JPH1122743A - Spline coupling structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a fallout of a shaft member inserted in a pipe member non-rotatably and movably in the axial direction. SOLUTION: A notch part 12 is formed in a part of the outer spline 11 of a shaft member 10. A slit 22 is formed in the tip part of a pipe member 20 having an inner spline 21. By fitting a fastening member 30 in the outer periphery of the vicinity of the tip edge of the pipe member 20, play of spline coupling is prevented from occurring. A fall out preventing member 40 is fitted in the fastening member 30. When the shaft member 10 is moved in a slip-off direction, the slip off prevention 13 of the notch part 12 is butted with a fall out preventing member 40, a further slip-off motion is blocked and a fall out is prevented from occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a spline connection between a shaft member and a pipe member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In spline connection between a shaft member and a pipe member, a structure for reducing backlash of both members has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-17762.

This is shown in FIG. The shaft member 1 has a proximal end connected to the first universal joint 4 and an outer spline 1a formed on the outer periphery on the distal end side. On the other hand, the pipe member 2 has its proximal end connected to the second universal joint 5 and has an inner spline 2a formed on the inner periphery on the distal end side. Further, four slits 2b are formed in the distal end portion of the pipe 2 along the axial direction, and an annular groove 2c is formed in the outer periphery near the distal end edge. An annular tightening member 3 made of an elastic material is fitted in the annular groove 2c.

[0004] The tip of the pipe member 2 can be deformed inward based on the formation of the four slits 2b described above. Outer spline 1a or inner spline 2a
Even if is worn, play between them is reduced.

[0005] The spline connection as described above is used, for example, for a steering joint for an automobile. In the above-described example, the shaft member 1 and the pipe member 2 are connected to the first universal joint 4. A spline connection is made so that the phase with the second universal joint 5 matches.

[0006]

However, according to the above-mentioned prior art, the shaft member 1 and the pipe member 2 are connected so as to be movable in the axial direction via the respective outer splines 1a and inner splines 2a. Therefore, there is a possibility that the shaft member 1 may fall off from the pipe member 2 by using only the tightening member 3 during, for example, transportation or handling.

If a drop occurs, the phases of the first universal joint 4 and the second universal joint 5 become unknown, and it takes time to match the phases, or the phase shift may be incorrect. Problems such as the occurrence of large torque fluctuations on the actual vehicle due to the insertion may occur.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a spline coupling structure that prevents a shaft member and a pipe member from falling off.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pipe member having an axial slit at a distal end and an inner spline inside the distal end. A spline that inserts a shaft member having an outer spline on the outside of the distal end portion to spline-connect the pipe member and the shaft member, and tightens the outside of the distal end of the pipe member with a tightening member to bring the outer spline into close contact with the inner spline. In the coupling structure, the tightening member and the shaft are interposed between the tightening member and the shaft member through the slit, and when the shaft member is relatively removed from the pipe member in the axial direction. It is characterized in that it has a falling-off prevention member that simultaneously engages with a part of the member and acts as a resistance in the pull-out direction to prevent a further pull-out operation.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the shaft member and the pipe member are connected via the respective outer splines and inner splines so as to be non-rotatable and axially movable.
Furthermore, the tip of the pipe member can be deformed inward by the slit. Therefore, when the front end of the pipe member is tightened from the outside by the tightening member, the front end is deformed inward, and the inner spline inside the front end is brought into close contact with the outer spline outside the front end of the shaft member. For this reason, for example, even if the inner spline and the outer spline are worn due to long-term use, the two are effectively adhered to each other, and the relative axial movement between the shaft member and the pipe member is smoothly performed. Done. In addition, against the axial movement of the pipe member with respect to the shaft member and the shaft member with respect to the pipe member in the axial direction, the stopper member simultaneously engages with the tightening member and a part of the shaft member to act as a resistance. For this reason, falling off of the shaft member and the pipe member is prevented.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a spline connection structure according to the present invention. In addition,
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view including a shaft of a shaft member and a pipe member, and FIG. 2 is a view taken along line AA of FIG.

