Method of forming a drive shaft

Metal treatment – Process of modifying or maintaining internal physical... – Heating or cooling of solid metal

Patent

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

148519, 148593, 148667, 148695, 464182, 464183, C22F 104

Patent

active

059517948

ABSTRACT:
Methods for making an aluminum drive shaft for automobiles or trucks or other drive shaft applications from aluminum alloy tube and methods for making drive shafts. The method includes providing an aluminum tube member is joined to drive shaft end members. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a 6000 series type alloy; (b) extruding the alloy within about 500.degree. to 800.degree. F. into a hollow elongate tube; (c) drawing the tube to a reduction of at least 15% in metal cross-sectional area; (d) solution heat treating the alloy at a temperature of at least about 990.degree. F. and then quenching; and (e) reducing the diameter of the tube and increasing the tube wall thickness to provide a relatively short tube length of reduced diameter, a transition section and thicker wall thickness at one or both ends of a drive shaft suitable length of said tube. The transition section has a non-linear wall. In a preferred embodiment, the transition section has central circumferential stiffener section. In a more preferred embodiment the central circumferential stiffener section has a slope of from 0.degree. to 5.degree.. The circumferential steps stiffen the transition section and prevents "oil canning" of the drive shaft under periods of high torque. The drive shafts can also be made of metals other than aluminum alloys.

REFERENCES:
patent: 1291388 (1919-01-01), Bright et al.
patent: 1765709 (1930-06-01), Withington
patent: 1798305 (1931-03-01), Christophersen
patent: 3190084 (1965-06-01), Moon et al.
patent: 4188800 (1980-02-01), Fujita et al.
patent: 4552544 (1985-11-01), Beckman et al.
patent: 4875538 (1989-10-01), Hodgson et al.
patent: 5234378 (1993-08-01), Helgesen et al.
patent: 5304012 (1994-04-01), Wendling
patent: 5346432 (1994-09-01), Greulich et al.
patent: 5378178 (1995-01-01), Haman
patent: 5507888 (1996-04-01), Dickson, Jr. et al.
patent: 5516158 (1996-05-01), Watts
patent: 5538475 (1996-07-01), Jaskowiak
patent: 5551918 (1996-09-01), Jones et al.
patent: 5607524 (1997-03-01), Klemp et al.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Method of forming a drive shaft does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Method of forming a drive shaft, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of forming a drive shaft will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1506951

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.