Method for joining axle components

• US 7,140,530 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dana Corporation (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Duggan, James A., Durand, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beveridge, Rachel E.
• Application Number:
  US10/989,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20060032895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 228/234.1, 228/115, 228/235.1, 295/08, 298/972
• US Class Current: 228/234.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/218 by hydroforming
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/3028 by magnetic pulse welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/316 by press-fitting, shrink-fitting
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/10 Metallic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/102 Steel
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/104 Aluminum
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/147 Castings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/36 Composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 35/16 Axle housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49909 Securing cup or tube between axially extending concentric annuli
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49913 by constricting outer annulus

Abstract

A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components made from the same or dissimilar materials includes providing a first axle housing component, and providing a second axle housing component, where one of the first and second axle housing components is a metallic component made of a metallic material. A portion of one of the first and second axle housing components is positioned within a portion of the other of the axle housing components in an overlapping manner, thereby forming an overlapping portion. A metallic band may be disposed around the overlapping portion. An inductor is positioned around the overlapping portion. The inductor is energized to generate a magnetic field for collapsing at least one of the overlapping portion and the metallic band, thereby securing the first and second axle housing components together.

Claims

1. A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first axle component disposed about a rotatable axle member;

b. providing a second axle component, wherein at least one of the first and second axle components is made from a metallic material;

c. positioning at least one portion of one of the first and second axle components on at least one portion of another one of the first and second axle components in an overlapping manner, thereby forming at least one overlapping portion;

d. providing an inductor around the at least one overlapping portion;

e. energizing the inductor to generate a magnetic field and to magnetic pulse crimp the metallic material, thereby securing the first and second axle components together.

2. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the metallic material.

3. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic material without magnetic pulse welding thereof.

4. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 1, further including the steps of providing at least one retaining collar made from a metallic material, and positioning the at least one retaining collar around the at least one overlapping portion.

5. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 4, wherein the step of energizing the inductor generates the magnetic field for collapsing the at least one metallic band about the at least one overlapping portion and to magnetically pulse crimp the at least one metallic band to the overlapping portion, thereby securing the first and second axle components together.

6. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 5, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the at least one metallic band.

7. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 5, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the at least one metallic band without magnetic pulse welding thereof.

8. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 1, wherein both the first and second components are dissimilar metallic components.

9. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the metallic components.

10. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic components without magnetic pulse welding thereof.

11. A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components made from similar and/or dissimilar materials, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first axle housing component;

b. providing a second axle housing component, wherein at least one of the first and second axle housing components is made from a metallic material;

c. positioning a portion of the first axle housing component within a portion of the second axle housing component in an overlapping manner, thereby forming an overlapping portion;

d. providing an inductor around the overlapping;

e. energizing the inductor to generate a magnetic field and to magnetic pulse crimp the metallic material, thereby securing the first and second axle housing components together,

wherein the first component is an arm portion for receiving an axle driven by a differential assembly and the second component is a carrier portion for housing the differential assembly.

12. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 11, wherein the carrier portion is made of a metallic material and the arm portion is made of a composite material.

13. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 12, wherein a section of the carrier portion is positioned within a portion of the arm portion to form the overlapping portion.

14. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 11, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the metallic material.

15. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 11, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic material without magnetic pulse welding thereof.

16. A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components made from similar and/or dissimilar materials, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first axle housing component;

b. providing a second axle housing component, wherein at least one of the first and second axle housing components is made from a metallic material;

c. positioning a portion of the first axle housing component within a portion of the second axle housing component in an overlapping manner, thereby forming an overlapping portion;

d. providing an inductor around the overlapping;

e. energizing the inductor to generate a magnetic field and to magnetic pulse crimp the metallic material, thereby securing the first and second axle housing components together,

wherein the first component is an arm portion for receiving an axle driven by said differential assembly and said second component is a wheel spindle adapted to rotatably support wheels of the vehicle on the axle housing while allowing the axle to extend therethrough to rotatably drive the wheels.

17. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 16, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the metallic material.

18. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 16, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic material without magnetic pulse welding thereof.

19. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 16, wherein the arm portion is made of a metallic material and the wheel spindle is made of a composite material.

20. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 16, wherein a section of the arm portion is positioned within a section of the wheel spindle to form the overlapping portion.

