A propeller shaft for a vehicle in which a tube yoke is connected to a main tube via an adapter and tapered splines are formed at the contact regions between a tube yoke and the main tube to transmit the power output from a transmission to a rear wheel. The tube yoke and the main tube are displaced relative to each other at the tapered splines to break the adapter. The tube yoke and the main tube are thus separated from each other by virtue of the breakage of the adapter.

A propeller shaft for a vehicle is provided in which a tube yoke is connected to a main tube via an adapter and tapered splines are formed at the contact regions between a tube yoke and the main tube to transmit the power output from a transmission to a rear wheel. The tube yoke and the main tube are displaced relative to each other at the tapered splines to break the adapter. The tube yoke and the main tube are thus separated from each other by virtue of the breakage of the adapter to efficiently absorb impact energy.

A connecting device for connecting runs of communication material having a predetermined length and coupling elements at both ends is provided. The connecting device includes a first end, an opposing second end, and a separating element. The first end couples to a coupling element of a first run of communication material and the second end couples to a coupling element of a second run of communication material. The first run and second run of communication material is separated in response to activation of the separating element. Also provided is a bulk cable packaging system that includes a plurality of runs of communication material, each run having a predetermined length and coupling elements at both ends and a plurality of connecting devices. The runs of communication material are coupled together with the connecting devices is operatively coupled to a reel. The reel is then operatively coupled within a container.

A propeller shaft assembly comprises a first rotary component having a first splined portion and a first engaging surface arranged transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first rotary component and spaced from the first splined portion and a second rotary component having a second splined portion configured to engage the first splined portion. The second splined portion defines a second engaging surface arranged transverse to the longitudinal axis of the first rotary component. A shear component is disposed between the first engaging surface of the first rotary component and the second engaging surface of the second rotary component. The shear component forms a crash feature of the propeller shaft assembly configured to shear at an edge of the second engaging surface when the first shear component is compressed between the first engaging surface and the second engaging surface.

A shaft assembly. The shaft assembly includes a joint assembly having a first joint member, a second joint member and one or more third joint members drivingly connecting said first and second joint members. At least a portion of a first shaft is drivingly connected to the second joint member. Circumferentially extending from at least a portion of an outer surface of a second end portion of the first shaft is a first and second increased diameter portion having a wall portion that connects the first increased diameter portion to the second increased diameter portion. Drivingly connected to the second increased diameter portion of the first shaft is a second shaft. During a crash condition, an amount of force is applied to the wall portion until it fractures and at least a portion of the first shaft and/or the joint assembly translates into a hollow portion of the second shaft.

A wiper subassembly for a motor vehicle has a windshield wiper retention member connected by a front connection arrangement in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle to a first bodywork component and by a rear connection arrangement to a second bodywork component. In order to optimize the crash behavior of a wiper subassembly, the front connection is arranged to be configured, when a threshold force which acts in the longitudinal direction between the windshield wiper retention member and the first bodywork component is exceeded, to give way so that the first bodywork component can be moved to the rear relative to the windshield wiper retention member.

An assembly that includes a first mount, a second mount and a fuse pin. The first mount is configured with a first aperture. The second mount is configured with a second aperture. The fuse pin is mated with the first aperture and the second aperture. The fuse pin connects the first mount and the second mount together. The fuse pin has an axis, and is configured with a plurality of slots arranged circumferentially about the axis. A first of the slots has a length measured along the axis. The second mount has a thickness measured along the axis at an interface between the fuse pin and the second mount. The length is greater than the thickness.

The assembly includes a housing that has an inner bore and a ball stud that has a ball portion with opposing first and second hemispheres. A bearing assembly is disposed in the inner bore of the housing and presents a curved first bearing surface that is in slidable contact with only the first hemisphere of the ball portion. The ball socket assembly also includes a curved second bearing surface that is presented on a different component from the bearing assembly and is in slidable contact with the second hemisphere of the ball portion. The bearing assembly has a plastic portion and a plurality of metal segments. The metal segments collectively define the first bearing surface and are fixedly attached with the plastic portion. The plastic portion allows the metal segments to individually move relative to one another to seat against the ball portion of the ball stud.

Frangible fasteners with flexible connectors for unmanned aircraft, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative aircraft includes a fuselage portion, a wing portion, a winglet carried by the wing portion, and a frangible fastener coupling the winglet portion to the wing portion. The frangible fastener can include an outer body with a first portion in contact with the wing portion, a second portion in contact with the winglet portion, and a frangible portion between the first and second portions. A flexible member is positioned at least partially within the outer body and is connected to the first portion so as to extend through and out of the second portion. A stop element is carried by the flexible member.

A fastener assembly may have a spring, a bolt, a stud, an end-piece, and a shear pin. In one embodiment of the invention, the bolt has (a) a shaft engaged with a first end of the spring, (b) a head, and (c) an internally-facing surface defining a passageway that extends through the bolt head and the bolt shaft. The stud has (a) a first end and (b) a second end, and the first end of the stud is engaged with a second end of the spring. The stud may include an internally-facing surface defining a hole that extends from the first end toward the second end of the stud. The end-piece, which may be a nut or an anchor, is engaged with the second end of the stud. Part of the shear pin resides in the passageway of the bolt, and a different part of the shear pin engages the stud. Also, the shear pin may include a slot on an end of the shear pin that may be used to remove a portion of the shear pin from the stud after the shear pin breaks.