The spline coupling structure shown in these figures
It includes a shaft member 10, a pipe member 20, a tightening member 30, and a falling-off prevention member 40.

At the base end side (left side in FIG. 1) of the shaft member 10,
A first universal joint 50 is attached, and a second universal joint 60 is attached to the base end side (right side in FIG. 1) of the pipe member 20.

First, the first and second universal joints 50,
60 will be briefly described, and then the shaft member 10, the pipe member 20, the tightening member 30, and the falling-off prevention member 40 will be described in detail in this order.

The first universal joint 50 includes a first yoke 51
And a C-shaped first arm 52 fixed to the first arm 52. The arm 52 has bearings 5 at both ends.
One shaft of the first cruciform joint 54 is rotatably supported via 3 and 53. The other shaft of the first Tenji joint 54 supports the second yoke 55 rotatably. The shaft member 10, which is one of the main components of the present invention, has its base end fixed to the second yoke 55.

The second universal joint 60 has a cylindrical elastic buffer cylinder 61 attached to the base end of the pipe member 20. The elastic buffer cylinder 61 is penetrated by a torque transmitting member 62 that penetrates the base end of the pipe member 20 in a direction perpendicular to the axis, and the torque transmitting member 62 is connected to the third yoke 6.
3 supported. That is, the third yoke 63 holds the base end of the pipe member 20 via the elastic buffer cylinder 61 and transmits torque to the pipe member 20 via the torque transmission member 62. The third yoke 63 rotatably supports one of the second cross shafts 65 at both ends thereof via bearings 64, 64, and the other of the second cross shaft 65 is The fourth yoke 66 is rotatably supported via a bearing.

In the first and second universal joints 50 and 60 described above, the rotation of the first yoke 51 is controlled by the first arm 5.
2, transmitted to the shaft member 10 via the first cross shaft 54 and the second yoke 55. The rotation of the shaft member 10 is
The torque is transmitted from the pipe member 20 to the torque transmitting member 62 of the second universal joint 60, and is further transmitted to the third yoke 63,
Is transmitted to the fourth yoke 66 via the cross shaft 65.

The above-mentioned first universal joint 50 is connected to the base end of the shaft member 10, and an outer spline 11 is formed on the outer peripheral surface (outside) on the distal end side. The outer spline 11 is formed to be slightly longer than half of the entire length (length in the axial direction) of the shaft member 10. A cutout portion 12 having a length corresponding to approximately half the effective length of the outer spline 11 is formed in a part of the outer spline 11 on the base end side. At the forefront of the notch 12, there is provided a stepped stopper 13 which is engaged with a later-described stopper member 40 to prevent the shaft member 10 from falling off. At the rearmost end of the notch 12, a step-like stopper 14 that engages with a falling-off prevention member 40, which is also described later, and regulates the insertion limit of the shaft member 10 is provided.

The above-mentioned second universal joint 60 is connected to the base end of the pipe member 20, and an inner spline 21 is formed on the inner peripheral surface (inside) on the distal end side. The inner spline 21 is formed substantially in half of the entire length (length in the axial direction) of the pipe member 20. Four slits 22 are formed at the tip of the pipe member 20 along the axial direction. The axial length of the slit 22 is substantially half of the inner spline 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the four sleeves 22 are provided at positions that divide the pipe member 20 into four equal parts in the circumferential direction. Further, an annular groove 23 having a slightly smaller outer diameter than other portions is provided near the distal end edge of the pipe member 20. The next tightening member 30 is mounted in the groove 23.

The tightening member 30 is an annular member having a cutout 31 in a part thereof, and the axial width is set slightly smaller than the axial width of the groove 23 described above. Therefore, when the tightening member 30 is fitted into the groove 23, it does not move in the axial direction. The tightening member 30 may be formed of, for example, metal.

