JPH0666310A - Drive shaft made of fiber-reinforced plastic - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily separate an FRP tube and metal yokes when an unnecessary FRP drive shaft is to be utilized as a reproduced resource. CONSTITUTION:In a drive shaft inserted and fixed with coupling sections of metal yokes 4 into both end sections of a fiber-reinforced plastic tube 1, at least the junction sections of the inner wall face of the tube 1 with the coupling sections of the yokes 4 are formed with fiber-reinforced plastic using thermoplastic resin as a matrix, and the outside is formed with fiber-reinforced plastic 3 using thermosetting resin as a matrix.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a torque transmitting drive shaft such as a propeller shaft or a drive shaft of an automobile, and particularly to a fiber reinforced plastic (hereinafter referred to as "FR").
Abbreviated as "P").

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, automobiles have been increasingly required to be lighter from the viewpoints of environmental protection and energy saving, and a shift to lightweight materials is being considered. F to drive shaft for torque transmission such as propeller shaft and drive shaft
The application of RP is one of them, and it is expected that not only the effect of reducing the weight by improving the specific rigidity and specific strength but also the improvement of the riding comfort due to the increase of the vibration damping property will be put into practical use.

Generally, when a FRP tube is used as a drive shaft for torque transmission, epoxy resin is usually used as a matrix resin for the FRP tube because high strength and high elasticity are required in terms of performance.

By the way, in the case of an FRP drive shaft, the FRP
When joining the metal yokes to both ends of the tube, the usual means (eg welding) applied in the case of metal drive shafts cannot be applied. Therefore, in general, the FRP tube and the metal yoke are joined by an adhesive or a press fit.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-54965 proposes a method of impregnating a fiber of an FRP tube with a synthetic resin agent and adhering it to a metal yoke with the synthetic resin agent. Also, JP-A-55-159310 and JP-B-62-533.
No. 73, JP-A No. 55-159314, and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 58-9.
No. 0830, No. 61-112113, No. 61
There are also known ones that increase the mechanical bonding strength, such as -162619.

On the other hand, from the viewpoint of global environment conservation, it is desired to separate the unnecessary FRP drive shaft into an FRP tube and a metal yoke and reuse them. However, in the above-mentioned mechanical joining method, the separation is not practically performed.
It is difficult except for the bolt fastening method shown in No. 830. On the other hand, FR joined by adhesive or press fit
As a means for separating the P tube and the metal yoke, a method of heating the joint can be considered.

[0006]

However, the conventional FR
Even if the P drive shaft is heated to soften the matrix of the FRP tube, the softening degree of the FRP layer is extremely small even when heated as long as the matrix is a thermosetting resin typified by an epoxy resin. It is not easy to separate the metal yoke from the metal yoke.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for F
An object of the present invention is to provide an FRP drive shaft that can easily separate the FRP tube and the metal yoke when the RP drive shaft is used as a resource.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a drive shaft in which fitting parts of metal yokes are inserted and fixed in both ends of a fiber reinforced plastic tube, at least the fitting of at least the yoke on the inner wall surface of the tube is achieved. The joint with the joint is formed of fiber reinforced plastic with a matrix of thermoplastic resin, the outside is formed of fiber reinforced plastic with a matrix of thermosetting resin, and the inner layer is softened by heat more than the outer layer. Can be solved by having a large.

[0009]

In the present invention, since at least the joint portion of the inner wall surface of the FRP tube with the metal yoke is formed of the fiber reinforced plastic having the thermoplastic resin as the matrix, the fiber having the thermosetting resin of the outer layer as the matrix is used. Compared to reinforced plastics, they tend to be softened by heat, so that they can be easily separated, and the processability of recycling is improved.

[0010]

EXAMPLE In the present invention, in a drive shaft in which a fitting portion of a yoke is inserted and fixed in both end portions of a fiber reinforced plastic tube, at least a joint portion of the inner wall surface of the tube with the fitting portion of the yoke is formed. , A fiber reinforced plastic having a thermoplastic resin as a matrix. On the other hand, the outer side of the inner layer is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic having a thermosetting resin as a matrix, and the inner layer is softened by heat more than the outer layer.

Here, as the softening degree, JIS K
It can be evaluated by the "deflection temperature under load" specified in 7207. Generally, epoxy-based FR used in terms of strength
The "deflection temperature under load" of P is about 180 to 200 ° C, while the "deflection temperature under load" of the FRP for the inner layer is
A material having a temperature of 160 ° C. or less at which the difference clearly appears is preferably used. Examples of this include polypropylene, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, polycarbonate, modified polyphenylene ether, and the like.

On the other hand, the FRP for the inner layer may extend over the entire length of the tube, but the thermoplastic resin not only increases the material cost as compared with the thermosetting resin, but also increases the manufacturing efficiency in molding the tube. Since it is inferior, only the end portion corresponding to the fitting portion of the metallic yoke is sufficient.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is an FRP tube, the entire inner wall surface of which is formed of a fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin 2 having a thermoplastic resin as a matrix. The outside is formed of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting plastic 3 having a thermosetting resin as a matrix.

The thermoplastic resin used in this example is an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, which is prepared by tearing a prepreg containing glass fiber as a reinforcing material into a tape, and tape-winding a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin 2 having a thickness of 2 mm. Layers were formed. The winding angle in this case is ± 45 °. Subsequently, carbon fibers were wound on the outside by ± 10 ° by a filament winding method to form three layers of fiber-reinforced thermosetting plastic having a thickness of 4 mm. The thermosetting resin used in this case is an epoxy resin. Then, the steel yokes 4 and 4 were press-fitted into both ends of the FRP tube 1 produced as described above to obtain the FRP drive shaft shown in FIG. Note that FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the joint portion of the drive shaft.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 shows another embodiment, which is not the entire inner wall surface of the FRP tube 1.
The inner wall surface of only the end portion was formed of the fiber reinforced thermoplastic 2. Polypropylene was used as the thermoplastic resin for the inner layer matrix used.

(Example 3) In Example 2, a thermoplastic resin for the matrix for the inner layer was replaced with polycarbonate, and as shown in FIG. 4, one having a hexagonal joint instead of a cylinder was manufactured.

(Results) In each of the above examples, when the joint was heated by the heater, the metal yoke could be separated from the tube body very easily.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an unnecessary FRP drive shaft is reused as a resource, the FRP drive shaft can be easily separated into the FRP tube and the metal yoke. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the joint portion of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an application example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... FRP tube, 2 ... Fiber reinforced thermoplastic, 3 ... Fiber reinforced thermosetting plastic, 4 ... Metal yoke.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A drive shaft in which fitting portions of metal yokes are inserted and fixed in both end portions of a fiber reinforced plastic tube, and a joint portion of an inner wall surface of the tube with at least the fitting portion of the yoke is A fiber characterized by being formed of a fiber reinforced plastic having a thermoplastic resin as a matrix, the outer side of which is formed of a fiber reinforced plastic having a thermosetting resin as a matrix, and the inner layer having a greater degree of softening by heat than the outer layer. Reinforced plastic drive shaft.