US4605385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fibre reinforced plastics power transmission shaft
Assignee: Novartis Corp
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Filing: 1984-12-24
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Granted: 1986-08-12
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Expires: 2004-12-24
Abstract
Abstract A process for producing reinforced plastics tube for use, inter alia, as a transmission shaft wherein the tube is produced by winding on to a core reinforcing fibres preferably of carbon impregnated with a curable plastics at predetermined winding angles <35° and then winding on to the reinforcing fibres at angles between ±80° and ±90° a peripheral winding of a material which is relatively resilient with respect to the reinforcing fibres and which has a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The tube so formed is then heat cured. Fittings are secured to the ends of the tube and the ends may be reinforced with a carbon fibre structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred Puck
- 👤 Peter Voirol
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:29
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L47/00; F16L47/20; F16C; F16C3/00; F16C3/02; F16C3/026; F16L9/00; F16L9/12; F16C2326/00; F16C2326/01; F16C2326/06; F16D; F16D1/00; F16D1/06; F16D1/08; F16D1/0894; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/1352; Y10T428/1369
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A power transmission shaft, comprising a tube of carbon fibre reinforced plastics, fittings secured to its two ends and at each end of the tube a wall reinforcement of carbon fibre reinforced plastics tapering substantially gradually towards the middle of the tube, the wall reinforcement fibre structure being similar to that of the tube so that the tube and the wall reinforcements have at least approximately the same anisotropic behaviour, and radial bolts located in the region of the wall reinforcements securing said fittings to said tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A power transmission shaft, comprising a tube of carbon fibre reinforced plastics, fittings secured to its two ends and at each end of the tube a wall reinforcement of carbon fibre reinforced plastics tapering substantially gradually towards the middle of the tube, the wall reinforcement fibre structure being similar to that of the tube so that the tube and the wall reinforcements have at least approximately the same anisotropic behaviour, and radial bolts located in the region of the wall reinforcements securing said fittings to said tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A shaft according to claim 1, including a sleeve fixed to each end of the tube securing said radial bolts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A shaft according to claim 1, wherein the tube ends are reinforced only on the outside of the tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A shaft according to claim 1, wherein the tube ends are reinforced both on the outside of the tube and on the inside of the tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A shaft according to claim 1, wherein the wall reinforcements are integral with the tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A shaft according to claim 1, wherein the wall reinforcements are formed by separately-produced tubular portions cemented with the tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A shaft according to claim 1, wherein the wall reinforcements are formed by separately produced tubular portions wound into the tube structure during its production.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A shaft according to claim 1, wherein the wall reinforcements are formed by local additional windings of a unidirectional fibre fabric, which are applied during the manufacture of the tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A shaft according to claim 8, wherein the additional windings are disposed above the tube fibres.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A shaft according to claim 8, wherein at least some of the tube fibres are disposed above the additional windings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
143 words
A power transmission shaft, comprising a tube formed by carbon fibres oriented at a predetermined winding angle to the tube axis and a peripheral winding of material which is relatively resilient with respect to the reinforcing fibres and which has a high coefficient of thermal expansion wound over said carbon fibres and oriented at an angle in the range ±80 to ±90° to the tube axis, a wall reinforcement at each end of said tube formed of carbon fibre reinforced plastics and tapering substantially gradually towards the middle of the tube, the wall reinforcement fibre structure being similar to that of the tube so that the tube and the wall reinforcements have at least approximately the same anisotropic behaviour, fittings at each end of the tube and radial bolts located in the region of the wall reinforcements securing said fittings to said tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
143 words
A power transmission shaft, comprising a tube formed by carbon fibres oriented at a predetermined winding angle to the tube axis and a peripheral winding of material which is relatively resilient with respect to the reinforcing fibres and which has a high coefficient of thermal expansion wound over said carbon fibres and oriented at an angle in the range ±80 to ±90° to the tube axis, a wall reinforcement at each end of said tube formed of carbon fibre reinforced plastics and tapering substantially gradually towards the middle of the tube, the wall reinforcement fibre structure being similar to that of the tube so that the tube and the wall reinforcements have at least approximately the same anisotropic behaviour, fittings at each end of the tube and radial bolts located in the region of the wall reinforcements securing said fittings to said tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A shaft according to claim 11, wherein the content of reinforcing fibres is in the range 50-70 Vol%.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A shaft according to claim 11, wherein substantially all reinforcing fibres are oriented at an angle of ±30° maximum to the tube axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A shaft according to claim 13, wherein the reinforcing fibres are oriented at an angle from ±10° to ±20° to the tube axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A power transmission shaft comprising a plastics tube reinforced with fibres of high stiffness and low specific gravity, oriented at a winding angle of max.±30° to the tube axis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A power transmission shaft comprising a plastics tube reinforced with fibres of high stiffness and low specific gravity, oriented at a winding angle of max.±30° to the tube axis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A shaft according to claim 15, wherein the winding angle is in the range of ±10° to ±25°.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A shaft according to claim 16, wherein the winding angle is ±20° maximum, preferably in the range ±10° to ±17°.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
A shaft according to claim 15, wherein the reinforcing fibres are carbon fibres.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A shaft according to claim 15, wherein the content of reinforcing fibres in the formed tube is in the range from 50 to 70%, preferably in the range from 60 to 70%.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
A shaft according to claim 15, wherein the tube comprises a peripheral winding of a material which is relatively resilient with respect to the reinforcing fibres and which has a high coefficient of thermal expansion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-11 | 1990-02-10 | 1990-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-11 | 1994-02-10 | 1994-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-11 | 1998-02-10 | 1998-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |