Reinforced three armed and four armed propeller shaft flange

Abstract

In particular, the present invention relates to a reinforced three or four armed flange (10) part that is welded to the propeller shaft tube, providing shaft connection on the one hand, and connected to the transmission output with a coupling (20) on the other hand, thus ensuring power and motion transfer, and eliminating the decrease in wall thickness by creating a positive protrusion (13) in the bolt connection areas through cold forming.

Description

[0001] REINFORCED THREE ARMED AND FOUR ARMED PROPELLER SHAFT FLANGE

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to the three or four armed flange piece of the propeller shaft, which provides rotational movement and power transmission between the differential and the transmission in motor vehicles.

[0004] In particular, the present invention relates to a three or four armed propeller shaft flange piece that is strengthened by creating a positive protrusion in the bolt connection areas by cold forming, which is welded to the propeller shaft tube and connected to the transmission output with a coupling on the other hand, thus ensuring power and motion transfer.

[0005] State of the Art

[0006] Three or four armed flange used in propeller shafts today play an important role, especially in power transmission systems. This flange, located at one end of the propeller shaft, is an element that provides a connection to another shaft or component. These flanges are generally designed to transfer the movement of the propeller shaft while ensuring that the shaft can withstand high torque and stress situations. The propeller shaft, which provides rotational motion and power transmission between the differential and the transmission in motor vehicles, is widely used to provide power transmission in vehicles, machinery and industrial applications, and flange parts serve as a critical connecting element in this system.

[0007] In the state of the art, the flanges mentioned are produced by hot forging method using forging technology. Forging technology prevents the production of thin-walled structures due to the mold working principles, resulting in heavy parts and a lot of machining operations due to the resulting geometry. These difficulties can be overcome by producing three and four armed flanges with flat steel. However, the recesses and machining operations required for the assembly relations of the part cause critical decreases in the part wall thickness and negatively affect the strength.

[0008] In the current state of the art, there are some advantages and disadvantages in three and four armed flange pieces made by cold forming method using flat steel. Advantages include the fact that the production of three and four armed flange using flat steel saves on cost and weight, and reduces or eliminates machining. Disadvantages include the emergence of critical wall thicknesses due to machining process after cold forming. In the three and four armed flange design produced from flat steel by cold forming method, there are recesses where the bushings on the couplings should fit. Since thin-walled parts are used in flat metal materials due to the nature of production, additional indentations bring critical reductions in the wall thickness of the part.

[0009] In the state of the art, two-piece three- and four-armed flanges are connected to the transmission with bolts via a flexible coupling. The bushings on the coupling provide centering by mounting them into the recesses opened on the flange. The parts are connected via bolt and nut connections via this centering. Flange pieces produced from flat steel material are in the range of 3-6 mm due to the nature of the design, and it is not possible to produce parts with variable wall thicknesses. When the recess that functions as a centering bevel is created on the flange piece, the wall thickness decreases to a critical level. This also affects the durability negatively.

[0010] In order to eliminate the mentioned negativities, it is necessary to provide a flange piece that eliminates the decrease in wall thickness and increases strength.

[0011] As a result of the researches made on the subject, document No W02006032393A1 is encountered. The relevant document relates to a propeller shaft with a connecting element in which a three-armed flange and a centering bush are provided as a single piece. However, the current technique does not include a locking wedge surface on the flange surface, which allows the area where the connection bolts are located to be inflated and the connection security of the fasteners to be increased.

[0012] As a result of the research made on the subject, another document No CN210265556U is encountered. The relevant document relates to a three armed flange. In the state of the art, a flange is mentioned in which steps are created in the connection areas by the connection area forging method. However, specifically it does not include a locking wedge surface on the flange surface, which allows the area where the connection bolts are located to be inflated and the connection security of the fasteners to be increased. As a result due to the abovementioned disadvantages and the insufficiency of the current solutions regarding the subject matter, a development is required to be made in the relevant technical field.

[0013] Object of the Invention

[0014] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned negativities and it is inspired by the current situation

[0015] The main object of the present invention is to produce a three or four armed flange piece that is welded to the propeller shaft tube, provides the shaft connection on one side, and on the other hand, is connected to the transmission output with a coupling, thus ensuring power and motion transfer, and whose connection areas are strengthened by cold forming.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to ensure that the coupling fits precisely and smoothly onto the flange part by using the centering bevel opened by removing chips in the connection holes.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the decrease in wall thickness caused by the recesses opened on the flange for centering, thanks to the positive protrusions in the opposite direction made in the connection areas, i.e., in the bolt holes. In this way, durability is increased positively.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to ensure that the bolts create a safer connection in working environments exposed to vibration and dynamic loads, thanks to a wedged surface configured on the positive protrusion surfaces created in the flange connection area where the connection hole is located.

