JPH06213227A - Propeller shaft for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To absorb any force between a bumper and an engine, and between the engine and a dash panel when an automobile is subjected to the large force from ahead. CONSTITUTION:In a propeller shaft for an automobile, wherein the end of a small-diameter pipe 3 out of two pipes whose diameters are different from each other is inserted into the end of a large-diameter pipe 2, and the rubber is pressed into a fitting parts of both pipes, so as to join both pipes together mechanically, a bead 12 protruded outward is provided on one part of the large- diameter pipe 2. Since the bead 12 provided on one part of the large-diameter pipe 2 is buckled deformed and acts so that the diametral dimension there of may be greatly extended even if an automobile is subjected to a large force from ahead and also the force acts in the direction to contract the propeller shaft 1, the rubber pressed in the large-diameter pipe 2 is separated, thereby the small diameter pipe 3 can easily enter inside the large-diamter pipe 2. Therefore, such situation that the propeller shaft clots as a prop is not generated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a propeller shaft for an automobile, which is used for transmitting a driving force from a power unit mounted on a front portion of a vehicle body to rear wheels.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a front engine, front drive type automobile, or a four-wheel drive type automobile with a front engine, a propeller shaft is used to transmit driving force from a power unit mounted on the front of the vehicle body to rear wheels. used. This propeller shaft is made of a hollow material, that is, a pipe. As its structure, one end of a small diameter pipe is press-fitted into one end of a large diameter pipe, and a predetermined length is formed by these two pipes. The number of the so-called is increasing (as an example, Shokai 55-814
(See Publication No. 18).

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of this tube-in-tube type propeller shaft. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a propeller shaft, in which a small diameter pipe 3 is press-fitted into one end of a large diameter pipe 2 via a rubber 4.
The propeller shaft 1 is arranged as shown in an automobile 5 shown in FIG. 6, and its front end is coupled to a power unit 8 composed of an engine 6 and a transmission 7 mounted on the front of the automobile 5, and its rear end is a rear wheel. It is connected to a 9-side differential mechanism (not shown).

The propeller shaft 1 having such a structure transmits the rotational force from the power unit 8 to the differential mechanism on the rear wheel 9 side, but when the vehicle 5 is deformed by the force from the front, this force is transmitted to the bumper. It will be absorbed in the portion of the distance L ₁ between the engine 10 and the engine 6 and the distance L ₂ between the engine 6 and the dash panel 11. If the propeller shaft 1 is strong in the longitudinal direction when the portion having the distance L ₁ is first deformed and then the portion having the distance L ₂ is deformed, this propels the propeller shaft 1 and prevents the portion having the distance L ₂ from being deformed.

[0005]

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and even if a large force is applied from the front, the distance L ₁ between the bumper and the engine and the engine and the dash. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a propeller shaft that can absorb this force at a distance L _{2 from} the panel.

[0006]

As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention inserts the end of a small diameter pipe into the end of a large diameter pipe of two pipes having different diameters,
In a propeller shaft for an automobile in which rubber is press-fitted into a fitting portion of both pipes to mechanically join the pipes, a bead protruding outward is provided on a part of a large diameter pipe.

[0007]

With this structure, even if the vehicle receives a large force from the front, and the force acts in the direction of contracting the propeller shaft, it is projected on the outside of the large-diameter pipe. The bead is buckled and acts to greatly expand the diameter of the large diameter pipe, so the rubber that has been press-fitted into this large diameter pipe is released, which causes the small diameter pipe to enter the large diameter pipe. To facilitate. Therefore, the situation in which the propeller shaft is pushed does not occur.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 showing its cross section. 1 in this figure
Is a propeller shaft, in which a small diameter pipe 3 is press-fitted into one end of a large diameter pipe 2 via a rubber 4. The large diameter pipe 2 has a diameter dimension D ₁ excluding the end portion,
The end has a diameter dimension D ₂ smaller than this. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, a small-diameter pipe 3 having a diameter dimension D ₃ is inserted into a portion having a diameter dimension D ₂ via a rubber 4 which is press-fitted.

A diameter dimension D ₁ which is a part of the large diameter pipe 2.
The boundary between the diameter D ₂ and the diameter dimension D ₄ (D ₄
> D ₁ > D ₂ > D ₃ ) and beads protruding outward
Twelve are provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the ends of the rubber 4 and the small-diameter pipe 3 are inserted in alignment with the inner peripheral position of the bead 12 on the tip side. The press-fitting of the rubber 4 is such that it is in close contact with both the large-diameter pipe 2 and the small-diameter pipe 3 in a normal state, and it is against the torque during power transmission applied between the two pipes. Are not separated.

In the propeller shaft 1 thus constructed, when the automobile 5 travels, the large-diameter pipe 2 and the small-diameter pipe 3 rotate integrally, and the power from the power unit 8 including the engine 6 and the transmission 7 is Rear wheel 9
Side differential mechanism (not shown). When a large rearward force is applied from the power unit 8 side, this force acts to contract the propeller shaft 1.

At this time, the bead 12 provided on the large-diameter pipe 2 is buckled and deformed as shown in FIG. 3 to be closed, and the bead 12 bends backward, and the front part of the bead 12 (left part in the drawing). Has a larger diameter than the rear part (right part in the figure), the inner wall is separated from the rubber 4 and the holding force of the rubber 4 is weakened. Since the peeling further progresses due to the continuous application of the force, the small-diameter pipe 3 eventually enters the inside of the large-diameter pipe 2 together with the rubber 4, as shown in FIG. As a result, the portion of the distance L ₂ between the engine 6 and the dash panel 11 is smoothly deformed, and a large energy absorption effect is obtained.

[0012]

Since the present invention is a propeller shaft for an automobile constructed as described above, when a large force is applied to the automobile from the front, the propeller shaft is contracted by the force, so that the engine and The rearward movement of the power unit including the transmission is not hindered.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a central cross-sectional view of that of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the thing of FIG. 1 is deformed by receiving a force larger than the left side.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the deformation of FIG. 1 is further advanced.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional tube-in-tube type propeller shaft.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a position where a propeller shaft is arranged in an automobile.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Propeller shaft 2 Large diameter pipe 3 Small diameter pipe 4 Rubber 5 Automobile 8 Power unit 9 Rear wheel 12 Bead

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pipe having a small diameter of two pipes having different diameters is inserted into an end of a large diameter pipe, and rubber is press-fitted into a fitting portion of both pipes to mechanically join the pipes. A propeller shaft for an automobile, characterized in that a bead protruding outward is provided on a part of a large-diameter pipe.