Quick connect/disconnect driveline assembly

• US 20030130047A1
• Filed: 01/08/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Steele, Chris, Remelius, John P., Lentini, Anthony G., Brissette, Ronald N.
• Granted Patent: US 6,761,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 464/179
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/61 Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts in general F16H57/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/0864 due to tangential loading of the hub, e.g. a split hub
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/0894 with other than axial keys, e.g. diametral pins, cotter pins and no other radial clamping
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/387 Fork construction; Mounting of fork on shaft; Adapting shaft for mounting of fork
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 464/901 Rapid attachment or release

Abstract

A driveline assembly includes a shaft that is rotatably supported on a bearing assembly within a drive axle. The shaft has a first mount portion with a threaded exterior surface and a second mount portion with a splined exterior surface. A retaining ring is threaded onto the first mount portion to engage and retain the bearing assembly at a proper location. A yoke member with a splined inner bored is mounted on the shaft in engagement with the splined exterior surface. The yoke member can easily be connected and disconnected from the shaft without having to remove the retaining ring. The yoke member also includes a quick disconnect device that simplifies removal and re-assembly of the yoke member from the shaft.

Claims

1. A driveline assembly comprising:

a first shaft operably coupled to a drive axle, said first shaft having a first mount portion and a second mount portion;

a bearing supporting said shaft for rotation within said drive axle;

a retaining ring mounted on said first mount portion for engagement with said bearing to retain said bearing at a desired location along said first shaft; and

a yoke member mounted on said second mount portion for coupling said first shaft to a second shaft.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining ring is tightened against said bearing to a predetermined torque level to achieve a predetermined bearing preload.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first mount portion comprises an exterior threaded surface and said retaining ring includes a threaded inner bore for engaging said exterior threaded surface.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second mount portion comprises an exterior splined surface and said yoke member includes a splined inner bore for mating engagement with said exterior splined surface.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said yoke member includes a quick disconnect device for removing said yoke member from said first shaft without removing said retaining ring from said first shaft.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said quick disconnect device comprises a yoke clamp including at least one longitudinally extending slot, at least one laterally extending thru-hole, and at least one clamping member for insertion in said thru-hole, said clamping member movable between a connect condition and a disconnect condition wherein said clamping member exerts a clamping force on opposing edges of said slot to clamp said yoke member to said first shaft in said connect condition and releases said clamping force to permit removal of said yoke member from said first shaft in said disconnect condition.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said quick disconnect device comprises a laterally extending hole for receiving a spring loaded pin that is movable between a connect condition and a disconnect condition and wherein said yoke member includes a discontinuous splined inner bore having a small opening in communication with said laterally extending hole, said spring loaded pin being resiliently biased to engage an edge of said small opening to retain said yoke member on said first shaft in said connect condition and said spring loaded pin being depressible to disengage said edge of said small opening to permit removal of said yoke member from said first shaft in said disconnect condition.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive axle is a single drive axle with a center gear assembly and said first shaft is a pinion shaft for supporting a pinion gear in driving engagement with said center gear assembly.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said retaining ring is supported on said pinion shaft between said pinion gear and said yoke member.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive axle is a tandem drive axle including a forward-rear axle having a first center gear assembly and a rear-rear axle having a second center gear assembly, said forward-rear and rear-rear axles being interconnected via an interaxle driveshaft, said first shaft being a thru-shaft driven by said first center gear assembly and said second shaft being said interaxle driveshaft.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said interaxle driveshaft has a predetermined fixed length.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said interaxle driveshaft is comprised of a single piece.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said second mount portion comprises an exterior splined surface and said yoke member includes a splined inner bore in sliding engagement with said exterior splined surface such that said yoke member is adjustable relative to said thru-shaft to a predetermined position along said thru-shaft.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said retaining ring is supported on said thru-shaft between said bearing and said first center gear assembly.

