Spacer For A Driveshaft Assembly

1 . A driveshaft assembly, comprising:

a tubular shaft having a first receiving end portion with a hollow interior;

a driveshaft end having an insert end portion with an end surface;

wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a main insert portion and a spacer mounting seat;

wherein a spacer catch surface extends between said main insert portion and said spacer mounting seat of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end;

wherein said main insert portion has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of said spacer mounting seat;

a spacer having a first end portion, a second end portion and a center portion;

wherein at least a portion of said spacer is interposed between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft;

wherein said first end portion of said spacer has a first opening;

wherein said center portion of said spacer has a wall portion, wherein at least a portion of said wall portion of said center portion of said spacer is disposed radially outboard from and in direct contact with at least a portion of said main insert portion of said driveshaft end;

wherein said second end portion of said spacer has a lip portion with a second opening and a transition portion;

wherein said second opening in said lip portion of said spacer has a first inner diameter that is less than a second inner diameter of said first opening in said spacer;

wherein at least a portion of a terminal surface defining said second opening is disposed radially outboard from said spacer mounting seat of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end; and

wherein at least a portion of said lip portion of said spacer extends inward toward an interior of said spacer at substantially a right angle relative to said wall portion of said spacer.

2 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first end portion of said spacer has a tapered portion.

3 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 2 , wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has an insert bevel that is complementary to said tapered portion of said first end portion of said spacer.

4 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said spacer catch surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a spacer edge surface having a radius of curvature that is complementary to a radius of curvature of said transition portion of said first end portion of said spacer.

5 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said end surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end is recessed from or protrudes from said second opening in said first end portion of said spacer.

6 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said spacer is made of a polymeric material, a plastic material, a metallic material, cardboard material, wooden material, or fabric material.

7 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said spacer is has a UV-curable urethane coating.

8 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a shaft mounting seat;

wherein at least a portion of said tubular shaft is disposed radially outboard from said shaft mounting seat of said driveshaft end; and

wherein said shaft mounting seat has a diameter that is greater than said diameter of said main insert portion and said diameter of said spacer mounting seat of said driveshaft end.

9 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said spacer provides an interference fit between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft.

10 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said spacer is an anti-fretting spacer.

11 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein a terminus of said wall portion of said spacer has a thickness that is greater than a radial dimension said spacer catch surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end.

12 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first receiving end portion of said tubular shaft has a first terminus and a second terminus;

wherein said first terminus has a thickness defined by a difference between a first receiving end portion inner diameter and a first receiving end portion outer diameter; and

wherein said second terminus has a thickness defined by a difference between said first receiving end portion inner diameter and an inner diameter of a center portion of said tubular shaft.

13 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 12 , wherein said thickness of said first terminus of said tubular shaft is less than said thickness of said second terminus of said tubular shaft.

14 . A driveshaft assembly, comprising:

a tubular shaft having a first receiving end portion with a hollow interior;

a driveshaft end having an insert end portion with an end surface;

wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a main insert portion having a diameter;

a spacer having a end portion and a main portion;

wherein at least a portion of said spacer is interposed between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft;

wherein said main portion of said spacer has a first opening;

wherein said main portion of said spacer has a wall portion, wherein at least a portion of said wall portion of said spacer is disposed radially outboard from and in direct contact with at least a portion of said main insert portion of said driveshaft end;

wherein said end portion of said spacer has a lip portion with a second opening and a transition portion;

wherein said second opening in said lip portion of said spacer has a first inner diameter that is less than a second inner diameter of said first opening in said spacer;

wherein at least a portion of said lip portion of said spacer is in direct contact with at least a portion of said spacer mounting seat of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end; and

wherein at least a portion of said lip portion of said spacer extends inward toward an interior of said spacer at substantially a right angle relative to said wall portion of said spacer.

15 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 14 , wherein said end surface of said driveshaft end has an edge between said edge surface and said main insert portion of said driveshaft end;

wherein said edge surface of said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a radius of curvature that is complementary to a radius of curvature of said transition portion of said spacer.

16 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 14 , wherein said spacer is made of a polymeric material, a plastic material, a metallic material, cardboard material, wooden material, or fabric material.

17 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 14 , wherein said spacer is has a UV-curable urethane coating.

18 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 14 , wherein said spacer provides an interference fit between said driveshaft end and said tubular shaft.

19 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 14 , wherein said spacer is an anti-fretting spacer.

20 . The driveshaft assembly of claim 14 , wherein said insert end portion of said driveshaft end has a shaft mounting seat;

wherein at least a portion of said tubular shaft is disposed radially outboard from said shaft mounting seat of said driveshaft end; and

wherein said shaft mounting seat has a diameter that is greater than said diameter of said main insert portion of said driveshaft end.