A driveline joint may include a driveline shaft that has a plurality of slots and a shaft coupling positioned in an interior of the driveline shaft in which the shaft coupling includes one or more openings with each of the openings corresponding to one or more respective slots of the plurality of slots included in the driveline shaft. The driveline joint may include one or more spherical bearings that are each positioned between an interior lateral surface of the driveline shaft and an exterior lateral surface of the shaft coupling and against one of the openings of the shaft coupling. The driveline joint may include one or more fasteners, wherein each of the fasteners extends through one of the slots and one of the openings of the shaft coupling.

The invention relates to a method for producing an axle housing of a vehicle axle, by means of integrally connecting an axle tube (1) to an axle shaft (2) which is positioned on the longitudinal axis (L) of the axle tube, is equipped with bearing surfaces (3) for mounting a vehicle wheel, and has a tube cross-section facing said axle tube (1) which is substantially the same as the tube cross-section of the axle tube. In order to develop a welding method for the production of an axle housing that consists of an axle tube and an axle shaft secured thereto, which method is optimised in terms of the dynamic loads to which the axle housing is typically subjected in a driving operation, the method comprises the following steps: •—arranging the axle tube (1) and the axle shaft (2), with the abutting surfaces of their tube cross-sections positioned coaxially to one another, in a workpiece receiving portion of a welding installation (10), said welding installation additionally comprising an arc welding device (11) and a laser welding device (12) which is operated in parallel, •—continuously miming a weld seam (20) in the peripheral direction of the tube cross-sections, both welding devices (11, 12) being directed, actively and from the outside, onto substantially the same peripheral section of the abutting surfaces, wherein the laser beam (S) meets the outside (14) of the tube at right angles, and intersects the longitudinal axis (L) of the axle tube (1), and •—stopping running the weld seam (20) once this has passed over a peripheral angle of at least 360°. A corresponding axle housing is also disclosed.

A drive shaft is for selectively connecting a drive input to an output. The drive shaft has a tubular portion, a first diaphragm member, and a second diaphragm member displaced axially along the shaft from the first diaphragm member. The first and second diaphragm members each are formed with two axial ends. At least one undulation extends radially of the ends. The tubular portion connects the first and second diaphragm members. The first and second diaphragm members and the tubular portion are formed of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites. The first and second diaphragm members are connected to first and second axial ends of the tubular portion through a mechanical connection at joints. There is also a method of forming a drive shaft.

A method and device for mounting a plug in a hollow shaft is disclosed. The device includes a holding device for holding the plug to be mounted and a joining device for sliding the hollow shaft onto the plug held in the holding device. The holding device is radially adjustable relative to an axis of the hollow shaft to compensate for an axial offset between the axis of the hollow shaft and an axis of the plug. The joining device can be inclined to compensate for an inclined position of the axis of the hollow shaft and the axis of the plug. The method includes pressing the joining device onto the hollow shaft from above and adjusting the holding device with the plug radially to the hollow shaft if the axial offset is present, and inclining the joining device if the inclined position is present.

A main shaft assembly of a wind turbine and method for manufacturing the same are provided. Accordingly, the main shaft assembly includes a structural/shaft body defining a cavity therein. The shaft body is configured to transmit a load of the wind turbine developed in response to the wind. An inner body is located within the cavity. The inner body is non-loadbearing with respect to the load. At least one sensor is coupled to the inner body and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the shaft body in response to the load.

A method and assembly for preventing corrosion between two work pieces. At least a portion of a neck portion of a second end portion of an end piece is disposed within a hollow portion in a first end portion of a drive shaft tube. The inner surface of the first end portion of the drive shaft tube is magnetic pulse welded to a first tapered portion of the neck portion of the end piece. A coating and a sacrificial material is applied over an interface between an end surface of said first end portion of said drive shaft and said end piece defining a gap. The coating and sacrificial material is then leveled and a shrink-wrap material is disposed radially outboard from the gap. Finally, heat is applied to the shrink-wrap material sealing said gap.

A welding method for an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint includes constructing a cup section having track grooves, which engage with torque transmitting elements, formed along an inner periphery thereof and a shaft section that is formed on a bottom portion of the cup section by two or more separate members, joining a cup member forming the cup section and a shaft member forming the shaft section, and melt-welding end portions of the cup member and the shaft member. The cup member and the shaft member are shaped so that a sealed hollow cavity portion is formed when the end portions of the cup member and the shaft member are brought into abutment against each other, the melt-welding of the end portions being performed when the sealed hollow cavity portion is under atmospheric pressure or lower.

A shaft assembly for a powertrain includes a shaft having a cavity extending at least partially from a first axial end to a second axial end of the shaft and opening at at least one of the first axial end and the second axial end. For example, the shaft may be a balance shaft, a camshaft, or a transmission shaft. A first core plug is disposed in the cavity. The shaft and the core plug may be the same material, or may be different materials. The shaft may have a first density, first cross-sectional area, or first area modulus, and the core plug may have a different second density, second cross sectional area, or second area modulus which may be less than the first density, the first cross-sectional area, or the first area modulus.

A composite vehicle shaft assembly includes a body formed from a first material having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The intermediate portion defines an axis of rotation and includes an outer surface and an inner surface defining a cavity. At least one core plug formed from a second material is disposed in the cavity.

A connecting shaft including a first shaft made of metal, a second shaft made of resin, and a collar made of metal including a first fitting portion fitting on an outer peripheral surface of the first shaft and a second fitting portion fitting on an outer peripheral surface of the second shaft. A gap between the outer peripheral surface of the second shaft and an inner peripheral surface of the second fitting portion is filled with an adhesive agent, and the adhesive agent is applied to an outer peripheral surface of the collar to cover an end face of the second fitting portion in an axial direction.