15. A driveline assembly comprising:

a first shaft operably coupled to a drive axle, said first shaft having a first mount portion comprising a threaded exterior surface and a second mount portion comprising a splined exterior surface;

a bearing supporting said shaft for rotation within said drive axle;

a retaining ring having a threaded inner bore for threadably engaging said threaded exterior surface of said first shaft such that said retaining ring engages said bearing to retain said bearing at a desired location along said first shaft; and

a yoke member having a splined inner bore for mating engagement with said splined exterior surface of said first shaft, said yoke member for coupling said first shaft to a second shaft.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said yoke member includes a quick disconnect device for removing said yoke member from said first shaft without removing said retaining ring from said first shaft.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said retaining ring is tightened against said bearing to a predetermined torque level to achieve a predetermined bearing preload.

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said drive axle is a single drive axle with a center gear assembly and said first shaft is a pinion shaft for supporting a pinion gear for coupling to said center gear assembly and wherein said retaining ring is supported on said pinion shaft between said pinion gear and said yoke member.

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said drive axle is a tandem drive axle including a forward-rear axle having a first center gear assembly and a rear-rear axle having a second center gear assembly, said forward-rear and rear-rear axles being interconnected via an interaxle driveshaft, said first shaft being a thru-shaft driven by said first center gear assembly and said second shaft being said interaxle driveshaft and wherein said interaxle driveshaft is of a predetermined fixed length with said yoke member being adjustable relative to said thru-shaft to a predetermined position along said thru-shaft.

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said retaining ring is supported on said thru-shaft between said bearing and said first center gear assembly.

21. A method for assembling a driveline comprising the steps of:

(a) supporting a first shaft on a bearing assembly for rotation within a drive axle,

(b) installing a retaining ring on a first mount portion formed on the first shaft;

(c) engaging the retaining ring against the bearing assembly to retain the bearing assembly at a desired location along the first shaft; and

(d) mounting a yoke member on a second mount portion formed on the first shaft for coupling the first shaft to a second shaft.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein step (c) further includes tightening the retaining ring against the bearing assembly to a predetermined torque level to achieve a predetermined bearing preload.

23. A method as set forth in claim 21 including the step of removing the yoke member from the first shaft without removing the retaining ring from the first shaft for performing driveline maintenance.

24. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the drive axle is a single drive axle with a center gear assembly and the first shaft is a pinion shaft for supporting a pinion gear in driving engagement with the center gear assembly and further including the step of installing the retaining ring on the pinion shaft between the pinion gear and the yoke member.

25. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein step (b) further includes threadably engaging the retaining ring to the first shaft.

26. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein step (d) further includes slidably mounting the yoke member on the first shaft with a splined attachment.

27. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the drive axle is a tandem drive axle including a forward-rear axle having a first center gear assembly and a rear-rear axle having a second center gear assembly and further including the step of interconnecting the first and second rear axles via an interaxle driveshaft having a predetermined fixed length.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the first shaft is a thru-shaft driven by the first center gear assembly and the second shaft is the interaxle driveshaft and further including the step of adjusting the yoke member by sliding the yoke member relative to the thru-shaft to achieve a predetermined position along the thru-shaft.

29. A method as set forth in claim 21 including the steps of

providing a quick connect and disconnect device on the yoke member including a yoke clamp with at least one longitudinally extending slot, at least one laterally extending thru-hole, and at least one clamping member;

inserting the clamping member in the thru-hole;

applying a clamping force on opposing edges of the slot to clamp the yoke member to the first shaft to achieve a connect condition; and

releasing the clamping force to permit removal of the yoke member from the first shaft to achieve a disconnect condition.

30. A method as set forth in claim 21 including the steps of

providing a quick connect and disconnect device on the yoke member including a laterally extending hole for receiving a spring loaded pin;

forming a discontinuous splined inner bore in the yoke member to provide a small opening in communication with the laterally extending hole;

biasing the spring loaded pin to engage an edge of the small opening to retain the yoke member on the first shaft to achieve a connect condition; and

depressing the spring loaded pin to disengage the edge of the small opening to permit removal of the yoke member from the first shaft to achieve a disconnect condition.