US4664644A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fiber reinforced plastic drive shaft and method of manufacturing thereof
Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1985-10-28
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Granted: 1987-05-12
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Expires: 2005-10-28
Abstract
Abstract A fiber reinforced plastic drive shaft comprising a pair of metal joint members, an inner plastic layer extending over the entire length of the drive shaft and holding the metal joint members in both end portions thereof, and an outer plastic layer formed on the inner layer. The inner layer comprises continuous carbon fibers helically wound at 45-75 degrees to the axis of the drive shaft, while the outer layer comprises continuous fibers such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, polyester fibers and aramide fibers helically wound at 5-40 degrees to the axis of the drive shaft. The drive shaft has a greatly increased torsional strength and damping effect. The maximum damping effect is provided when the outer layer is formed only over the joint members.
Inventors
- 👤 Masataka Kumata
- 👤 Kazuo Emori
- 👤 Masahito Mitsumori
- 👤 Hideo Watanabe
- 👤 Kazuaki Kobayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:13
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C3/00; F16C3/02; F16C3/026; B; B29; B29C; B29C53/00; B29C53/56; B29C53/58; B29C53/583; B29C53/585; B29C70/00; B29C70/68; B29C70/86; F16C7/00; F16C7/02; F16C7/026; F16F; F16F15/00; F16F15/10; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/748; B29L2031/75; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/131; Y10T428/1314; Y10T428/1352; Y10T428/1355; Y10T428/1359; Y10T428/1369
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A drive shaft comprising: (a) a pair of tubular metal joint members at each end of said drive shaft, said joint members having a tubular cross-section and being adapted to receive within the central portion thereof a coupling member; (b) a tubular shaft overlapping and connecting said metal joint members, comprising a cured resin containing an inner layer of helically wound continuous carbon fibers arranged at an angle of substantially 60 degrees to the axis of the shaft, said tubular shaft tightly overlapping said metal joint members, and outer layer of helically wound continuous reinforcing fibers arranged at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion coefficient for the outer layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion coefficient of the metal joint members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A drive shaft comprising: (a) a pair of tubular metal joint members at each end of said drive shaft, said joint members having a tubular cross-section and being adapted to receive within the central portion thereof a coupling member; (b) a tubular shaft overlapping and connecting said metal joint members, comprising a cured resin containing an inner layer of helically wound continuous carbon fibers arranged at an angle of substantially 60 degrees to the axis of the shaft, said tubular shaft tightly overlapping said metal joint members, and outer layer of helically wound continuous reinforcing fibers arranged at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion coefficient for the outer layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion coefficient of the metal joint members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein the outer layer of said tubular shaft extends only over the portion of the tubular shaft overlapping the metal joint members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein the metal joint members are formed from a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, magnesium, titanium, beryllium, aluminum and alloys of these metals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the reinforcing fibers are selected from the group consisting of carbon, glass and aramide fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from steel, and the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 23 and 27 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from steel and the reinforcing fibers are glass fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 31 and 35 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from steel and reinforcing fibers are aramide fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 39 and 40 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from magnesium alloy, and the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 0 and 3 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from magnesium alloy and reinforcing fibers are aramide fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 31 and 33 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from titanium alloy, and the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 27 and 31 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from titanium alloy and the reinforcing fibers are glass fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 35 and 39 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from titanium alloy and reinforcing fibers are aramide fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 40 and 41 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from beryllium alloy, and the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 16 and 24 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from beryllium alloy, and the reinforcing fibers are glass fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 22 and 32 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from beryllium alloy, and the reinforcing fibers are aramide fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 37 and 39 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from aluminum alloy, and the reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 2 and 6 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein the metal joint members are formed from aluminum alloy, and the reinforcing fibers are aramide fibers which are wrapped at an angle between 32 and 34 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
A drive shaft according to claim 1 wherein auxiliary sleeves in the shape of the frustrum of a cone, having an outer diameter at the base equal to the outer diameter of said metal joint members, are attached to said metal joint members on the joint members facing ends and wherein said tubular shaft is tapered in the region of said auxiliary sleeves to a smaller inner diameter than the diameter of that portion overlapping said joint member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A drive shaft according to claim 15 wherein the inner diameter of said tubular shaft in the region between joint members is smaller than the outer diameter of said joint member.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