The fall prevention member 40 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The length L of the falling-off preventing member 40 is longer than the width of the tightening member 30 as shown in FIG. 1, and the width W of the falling-off preventing member 40 is slightly smaller than the width of the slit 22 as shown in FIG. It is set short. The fall prevention member 40 is
As shown in FIG. 1, a notch 42 is provided slightly above the center in the height direction and has an opening 41 on the left side in FIG. The notch 42 does not open to the right in FIG. In a state where the notch 42 is fitted to the tightening member 30, the lower surface 43 of the falling-off prevention member 40 is slightly floating from the notch 12 of the shaft member 10. The lower surface 4
When the third member 3 is brought into contact with the notch portion 12, a force for pushing the shaft member 10 downward acts on the notch portion 12, so that the backlash between the shaft member 10 and the pipe member 20 can be prevented.

The spline coupling structure having the above configuration is assembled as follows.

First universal joint 50 and second universal joint 60
In this state, the shaft member 10 is inserted from the tip of the pipe member 20, and the inner spline 11 is engaged with the outer spline 21. Thereafter, the tightening member 30 is fitted into the groove 23 near the leading edge of the pipe member 20. As a result, the tip of the pipe member 20 having the slit 22 is deformed inward, and the play between the outer spline 11 of the shaft member 10 and the inner spline 21 of the pipe member 20 is reduced.
Then, the fall prevention member 40 is fitted to the position of the slit 22 located above the four slits 22 of the pipe member 20 on the base end side of the pipe member 20 with respect to the tightening member 30, and the left in FIG. The shaft member 10 is dropped into the notch 12 of the shaft member 10 so as to slide in the direction of the arrow, and is fitted into the tightening member 30 through the opening 41. In this state, the lower surface 43 of the falling-off preventing member 40 is inserted into the cutout 12. By the above assembling work, the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is obtained. In this state, since the tightening member 30 is fitted in the groove 23 of the pipe member 20,
Cannot move in the axial direction, and the falling-off prevention member 40 cannot move to the left (in the direction in which the shaft member 40 comes off) in the figure with respect to the tightening member 30. That is, the falling-off prevention member 40 is configured to be integrated with the pipe member 20 against a force acting in the direction in which the shaft member 10 comes off.

Here, when the shaft member 10 moves in the removal direction, the stopper 13 of the notch 12 of the shaft member 10 abuts on the lower end of the falling-off prevention member 40. At this time, the fall prevention member 4
0 is integrated with the pipe member 20 as described above, so that the shaft member 10 is prevented from moving further in the withdrawing direction with respect to the pipe member 20. That is, the shaft member 10 is prevented from falling off from the pipe member 20.

When the shaft member 10 moves in the insertion direction, the stopper 14 of the notch 12 is
, And further insertion operation is prevented.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the stopper member 4
Only 0 is different. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to the other same points, and the duplicate description will be omitted (the same applies to the third and subsequent embodiments).

That is, in the second embodiment, after the shaft member 10 is inserted into the pipe member 20 and the tightening member 30 is mounted, a part of the tightening member 30 is lowered substantially at right angles as shown in FIG. To form a bent portion 32. This bent part 3
2 is inserted into the notch 12 of the shaft member 10 through the slit 22. This bent portion 32 is used in the first embodiment.
It functions in the same manner as the drop-off prevention member 40 of FIG.

<Embodiment 3> FIGS. 4, 5 (a) and 5 (b)
Embodiment 3 is shown in FIG. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the notch 12 is not provided in the shaft member 10 and that the illustrated falling prevention member 70 is used instead of the falling prevention member 40.

The falling-off prevention member 70 is composed of an annular member 71 having a cutout 71a in part, and two legs 72. Each leg 72 has a proximal end connected to the annular member 71 and a distal end formed with a claw 72a.

As shown in FIG. 4, the falling-off preventing member 70 according to the third embodiment
The annular member 71 is fitted to the non-spline portion 15 side near the boundary 16 between 1 and the other portion (hereinafter referred to as the “non-spline portion 15”), and the leg portions 72 are fitted to the slits 22 above and below the pipe member 20. . In this state,
The tip of the claw 72a of the leg 72 projects outside the slit 22. Since the diameter of the above-mentioned non-spline portion 15 is smaller than the diameter of the circumference connecting the teeth of the outer spline 11, a step is formed at the boundary portion 16.

