Wheel Drive Shaft Layout With CV and Double-Centered Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel drive shaft arrangements for vehicles face challenges in achieving a compact configuration, reliable operation, and increased service life, particularly in heavy-duty applications where space is limited and torque requirements are high.
Innovation Solution
The proposed wheel drive shaft arrangement incorporates a constant-velocity joint at one end and a double centered universal joint at the other end, which allows for a more compact design, improved torque capacity, and increased service life by reducing forces and rotational torque on the driving member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a standard Rzeppa constant-velocity joint is used at the outer end, then power transfer is reliable, but the configuration becomes less compact and occupies more space at the wheel end
Solution Approach 1:
The universal joint is divided into two separate universal joints (first and second universal joints) positioned at different locations along the drive shaft. This segmentation allows each joint to be optimized for its specific function: the first universal joint at the inner end handles torque transmission from the differential gear, while the second universal joint at the outer end provides compact connection to the wheel hub, thereby reducing overall space occupation while maintaining reliable power transfer throughout the drive shaft assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The drive shaft acts as an intermediary element connecting the differential gear to the wheel hub through two universal joints. This intermediary structure allows for flexible accommodation of angular misalignments and spatial constraints, enabling a more compact overall configuration compared to using a single large constant-velocity joint, while ensuring reliable torque transmission through the intermediate drive shaft portion
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a double centered universal joint is used at the outer end, then the configuration becomes more compact and service life increases, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The first universal joint at the inner end serves multiple functions: it transmits torque from the differential gear, accommodates angular misalignments between the differential gear and drive shaft, and positions the drive shaft centrally. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for additional alignment mechanisms, reducing overall structural complexity while extending service life through reliable universal joint operation
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single complex constant-velocity joint at the outer end, the invention inverts the approach by placing universal joints at both ends of the drive shaft. This inversion distributes the functional requirements across two simpler universal joints rather than one complex joint, reducing individual joint complexity while maintaining or extending service life through redundant reliable connections
3Strength
If a double centered universal joint is used, then torque capacity increases and larger wheel angles are allowed, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The torque transmission function is segmented across two universal joints rather than concentrated in one. Each universal joint handles a portion of the torque transmission task, allowing for standardized, easier-to-manufacture universal joint components rather than a single custom-designed high-torque joint. The drive shaft itself is designed as a separate standardized component, simplifying manufacturing while achieving the required overall torque capacity through the series connection of two universal joints
4Force
If a constant-velocity joint is provided at the first end connected to the driving member, then less forces and rotational torque are transferred into the driving member, but the joint configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The constant-velocity joint function is extracted from the outer end connection and placed at the inner end where the drive shaft connects to the differential gear. This extraction allows the universal joint at the outer end to be a simpler structure focused solely on connecting to the wheel hub, reducing forces on the driving member while maintaining a manageable overall joint configuration through the separation of functions between the two universal joints
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel drive shaft arrangement for a vehicle has a wheel drive shaft having a first and a second axial end, a constant-velocity joint provided at the first end, The constant-velocity joint has a first articulated joint member and a second articulated joint member which are drivingly and pivotally connected. The first articulated joint member is drivingly connected to the first end and the second articulated joint member is drivingly connectable to a driving member of the vehicle. The wheel drive shaft arrangement has a double centered universal joint provided at the second end. The double centered universal joint has a third articulated joint member drivingly connected to the second end, a fourth articulated joint member drivingly connectable to a wheel hub of the vehicle and an intermediate articulated joint member drivingly and pivotally connecting the third and fourth articulated joint members.