Filament wound composite shaft

1. A shaft comprising:

a first coupling member to couple said shaft to one of a rotationally driving and a rotationally driven component;

a second coupling member axially spaced from said first coupling member to couple said shaft to the other of the rotationally driving and the rotationally driven component;

a filament wound shaft member having a first end fixed to said first coupling member, a second end fixed to said second coupling member, and a body portion extending therebetween; and

a pilot shaft disposed radially within said filament wound shaft member and extending from said first coupling member to said second coupling member, said pilot shaft defining a first annular wall portion located on said first coupling member and a second annular wall portion located on said second coupling member, said first annular wall portion extending axially outward beyond an axially inner end of said first coupling member and said second annular wall portion extending axially outward beyond an axially inner end of said second coupling member.

2. The shaft of claim 1 wherein said pilot shaft includes a first end defining said first annular wall portion and engaged with said first coupling member and a second end defining said second annular wall portion and engaged with said second coupling member.

3. The shaft of claim 2 wherein said first coupling member includes a first opening in said axially inner end thereof, said first end of said pilot shaft being disposed within said first opening.

4. The shaft of claim 3 wherein said first opening includes a first stop therein and said first end of said pilot shaft abuts said first stop.

5. The shaft of claim 4 wherein said second coupling member includes a second opening in said axially inner end thereof including a second stop therein, said second end of said pilot shaft being disposed within said second opening and abutting said second stop to provide a predetermined spacing between said first and second coupling members.

6. The shaft of claim 2 wherein said axially inner end of said first coupling member extends into said first end of said pilot shaft.

7. The shaft of claim 6 wherein said first coupling member includes a first stop abutting said first end of said pilot shaft.

8. The shaft of claim 7 wherein said axially inner end of said second coupling member extends into said second end of said pilot shaft and includes a second stop abutting said second end of said pilot shaft to provide a predetermined spacing between said first and second coupling members.

9. The shaft of claim 2 wherein said engagement between said first end of said pilot shaft and said first coupling member has a torsional strength that is less than a minimum torsional strength of said filament wound shaft member.

10. The shaft of claim 9 wherein the minimum torsional strength of said filament wound shaft member is located between a first location where said first end of said filament wound shaft member is fixed to said first coupling member and a second location where said second end of said filament wound shaft member is fixed to said second coupling member.

11. The shaft of claim 1 wherein said pilot shaft defines a hollow body.

12. A shaft comprising:

a first coupling member to couple said shaft to one of a rotationally driving and a rotationally driven component;

a second coupling member axially spaced from said first coupling member to couple said shaft to the other of the rotationally driving and the rotationally driven component;

a filament wound shaft member having a first end fixed to said first coupling member, a second end fixed to said second coupling member, and a body portion extending therebetween; and

a pilot shaft disposed radially within said filament wound shaft member and extending from said first coupling member to said second coupling member, said pilot shaft including a first end engaged with said first coupling member and a second end engaged with said second coupling member, said engagement between said first end of said pilot shaft and said first coupling member having a torsional strength that is less than a minimum torsional strength of said filament wound shaft member, and the minimum torsional strength of said filament wound shaft member being located between a first location where said first end of said filament wound shaft member is fixed to said first coupling member and a second location where said second end of said filament wound shaft member is fixed to said second coupling member.

13. The shaft of claim 12 wherein said first and second ends of said pilot shaft extend axially beyond axially inner ends of said first and second coupling members.

14. The shaft of claim 13 wherein said first coupling member includes a first opening in said axially inner end thereof, said first end of said pilot shaft being disposed within said first opening.

15. The shaft of claim 14 wherein said first opening includes a first stop therein and said first end of said pilot shaft abuts said first stop.

16. The shaft of claim 15 wherein said second coupling member includes a second opening in said axially inner end thereof including a second stop therein, said second end of said pilot shaft being disposed within said second opening and abutting said second stop to provide a predetermined spacing between said first and second coupling members.

17. The shaft of claim 13 wherein said axially inner end of said first coupling member extends into said first end of said pilot shaft.

18. The shaft of claim 17 wherein said first coupling member includes a first stop abutting said first end of said pilot shaft.

19. The shaft of claim 18 wherein said axially inner end of said second coupling member extends into said second end of said pilot shaft and includes a second stop abutting said second end of said pilot shaft to provide a predetermined spacing between said first and second coupling members.