Here, when the shaft member 10 moves in the removal direction, the step of the boundary 16 of the shaft member 10 abuts on the annular member 71, and the claw 72 a of the leg 72 engages the tightening member 3.
Hits 0. Thereby, the detaching operation of the shaft member 10 is prohibited.

The above-mentioned falling-off preventing member 70 can be formed of a metal such as iron, for example.

When a synthetic resin is used instead of iron, for example, the falling-off preventing member 73 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is used.
As shown in (5), the annular member 74 may have no notch, and four legs 75 having claws 75a may be provided.

<Fourth Embodiment> FIGS. 7 and 8 show a fourth embodiment. 7 shows a cross section of only the upper half portion, and FIG. 8 is a view taken along line BB of FIG.

The fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that a groove 17 is formed in the shaft member 10 in place of the above-described fall-preventing member 70, and the fall-preventing member 76 is formed in the groove 17. Are to be fitted.

An annular groove 17 is provided in a part of the outer spline 11 of the shaft member 10. Then, a semicircular drop-off prevention member 76 is fitted into the groove 17. At the center of the falling-off prevention member 76, a projecting portion 77 projecting upward from the slit 22 of the pipe member 20 is provided.

When the shaft member 10 moves in the pulling-out direction, the projecting portion 77 abuts on the tightening member 30 to prevent further turning operation.

<Embodiment 5> Embodiment 9 shown in FIG.
In the fourth embodiment, a groove is formed by narrowing the groove of the fourth embodiment, and a wire is wound around the groove 18 as a falling-off preventing member 78 so that a part thereof projects from the slit 22.

When the shaft member 10 moves in the pulling-out direction, this wire abuts against the tightening member 30 to prevent further turning operation.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A stopper member is interposed between the tightening member and the shaft member through a slit of the pipe member, and the stopper member is provided between the tightening member and the shaft for an axial detachment operation of the shaft member with respect to the pipe member. By simultaneously engaging with a part of the member to provide resistance in the detaching direction, it is possible to prevent further detaching operation and prevent the detachment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view including a shaft of a first embodiment of a spline engagement structure.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view including a shaft of a second embodiment of the spline engagement structure.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view including a shaft of a third embodiment of a spline engagement structure.

FIG. 5 is a single-piece view of a falling-off preventing member according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a single-piece view of another falling-off preventing member according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view of a fourth embodiment of the spline engagement structure.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line BB of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway front view of Embodiment 5 of the spline engagement structure.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Shaft member 11 Outer spline 20 Pipe member 21 Inner spline 22 Slit 30 Tightening member 32 Fall-off prevention member (bending portion) 40, 70, 73, 76, 78 Fall-off prevention member

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] October 9, 1997

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Brief description of drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view including a shaft of a first embodiment of a spline engagement structure.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view including a shaft of a second embodiment of the spline engagement structure.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view including a shaft of a third embodiment of a spline engagement structure.

FIG. 5 is a single-piece view of a falling-off preventing member according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a single-piece view of another falling-off preventing member according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view of a fourth embodiment of the spline engagement structure.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line BB of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway front view of Embodiment 5 of the spline engagement structure.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of a conventional spline engagement structure.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Shaft member 11 Outer spline 20 Pipe member 21 Inner spline 22 Slit 30 Tightening member 32 Fall-off prevention member (bending portion) 40, 70, 73, 76, 78 Fall-off prevention member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pipe member having an axial spline at the distal end and having an inner spline inside the distal end is inserted with a shaft member having an outer spline outside the distal end to form the pipe member and the shaft member. And spline join
In a spline coupling structure in which an outer end of the pipe member is tightened with a tightening member to tightly contact the outer spline with the inner spline, the pipe member is interposed between the tightening member and the shaft member via the slit. A stopper member for simultaneously engaging with the tightening member and a part of the shaft member to provide resistance to the detaching direction and preventing further detaching operation of the shaft member with respect to the relative detachment operation of the shaft member in the axial direction. A spline coupling structure, comprising: