Propeller Shaft and Constant Velocity Universal Joint Used Therein

Abstract

A propeller shaft is proposed which comprises an outer cylindrical member formed with a sleeve portion that has a splined cylindrical inner wall with which a splined cylindrical outer wall of a shaft is engaged; an inner cylindrical member installed in the outer cylindrical member; a torque transmitting unit through which a torque is transmitted from the outer cylindrical member to the inner cylindrical member; and a connecting mechanism that, upon engagement of the splined cylindrical outer wall with the splined cylindrical inner wall, effects an axial and relative positioning between the shaft and the outer cylindrical member while establishing a detachable connection therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A propeller shaft comprising:
 a first coupling member formed with a sleeve portion, the sleeve portion having a splined cylindrical inner wall with which a splined cylindrical outer wall of a shaft is engaged;   a second coupling member coupled with the first coupling member;   a torque transmitting unit through which a torque is transmitted from the first coupling member to the second coupling member; and   a connecting mechanism that, upon engagement of the splined cylindrical outer wall of the shaft with the splined cylindrical inner wall of the first coupling member, effects an axial and relative positioning between the shaft and the first coupling member while establishing a detachable connection therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . A propeller shaft as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the connecting mechanism comprises:
 a first annular groove formed on the splined cylindrical inner wall of the sleeve portion of the first coupling member, the first annular groove having a trapezoidal cross section;   a second annular groove formed on the splined cylindrical outer wall of the shaft, the second annular groove having a rectangular cross section; and   a snap ring tightly received in the second annular groove while resiliently engaging with the first annular groove.   
     
     
         3 . A propeller shaft as claimed in  claim 2 , in which:
 the first coupling member is a first yoke;   the second coupling member is a second yoke; and   the torque transmitting unit is a cross-shaped spider unit that is operatively interposed between the first and second coupling members.   
     
     
         4 . A propeller shaft as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a seal member that establishes a hermetical sealing between an inner wall of the sleeve portion of the first coupling member and an outer wall of the shaft upon engagement between the shaft and the first coupling member. 
     
     
         5 . A propeller shaft as claimed in  claim 4 , in which the shaft comprises:
 a larger diameter shaft portion;   a medium diameter shaft portion integral with and extending axially from the larger diameter shaft portion, the medium diameter shaft portion being received in the sleeve portion of the first coupling member upon engagement between the shaft and the first coupling member,   wherein the seal member is elastically compressed between an outer wall of the medium diameter shaft portion and an inner wall of the sleeve portion at a position near the larger diameter shaft portion.   
     
     
         6 . A propeller shaft as claimed in  claim 4 , in which the seal member comprises a plurality of seal members that are arranged along the axis of the shaft. 
     
     
         7 . A propeller shaft as claimed in  claim 4 , in which the inner wall of the sleeve portion of the first coupling member includes the splined cylindrical inner wall and a smoothed cylindrical inner wall, and in which the seal member is arranged at the smoothed cylindrical inner wall. 
     
     
         8 . A propeller shaft as claimed in  claim 7 , in which an outer wall of the shaft includes the splined cylindrical outer wall and a smoothed cylindrical outer wall, and in which the seal member is compressed between the smoothed cylindrical inner wall of the sleeve portion of the first coupling member and the smoothed cylindrical outer wall of the shaft. 
     
     
         9 . A universal joint comprising:
 a first coupling member formed with a sleeve portion, the sleeve portion having a splined cylindrical inner wall with which a splined cylindrical outer wall of a shaft is engaged;   a second coupling member coupled with the first coupling member;   a torque transmitting member interposed between the first and second coupling members thereby to carry out a torque transmission therebetween; and   a connecting mechanism that effects an axial and relative positioning between the shaft and the first coupling member while establishing a detachable connection therebetween.   
     
     
         10 . A universal joint as claimed in  claim 9 , in which the connecting mechanism comprises:
 a first annular groove formed on the splined cylindrical inner wall of the sleeve portion of the first coupling member;   a second annular groove formed on the splined cylindrical outer wall of the shaft; and   a snap ring tightly received in the second annular groove while resiliently engaging with the first annular groove.   
     
     
         11 . A universal joint as claimed in  claim 10 , in which:
 the first annular groove has a trapezoidal cross section; and   the second annular groove has a rectangular cross section.   
     
     
         12 . A universal joint as claimed in  claim 11 , in which:
 the first coupling member is a first yoke;   the second coupling member is a second yoke; and   the torque transmitting member is a cross-shaped spider unit that is operatively connected to the first and second yokes.