Propeller Shaft Joint Stopper Structure for Seal Surface Machining

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional propeller shaft joint members face challenges in restricting relative movement while maintaining a stable gravity center position during machining, leading to hindrances in forming the outer circumferential seal surface due to biased gravity center positions.

Innovation Solution

A joint member design where a stopper part is formed separately from the shaft and yoke body parts to restrict relative movement, with a step part and cover part configuration that suppresses gravity center position changes and ensures proper machining of the seal surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If build-up processing is performed on the bottom of the yoke body part to adjust stopper position, then the stopper can restrict relative axial movement, but the gravity center position becomes biased toward the yoke side causing machining difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverelative movement restrictionVSAvoidseal surface machining accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper function is segmented from the yoke body part and implemented as a separate stopper part that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This allows the stopper to restrict relative movement without requiring build-up processing on the yoke body part, thereby maintaining the gravity center position and enabling accurate seal surface machining.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the stopper is integrated into the yoke body part, then the structure is simplified, but the gravity center position shifts causing the joint member to tilt during machining

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint member structureVSAvoidouter circumferential surface machining accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper is designed as a separate stopper part rather than being integrated into the yoke body part. This segmentation allows independent positioning of the stopper function while maintaining a balanced gravity center position, preventing tilt during machining operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A separate stopper part acts as an intermediary element between the yoke body part and the shaft part, providing the stopper function without being structurally integrated into either component. This intermediary approach maintains structural simplicity while avoiding gravity center shifts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240151273A1Joint member for propeller shaft and propeller shaft

Publication Date: 2024.05.09 ASTEMO LTD

AI summary

As a stopper for restricting movement of a rotary shaft 31 of a transmission device 3 and a shaft part 41 of a first drive-side joint member J11 in a direction of approaching each other, a stopper part 5 is formed separately from the shaft part 41 and a yoke body part 42 of the first drive-side joint member so that the stopper function of the first drive-side joint member J11 is guaranteed by the separately-formed stopper part 5 in the present invention. With this configuration, a change in the gravity center position of the first drive-side joint member caused due to build-up processing on the shaft part or the yoke body part is suppressed. It is possible to restrict relative movement of the first drive-side joint member and the rotary shaft while ensuring adequate machining for formation of a shaft-part-side seal surface on the first drive-side joint member.