21. A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components made from similar and/or dissimilar materials, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first axle housing component;

b. providing a second axle housing component, wherein at least one of the first and second axle housing components is made from a metallic material;

c. positioning a portion of the first axle housing component within a portion of the second axle housing component in an overlapping manner, thereby forming an overlapping portion;

d. providing an inductor around the overlapping;

e. energizing the inductor to generate a magnetic field and to magnetic pulse crimp the metallic material, thereby securing the first and second axle housing components together,

wherein the first component is a carrier portion for housing a differential assembly and the second component is an arm portion for receiving an axle driven by said differential assembly, where a portion of the arm portion is positioned within a portion of the carrier portion to form the overlapping portion.

22. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 21, wherein an insert is positioned within the metallic component to provide support for the metallic component during the step of crimping.

23. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 22, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the metallic component.

24. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 22, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic component without magnetic pulse welding thereof.

25. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 21, wherein a removable mandrel is positioned within the first axle housing component to provide support for the metallic component during the step of crimping.

26. A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components made from similar and/or dissimilar materials, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first axle housing component made from a metallic material;

b. providing a second axle housing component made from a composite material,

c. positioning a portion of the first axle housing component within a portion of the second axle housing component in an overlapping manner, thereby forming an overlapping portion;

d. disposing a metallic band around the overlapping portion;

e. providing an inductor around the metallic band; and

f. energizing the inductor to generate a magnetic field for collapsing the metallic band about the overlapping portion and magnetic pulse welding the metallic band to the metallic component, thereby securing the first and second axle housing components together,

wherein the first component is a carrier for housing a differential assembly and the second component is an arm portion for receiving an axle driven by said differential assembly.

27. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 26, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the metallic band to the first axle housing.

28. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 26, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic band without magnetic pulse welding the metallic band to the first axle housing.

29. A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first axle component housing a rotatable axle member;

b. providing a second axle component having at least one support portion, wherein at least one of the first and second axle components is made from a metallic material;

c. providing at least one metallic band;

d. positioning the at least one support portion of the second axle component on the first axle component in an overlapping manner, thereby forming at least one overlapping portion;

e. positioning the at least one metallic band around the at least one overlapping portion;

f. providing an inductor around the at least one overlapping portion;

g. energizing the inductor to generate a magnetic field and to magnetic pulse crimp the at least one metallic band around the first and second components, thereby securing the first and second components together.

30. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the metallic band to the first axle component.

31. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic band without magnetic pulse welding the metallic band to the first axle component.

32. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 29, wherein the first component is an arm portion for receiving an axle driven by a differential assembly and the second component is a mounting bracket.

33. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 32, wherein the mounting bracket has two support portions and two metallic band are provided to secure the mounting bracket to the arm portion each positioned around one of the support portions of the mounting bracket.

34. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 32, wherein the first component includes a torque resistant section provided to resist relative rotation between the first component and the second component.

35. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 34, wherein the torque resistant section has a non-circular cross-section.

36. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 29, wherein a removable solid mandrel is positioned within the first axle housing component to provide support for the torque resistant section during the step of crimping.

37. A method of joining two vehicle axle housing components, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first axle component disposed about a rotatable axle member;

b. providing a second axle component disposed about said rotatable axle member, wherein at least one of the first and second axle components is made from a metallic material;

c. positioning a portion of one of the first and second axle components made from the metallic material around a portion of another one of the first and second axle components in an overlapping manner, thereby forming an overlapping portion;

d. providing an inductor around the overlapping;

e. energizing the inductor to generate a magnetic field and to magnetic pulse crimp the metallic material, thereby securing the first and second axle components together.

38. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 37, wherein one of the first component and the second component includes a torque resistant section provided to resist relative rotation between the first component and the second components.

39. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 38, wherein the torque resistant section is provided with a plurality of teeth between the first component and the second components.

40. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 38, wherein the torque resistant section has a non-circular cross-section.

41. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 38, wherein the torque resistant section includes an annular recess provided with an adhesive material to enhance friction bonding between the first component and the second components with an adhesive bonding.

42. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 37, wherein both the first and second axle components are made from a metallic material, and wherein the step of energizing the inductor further magnetic pulse welds the first and second axle components.

43. The method of joining two vehicle axle housing components as defined in claim 37, wherein the step of energizing the inductor magnetic pulse crimps the metallic material without magnetic pulse welding thereof.