JPS623538Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a propeller shaft that has a simple structure and is lightweight.

In vehicles, the propeller shaft that transmits power from the transmission to the end drive unit rotates at high speed while being subjected to strong torsional action, so thin-walled steel pipes are used that have high resistance to twisting and bending. Also, the transmission is fixed to the frame together with the engine,
Since the rear wheels are suspended from the frame by springs, the height of the axle between the transmission and the rear wheels is not constant.
The distance also changes. For this reason, the propeller shaft is provided with a universal joint that absorbs changes in shaft height and a spline fitting that absorbs changes in distance. That is, a conventional propeller shaft has a tubular front shaft connected to a transmission and a tubular rear shaft connected to a drive machine, and the front shaft and the rear shaft are spline-fitted. Furthermore, the front shaft is supported by an intermediate bearing, while the rear shaft is provided with a universal joint. Here, as a structure for spline fitting the front shaft and the rear shaft, a separate spline is fixed to the rear end of the front shaft by welding or the like, and a separate boss is fastened to the tip of the rear shaft via a flange. and the boss are fitted with a spline.

As described above, in conventional propeller shafts, the front shaft and the rear shaft are spline-fitted via a boss or spline fixed by welding or fastening, and are not directly spline-fitted.

The object of the present invention is to provide a propeller shaft with a simple structure and light weight by directly spline-fitting a tubular front shaft and a rear shaft. The structure of the present invention to achieve such an object is a propeller in which a tubular front shaft connected to a transmission and a tubular rear shaft connected to a drive machine are spline-fitted, and a universal joint is interposed in the rear shaft. In the shaft, a tubular boss portion is rolled at the rear portion of the front shaft, a tubular spline portion is rolled at the front portion of the rear shaft, and the spline portion and the boss portion are spline-fitted. It is characterized by

Hereinafter, the propeller shaft of the present invention will be described in detail based on examples.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the propeller shaft of the present invention. As shown in both figures, the propeller shaft of the present invention, which is interposed between the transmission 1 and the driving machine 2, is formed by spline-fitting a tubular front shaft 3 and a tubular rear shaft 4. That is, the front shaft 3 is connected to the transmission 1 via a cross joint 5, and the rear shaft 4 is connected to the drive machine 2 via a cross joint 6. A cross joint 7 is further interposed in the rear shaft 4, and the front shaft 3 is rotatably supported by an intermediate bearing 8 attached to the frame. A tubular boss portion 3a is rolled at the rear portion of the front shaft 3, and a tubular spline portion 4a is rolled at the front portion of the rear shaft 4.
a and the boss portion 3a are spline-fitted to be movable in the axial direction.

The propeller shaft of the present invention having the above structure plastically deforms the rear part of the front shaft 3 and the rear part of the rear shaft 4 to form the boss part 3a and the spline part 4.
Each is rolled in a. In other words, these boss portions 3a (spline portions 4a) are originally part of the front shaft 3 (rear shaft 4) and are integrated therewith. Therefore, unlike conventional propeller shafts, there is no need to weld or fasten a separate spline (boss) to the front shaft (rear shaft). Therefore, the propeller shaft of the present invention has a simple structure, has a small number of parts, and is lightweight. Furthermore, unlike conventional splines, the spline portion 4a is not solid but tubular, making it even lighter.

Note that an intermediate bearing 8 supporting the front shaft 3
Since it does not interfere with the sliding between the boss part 4a and the spline part 3a, it can be pivoted anywhere from the tip to the rear end of the front shaft 3.
This is advantageous for intermediate bearing arrangements subject to design constraints. Furthermore, if the propeller shaft is short, the intermediate bearing 8 can be omitted.

As described above in detail based on the embodiments, the propeller shaft of the present invention has a simple structure, is lightweight, and has a low manufacturing cost. Moreover, since the moment of inertia of the propeller shaft is reduced, power can be transmitted effectively and fuel efficiency is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 relate to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the portion indicated by A in FIG. 1. In the drawing, 1 is a transmission, 2 is a drive unit, 3 is a front shaft, 3a is a boss part, 4 is a rear shaft,
4a is a spline part, 5, 6, 7 are cross joints, 8
is the intermediate bearing.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A tubular front shaft connected to the transmission,
In a propeller shaft in which a tubular rear shaft connected to a driving machine is spline-fitted and a universal joint is interposed on the rear shaft, a tubular boss portion is rolled at the rear part of the front shaft, and the rear shaft A propeller shaft characterized in that a tubular spline portion is rolled at the front portion of the propeller shaft, and the spline portion and the boss portion are spline-fitted.