balance piece is crimped to press the balance piece, and the locking projection of the balance piece is bitten into the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body. Propeller shaft. The annular member is a cylindrical member composed of a small diameter part having an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical body part of the fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft and a large diameter part expanded through a step part,
The fiber-reinforced plastic propeller shaft according to claim 1, wherein the balance piece is inserted between an inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion and an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion. Caulking the portion corresponding to at least the engaging projection of the balance piece of the annular member, according to claim 2, characterized in that bite into the outer peripheral surface of pressing the back of the locking projection the cylindrical barrel Fiber reinforced plastic propeller shaft. The fiber-reinforced plastic propeller shaft according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the balance piece is covered at least in the axial direction by the annular member.

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