Drive Shaft Slip Assembly Cover With Carrier-Mounted Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing protective cover structures in drive shaft slip assemblies face operational difficulties during production, sealing issues, and high production costs due to the mechanical expanding process required for connecting seals, which limits flexibility in producing different lengths and materials.
Innovation Solution
A modular connection system using a carrier body to integrate double-lipped, three-lipped, or flexible spring-energized seals with a straight protective cover tube, eliminating the need for mechanical expanding and allowing for various lengths and materials, enhancing compatibility and reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical expanding process is used to connect the seal to the protective cover tube, then the seal connection is achieved, but operational difficulties and sealing problems occur during production
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is divided into separate components: a straight protective cover tube and a separate seal assembly with carrier body. This segmentation eliminates the need for mechanical expanding of the tube end, allowing the seal to be connected via a simpler insertion process into the carrier body, thereby improving both sealing reliability and production ease.
Solution Approach 2:
A carrier body is introduced as an intermediary component between the protective cover tube and the seal. The carrier body receives the seal and facilitates its connection to the tube without requiring complex mechanical expanding operations, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable sealing and ease of manufacture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the protective cover tube is produced as a monolithic expanded tube, then the seal can be connected, but different lengths require different molds increasing production costs
Solution Approach 1:
The straight protective cover tube design with separate seal assembly creates a universal base component that can be produced in various lengths using the same mold. The length adaptability is achieved by simply cutting the tube to different lengths after production, eliminating the need for different molds for different lengths, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Ease of operation
If the seal is driven into the expanded housing, then connection is achieved, but the seal may be damaged or driven inaccurately causing excessive pressure or gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier body serves as an intermediary that guides and supports the seal during assembly. It provides a controlled environment for seal insertion, ensuring accurate positioning and preventing damage to the seal lips. The carrier body's internal structure guides the seal into proper alignment, eliminating excessive pressure and gaps while improving ease of operation.
4Productivity
If mechanical expanding operation is used for protective cover tube production, then seal connection is possible, but production costs increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the protective cover into a straight tube and a separate seal assembly with carrier body, the complex mechanical expanding operation is eliminated. The simplified production process uses standard tube cutting and joining operations, significantly improving productivity while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a protective cover structure of the drive shaft that provides power transmission in vehicles in the automotive sector. The protective cover structure is used in slip assemblies with a yoke shaft and a sliding sleeve and includes a protective cover tube in the form of a straight tube which is connected to a yoke shaft at one end and a sliding sleeve connected to the same with a yoke shaft. A double-lipped seal or a three-lipped seal or a flexible spring-energized seal is then connected to the end of the protective cover tube on the side of the sliding sleeve and provides sealing between the protective cover tube and the sliding sleeve, with a carrier body that connects the end of the protective cover tube to the double-lipped seal or three-lipped seal or the flexible spring-energized seal to the protective cover tube.