PROPSHAFT ASSEMBLY HAVING YOKE FRICTION WELDED TO PROPSHAFT TUBE

摘要

A method for forming a propshaft assembly includes: providing a tube having an annular wall member and an axial end face; providing a yoke having body and a pair of arms that extend from the body, the body defining an annular groove having sidewalls and an end face, the sidewalls being spaced apart to receive the annular wall member; spinning at least one of the tube and the yoke while engaging the axial end face to the end face of the annular groove to plasticize a portion of the yoke and a portion of the tube; and driving the yoke and the tube together to fuse the plasticized portion of the yoke and the plasticized portion of the tube together and thereby form a friction weld; wherein the tube is fused to the yoke over portions of the yoke that correspond to the sidewalls and the end face.

主权项

1. A method for forming a propshaft assembly, the method comprising:
providing a propshaft tube having an annular wall member and an axial end face; providing a universal joint member having a body that defines an annular groove having side walls and an end face, the side walls being spaced apart to receive the annular wall member; spinning at least one of the propshaft tube and the universal joint member while engaging the axial end face to the end face of the annular groove to plasticize a portion of the universal joint member and a portion of the propshaft tube; and driving the universal joint member and the propshaft tube together to fuse the plasticized portion of the universal joint member and the plasticized portion of the propshaft tube together and thereby form a friction weld; wherein the propshaft tube is fused to the universal joint member over portions of the universal joint member that correspond to the side walls and the end face.