[0019] In order to fulfil the purposes described above, the present invention is a three or four armed flange piece that provides the shaft connection by welding to the drive shaft tube that provides the rotational movement and power transmission between the differential and the transmission in motor vehicles, and on the other hand, it is connected to the transmission output with a coupling and thus enables the power and motion transmission, characterized by comprising the following;

[0020] • Centering bevel which is opened by removing the chip on the surface of the connection holes, which ensures that the coupling fits precisely on the surface of the three or four armed flange piece and does not slip and

[0021] • Positive protrusion zones created by cold forming in the bolt connection areas to eliminate the decrease in wall thickness as a result of the indentation in the connection holes with the centering bevel.

[0022] The structural and characteristic features of the present invention will be understood clearly by the following drawings and the detailed description made with reference to these drawings and therefore the evaluation shall be made by taking these figures and the detailed description into consideration.

[0023] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] Figure 1 is the view of the flange part which is the subject of the prior art and invention.

[0025] Figure 2 is the view of the three armed and four armed flange part.

[0026] Figure 3 is the view of the three armed flange part and coupling before assembly.

[0027] Figure 4 is a sectional view of the flange and coupling assembly.

[0028] Figure 5 is a view of a three armed flange piece with a locking wedge surface.

[0029] Description of the Reference of the Elements

[0030] 10. Three or four armed flange

[0031] 11. Connection holes

[0032] 12. Centering bevel

[0033] 13. Positive protrusion

[0034] 14. Locking wedge surface

[0035] 20. Coupling

[0036] 21. Centering bush Detailed Description of the Invention

[0037] In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the three or four armed flange (10) are described solely for the purpose of a better understanding of the subject matter.

[0038] As can be seen from the view of the prior art and the invention in Figure 1 , the innovation in question is presented to prevent the wall thickness of the three armed or four armed flange piece (10) from decreasing to critical values after machining.

[0039] The three or four armed flange (10) which is the subject of the invention is connected to the transmission with bolts by means of an elastic coupling (20). The centering bushes (21 ) located on the coupling (20) are mounted on the recesses opened on the flange and provide centering. The parts are connected via bolt and nut connections via this centering. Parts produced from flat steel by cold forming have a thin-walled structure (<6 mm) due to the nature of production and the wall thickness remains constant in all sections of the part. For this reason, reducing the wall thickness to more critical levels in machining operations due to assembly or packaging requirements is an issue that must be taken into consideration in terms of strength, especially in parts responsible for power transmission.

[0040] The subject of the invention comprising a centering bevel (12) that is opened by removing chips on the surface of the connection holes (11), which ensures that the coupling (20) fits precisely onto the surface of the three or four armed flange piece (10) and does not slip. When the recess that functions as a centering bevel is created on the three or four armed flange piece (10), the wall thickness decreases to a critical level. This also affects the durability negatively.

[0041] In order to eliminate the decrease in wall thickness as a result of the recess in the connection holes (11 ) with the mentioned centering bevel (12) in the three or four armed flange piece (10) which is the subject of the invention, a positive protrusion (13) is created in the opposite direction in the connection areas, i.e. in the bolt holes, during cold forming in order to eliminate the decrease in wall thickness.

[0042] Thus, the centering bevel (12), that is, the recess at the bottom of the piece, is given as a positive protrusion on the upper side of the part. This prevents the wall thickness from falling below a critical level. One embodiment of the invention provides a wedge surface (14) formed on the positive protrusion (13) surfaces, allowing the bolts to form a safer connection in working environments exposed to vibration and dynamic loads.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A three or four armed flange piece (10) that provides the shaft connection by welding to the drive shaft tube that provides the rotational movement and power transmission between the differential and the transmission in motor vehicles, and on the other hand, it is connected to the transmission output with a coupling (20) and thus enables the power and motion transmission, characterized by comprising the following;• A centering bevel (12) that is opened by removing chips on the surface of connection holes (11 ), which ensures that the coupling (20) fits precisely onto the surface of the three or four armed flange part (10) and does not slip and• A positive protrusion (13) zones created by cold forming in the bolt connection areas to eliminate the decrease in wall thickness as a result of the indentation in the connection holes (11) with the centering bevel (12).

2. A three or four armed flange piece (10) according to claim 1 , characterized by comprising a locking wedge surface (14) configured on the connection hole (11) surface in the positive protrusion (13) regions, which ensures that the connection elements create a safe connection in working environments exposed to vibration and dynamic loads.

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