(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a propeller shaft with a locking device and more particularly, to a propeller shaft with a locking device, capable of improving performance upon impact by reducing a collapse load generated during a collision.
(b) Background Art
Generally, propeller shafts are disposed between transfers and axles to transfer driving force. A propeller shaft includes tubes and joints, and has a spline structure to absorb variation in a length thereof. When the length of the propeller shaft is increased, the shaft is divided to secure a safety factor from the critical number of revolutions. In particular, the propeller shaft includes a center bearing structure that supports the divided portions.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary front view illustrating a swaging structure in a propeller shaft, and illustrates the swaging structure applied to a tube to reduce a collapse load during a collision. In other words, a powertrain is pushed during a collision, and thus a spline portion 100 primarily slides in an axial direction. In particular, when the end of a hub (not shown) comes into contact with a center bearing assembly (not shown) and the pushing of the powertrain is primarily completed, deformation is secondarily generated at a swaging portion 130 and the remaining pushing of the powertrain is absorbed. For example, reference numeral 140 refers to a tube, and reference numeral 170 refers to a rubber coupling.
The optimization of the swaging structure is performed through tests and analysis thereof to improve performance upon impact, and thus a collapse load is reduced by about 20% more than existing collapse loads. However, further improvements to performance upon impact are limited by the processing and strength of the swaging structure. For example, there is a need to apply a new structure in place of the current structure to the propeller shaft.
The above information disclosed in this section is merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.