Spacer For A Driveshaft Assembly

Abstract

A driveshaft assembly for use in a vehicle. The driveshaft assembly has a tubular shaft having a first receiving end portion with a hollow interior and a driveshaft end having an insert end portion with a main insert portion, a spacer mounting seat and a spacer catch surface extending therebetween. The main insert portion has a diameter greater than a diameter of the spacer mounting seat. A spacer a first end portion with a first opening, a center portion with a wall portion, and a second end portion with a lip portion having a second opening and a transition portion. The second opening has an inner diameter that is less than an inner diameter of said first opening. A terminal surface defining the second opening is disposed radially outboard from the spacer mounting seat and a portion of the lip portion extends substantially perpendicular to the wall portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A driveshaft assembly, comprising:
 a tubular shaft having a first receiving end portion with a hollow interior;   a driveshaft end having an insert end portion with an end surface;
 wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a main insert portion and a spacer mounting seat; 
 wherein a spacer catch surface extends between said main insert portion and said spacer mounting seat of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end; 
 wherein said main insert portion has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of said spacer mounting seat; 
   a spacer having a first end portion, a second end portion and a center portion;
 wherein at least a portion of said spacer is interposed between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft; 
 wherein said first end portion of said spacer has a first opening; 
 wherein said center portion of said spacer has a wall portion, wherein at least a portion of said wall portion of said center portion of said spacer is disposed radially outboard from and in direct contact with at least a portion of said main insert portion of said driveshaft end; 
 wherein said second end portion of said spacer has a lip portion with a second opening and a transition portion; 
 wherein said second opening in said lip portion of said spacer has a first inner diameter that is less than a second inner diameter of said first opening in said spacer; 
 wherein at least a portion of a terminal surface defining said second opening is disposed radially outboard from said spacer mounting seat of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end; and 
 wherein at least a portion of said lip portion of said spacer extends inward toward an interior of said spacer at substantially a right angle relative to said wall portion of said spacer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first end portion of said spacer has a tapered portion. 
     
     
         3 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has an insert bevel that is complementary to said tapered portion of said first end portion of said spacer. 
     
     
         4 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said spacer catch surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a spacer edge surface having a radius of curvature that is complementary to a radius of curvature of said transition portion of said first end portion of said spacer. 
     
     
         5 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said end surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end is recessed from or protrudes from said second opening in said first end portion of said spacer. 
     
     
         6 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said spacer is made of a polymeric material, a plastic material, a metallic material, cardboard material, wooden material, or fabric material. 
     
     
         7 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said spacer is has a UV-curable urethane coating. 
     
     
         8 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a shaft mounting seat;
 wherein at least a portion of said tubular shaft is disposed radially outboard from said shaft mounting seat of said driveshaft end; and   wherein said shaft mounting seat has a diameter that is greater than said diameter of said main insert portion and said diameter of said spacer mounting seat of said driveshaft end.   
     
     
         9 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said spacer provides an interference fit between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said spacer is an anti-fretting spacer. 
     
     
         11 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a terminus of said wall portion of said spacer has a thickness that is greater than a radial dimension said spacer catch surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end. 
     
     
         12 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first receiving end portion of said tubular shaft has a first terminus and a second terminus;
 wherein said first terminus has a thickness defined by a difference between a first receiving end portion inner diameter and a first receiving end portion outer diameter; and   wherein said second terminus has a thickness defined by a difference between said first receiving end portion inner diameter and an inner diameter of a center portion of said tubular shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said thickness of said first terminus of said tubular shaft is less than said thickness of said second terminus of said tubular shaft. 
     
     
         14 . A driveshaft assembly, comprising:
 a tubular shaft having a first receiving end portion with a hollow interior;   a driveshaft end having an insert end portion with an end surface;
 wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a main insert portion having a diameter; 
   a spacer having a end portion and a main portion;
 wherein at least a portion of said spacer is interposed between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft; 
 wherein said main portion of said spacer has a first opening; 
 wherein said main portion of said spacer has a wall portion, wherein at least a portion of said wall portion of said spacer is disposed radially outboard from and in direct contact with at least a portion of said main insert portion of said driveshaft end; 
 wherein said end portion of said spacer has a lip portion with a second opening and a transition portion; 
 wherein said second opening in said lip portion of said spacer has a first inner diameter that is less than a second inner diameter of said first opening in said spacer; 
 wherein at least a portion of said lip portion of said spacer is in direct contact with at least a portion of said spacer mounting seat of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end; and 
 wherein at least a portion of said lip portion of said spacer extends inward toward an interior of said spacer at substantially a right angle relative to said wall portion of said spacer. 
   
     
     
         15 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said end surface of said driveshaft end has an edge between said edge surface and said main insert portion of said driveshaft end;
 wherein said edge surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a radius of curvature that is complementary to a radius of curvature of said transition portion of said spacer.   
     
     
         16 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said spacer is made of a polymeric material, a plastic material, a metallic material, cardboard material, wooden material, or fabric material. 
     
     
         17 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said spacer is has a UV-curable urethane coating. 
     
     
         18 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said spacer provides an interference fit between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said spacer is an anti-fretting spacer. 
     
     
         20 . The driveshaft assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a shaft mounting seat;
 wherein at least a portion of said tubular shaft is disposed radially outboard from said shaft mounting seat of said driveshaft end; and   wherein said shaft mounting seat has a diameter that is greater than said diameter of said main insert portion of said driveshaft end.