Output Shaft of a Vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle output shaft includes a torque transmission shaft, a drive-side end which is connected to a differential by way of a differential-side joint, and an output-side end which is connected to a driven wheel of the motor vehicle by way of a wheel-side joint, as well as at least one torsional vibration damper. The torsional vibration damper is arranged in a series circuit between the torque transmission shaft and at least one of the joints.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A vehicle output shaft, comprising: a torque transmission shaft; a drive-side end which is connected to a differential by way of a differential-side joint; and an output-side end which is connected to a driven wheel of the motor vehicle by way of a wheel-side joint; and at least one torsional vibration damper, wherein the torsional vibration damper is arranged in a series connection with the torque transmission shaft and with at least one of the different-side or wheel-side joints.

12. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 11, wherein the torsional vibration damper comprises an inner ring which is fixedly connected to one end of the torque transmission shaft.

13. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 12, wherein the torsional vibration damper comprises an outer ring which is formed coaxially around the inner ring, and the inner ring and the outer ring are rotatable relative to each other.

14. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 13, wherein the inner ring comprises at least two spiral springs which are arranged in a circumferential direction and are supported on the outer ring.

15. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 11, wherein the torsional vibration damper comprises at least one hydraulic damper element.

16. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 13, wherein the outer ring has at least one cavity which extends along the circumference of the torsional vibration damper, is filled with damping fluid and has at least one constriction, by which constriction damping takes place during a relative rotation of the outer ring with respect to the inner ring.

17. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 11, wherein the damping is semi-active damping.

18. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 15, wherein the hydraulic damper element is designed so as to damp vibrations in a frequency range of 10-15 Hz.

19. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 11, wherein the torsional vibration damper is formed rotationally symmetrically with respect to an axis of rotation.

20. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 13, wherein the outer ring is part of a housing of the wheel-side and/or of the differential-side joint.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 shows an example of an output shaft according to the invention of a vehicle in a side view of the output shaft.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through an exemplary torsional vibration damper from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 depicts part of an output shaft of a vehicle, which output shaft comprises a torque transmission shaft 1. The torque transmission shaft 1 connects a driven vehicle wheel, not shown, to a differential, not shown, by means of a wheel-side joint, likewise not shown. The differential is connected here to the torque transmission shaft 1 via a differential-side joint 2.

[0039] In addition, the output shaft comprises a torsional vibration damper 3, which is arranged as a series connection with the torque transmission shaft 1 and the differential-side joint 2.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view A-A through the torsional vibration damper 3. The latter here comprises an inner ring 4 and an outer ring 5 surrounding the inner ring 4. The inner ring 4 is connected here fixedly or for conjoint rotation to the torque transmission shaft 1. The inner ring 4 and the outer ring 5 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable relative to each other about the axis of rotation D of the torque transmission shaft 1. The inner ring 4 here is not necessarily annular, but is formed at least approximately completely in its cross section. The inner ring is nevertheless referred to below as the inner ring 4, even if the inner ring is not annular (as can also be seen in the drawings). The same also applies to the outer ring 5.

[0041] Furthermore, the inner ring 4 comprises a plurality of spiral springs 6 arranged in the circumferential direction U of the inner ring 4. The spiral springs, like the rest of the torsional vibration damper 3, are arranged rotationally symmetrically to one another.

[0042] During a relative movement between the inner ring 4 and the outer ring 5, the torsional rigidity of the torque transmission shaft 1 is determined by the spring rate of the spiral springs 6. For this purpose, the spiral springs 6 are arranged supported on the outer ring 5. The spaces in the inner ring 4 for the arrangement of the spiral springs 6 interrupt the mentioned completeness of the inner ring 4.

[0043] The torsional vibration damper 3 furthermore comprises hydraulic damping. This hydraulic damping is formed by a plurality of cavities 7 which extend along the circumference U of the torsional vibration damper 3 and are filled with hydraulic fluid. These cavities 7 are formed by a suitable arrangement of the inner ring 4 with respect to the outer ring 5. In each cavity 7, there is a constriction or a gap 8 through which the hydraulic fluid flows during a relative rotation of the outer ring with respect to the inner ring 4, 5 and thus causes speed-dependent damping. Depending on the size of the gap 8, a different damper rate can thus be set.

[0044] It is alternatively also possible for the size of the gap 8 or for the diameter of the gap 8 to be actively changed such that different damper properties depending on the situation can be achieved. For this purpose, a semi-active valve or similar is conceivable.

[0045] In this case, the size of the gap 8 is selected here in such a manner that torsional vibrations in the range of between 10-15 Hz are damped.

[0046] Furthermore, as already mentioned and as can be seen in the two figures, it is preferably provided that the torsional vibration damper 3 is formed rotationally symmetrically per se such that it is not possible for mass non-uniformities to occur in the torque transmission shaft 1.

[0047] It is furthermore provided, as can be seen in FIG. 1, that the outer ring 5 of the torsional vibration damper 3 simultaneously constitutes the housing 9 of the differential-side joint 2. A torsional vibration damper 3 of a vehicle output shaft is therefore shown, the torsional vibration damper being integrated in the joint 2 and advantageously having vibration-damping properties and also taking on the torsional rigidity function of the torque transmission shaft 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0048] 1 Torque transmission shaft [0049] 2 Differential-side joint [0050] 3 Torsional vibration damper [0051] 4 Inner ring [0052] 5 Outer ring [0053] 6 Spiral spring [0054] 7 Cavity [0055] 8 Gap [0056] 9 Housing [0057] A Intersecting axis [0058] D Axis of rotation [0059] U Circumferential direction