Flange assembly for supporting a bearing and an end fitting in a driveshaft assembly
A driveshaft assembly includes a driveshaft tube and a flange assembly connected to the driveshaft tube. The flange assembly includes a flange having a pilot surface and a bearing seat surface that are positioned concentric with one another. An end fitting is secured to the flange. The end fitting includes a surface that cooperates with the pilot surface to position the end fitting relative to the flange. A bearing assembly supports the flange and the driveshaft tube for rotation. The bearing assembly includes a surface that cooperates with the bearing seat surface to position the bearing assembly relative to the flange.
1 . A flange assembly for use in a driveshaft assembly comprising:
a flange including a pilot surface and a bearing seat surface that are positioned concentric with one another;
an end fitting secured to said flange, said end fitting including a surface that cooperates with said pilot surface to position said end fitting relative to said flange; and
a bearing assembly supporting said flange for rotation, said bearing assembly including a surface that cooperates with said bearing seat surface to position said bearing assembly relative to said flange.
2 . The flange assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said pilot surface is a male pilot surface, and wherein said end fitting surface is a recess formed in said end fitting.
3 . The flange assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said pilot surface and said end fitting surface are generally cylindrical in shape.
4 . The flange assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said flange includes a plurality of arms, each having an opening formed therethrough, and wherein said end fitting has a plurality of openings formed therethrough that are aligned with said flange openings.
5 . The flange assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said flange further includes a support surface that is concentric with said pilot surface and said bearing seat surface.
6 . The flange assembly defined in claim 5 further including a tube seat that is supported on said support surface of said flange.
7 . The flange assembly defined in claim 6 wherein said tube seat includes a recessed area that is adapted to support an end of a driveshaft tube thereon.
8 . The flange assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said flange includes a plurality of splines.
9 . The flange assembly defined in claim 1 further including a tube shaft having a plurality of splines that cooperate with said plurality of splines on said flange.
10 . A driveshaft assembly comprising;
a driveshaft tube; and
a flange assembly connected to said driveshaft tube, said flange assembly including a flange having a pilot surface and a bearing seat surface that are positioned concentric with one another; an end fitting secured to said flange, said end fitting including a surface that cooperates with said pilot surface to position said end fitting relative to said flange; and a bearing assembly supporting said flange for rotation, said bearing assembly including a surface that cooperates with said bearing seat surface to position said bearing assembly relative to said flange.
11 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said pilot surface is a male pilot surface, and wherein said end fitting surface is a recess formed in said end fitting.
12 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said pilot surface and said end fitting surface are generally cylindrical in shape.
13 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said flange includes a plurality of arms, each having an opening formed therethrough, and wherein said end fitting has a plurality of openings formed therethrough that are aligned with said flange openings.
14 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said flange further includes a support surface that is concentric with said pilot surface and said bearing seat surface.
15 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 14 further including a tube seat that is supported on said support surface of said flange.
16 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said tube seat includes a recessed area that supports an end of said driveshaft tube thereon.
17 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said flange includes a plurality of splines.
18 . The driveshaft assembly defined in claim 10 further including a tube shaft having a plurality of splines that cooperate with said plurality of splines on said flange.