251 words
The method for producing a drive shaft having a structure comprising a pair of tubular metal joint members at each end of said driven shaft, said joint members having a tubular cross-section and being adapted to receive within the central portion thereof a coupling member and a tubular shaft overlapping and connecting said metal joint members, comprising a cured resin containing an inner layer of helically wound continuous carbon fibers arranged at an angle of substantially 60 degrees to the axis of the shaft, said tubular shaft tightly overlapping said metal joint members, and an outer layer of helically wound continuous reinforcing fibers arranged at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion coefficient for the outer layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion coefficient of the metal joint members said method comprising: (a) providing cylindrical metal joint members, spaced apart at a preselected distance, on a rotatable mandrel; (b) helically winding resin-coated continuous carbon fibers around said metal joint members and said mandrel extending therebetween at an angle of substantially 60 degrees relative to the axis of the mandrel; (c) helically winding resin-coated continuous reinforcing fibers around at least those portions of said carbon fibers overlying said joint members at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion co-efficient for the cured fiber reinforced plastic layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion co-efficient of the metal joint members; (d) heat-curing said resins; and (e) removing the mandrel from the formed drive shaft.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
251 words
The method for producing a drive shaft having a structure comprising a pair of tubular metal joint members at each end of said driven shaft, said joint members having a tubular cross-section and being adapted to receive within the central portion thereof a coupling member and a tubular shaft overlapping and connecting said metal joint members, comprising a cured resin containing an inner layer of helically wound continuous carbon fibers arranged at an angle of substantially 60 degrees to the axis of the shaft, said tubular shaft tightly overlapping said metal joint members, and an outer layer of helically wound continuous reinforcing fibers arranged at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion coefficient for the outer layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion coefficient of the metal joint members said method comprising: (a) providing cylindrical metal joint members, spaced apart at a preselected distance, on a rotatable mandrel; (b) helically winding resin-coated continuous carbon fibers around said metal joint members and said mandrel extending therebetween at an angle of substantially 60 degrees relative to the axis of the mandrel; (c) helically winding resin-coated continuous reinforcing fibers around at least those portions of said carbon fibers overlying said joint members at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion co-efficient for the cured fiber reinforced plastic layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion co-efficient of the metal joint members; (d) heat-curing said resins; and (e) removing the mandrel from the formed drive shaft.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
207 words
The method for producing a drive shaft having a structure comprising a pair of tubular metal joint members at each end of said drive shaft joint member having inner portions in the shape of the frustrum of a cone and a tubular shaft overlapping and connecting said metal joint members and having a smaller diameter between said conical portions than at said ends, said method comprising: (a) attaching hollow auxiliary sleeves in the shape of the frustrum of a cone to cylindrical metal joint members to form composite joint members; (b) providing a pair of composite metal joint members, spaced apart at a pre-selected distance, on a roatatable mandrel; (c) helically winding resin-coated continuous carbon fibers around said metal joint members and said mandrel extending therebetween at an angle of substantially 60 degrees relative to the axis of the mandrel; (d) helically winding resin-coated continuous reinforcing fibers around at least those portions of said carbon fibers overlying said joint members at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion co-efficient for the cured fiber reinforced plastic layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion co-efficient of the metal joint members; (e) heat-curing said resins; and (d) removing the mandrel from the formed drive shaft.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
207 words
The method for producing a drive shaft having a structure comprising a pair of tubular metal joint members at each end of said drive shaft joint member having inner portions in the shape of the frustrum of a cone and a tubular shaft overlapping and connecting said metal joint members and having a smaller diameter between said conical portions than at said ends, said method comprising: (a) attaching hollow auxiliary sleeves in the shape of the frustrum of a cone to cylindrical metal joint members to form composite joint members; (b) providing a pair of composite metal joint members, spaced apart at a pre-selected distance, on a roatatable mandrel; (c) helically winding resin-coated continuous carbon fibers around said metal joint members and said mandrel extending therebetween at an angle of substantially 60 degrees relative to the axis of the mandrel; (d) helically winding resin-coated continuous reinforcing fibers around at least those portions of said carbon fibers overlying said joint members at an angle which results in a radial thermal expansion co-efficient for the cured fiber reinforced plastic layer which is no less than the radial thermal expansion co-efficient of the metal joint members; (e) heat-curing said resins; and (d) removing the mandrel from the formed drive shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4236386A
Cited
US4248062A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-05-11 | 1990-11-10 | 1991-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-05-11 | 1994-11-10 | 1995-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-05-11 | 1998-11-10 | 1999-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |