Robert E Dines

US Patent:

20060121994, Jun 8, 2006

Filed:

Dec 3, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/004417

Inventors:

David Douglass - Plymouth MI, US
Robert Dines - Waterford MI, US

International Classification:

F16D 3/16

US Classification:

464127000

Abstract:

A stir-welded drive shaft and a method of forming a stir-welded drive shaft. The stir-welded drive shaft is formed by the process of providing a yoke and a tube, and stir welding said yoke to said tube to define the driveshaft. A balance weight may be added to the tube after stir welding said yoke to said tube. The yoke may also include a pilot having a contact surface and an outer shoulder, wherein the contact surface and outer shoulder engage the tube to form a joint interface. The driveshaft is generally stir welded at along the joint interface.

US Patent:

20070262066, Nov 15, 2007

Filed:

May 22, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/805490

Inventors:

David Douglass - Plymouth MI, US
Robert Dines - Waterford MI, US

International Classification:

B23K 26/28

US Classification:

219162000

Abstract:

A stir-welded drive shaft and a method of forming a stir-welded drive shaft. The stir-welded drive shaft is formed by the process of providing a yoke and a tube, and stir welding said yoke to said tube to define the driveshaft. A balance weight may be added to the tube after stir welding said yoke to said tube. The yoke may also include a pilot having a contact surface and an outer shoulder, wherein the contact surface and outer shoulder engage the tube to form a joint interface. The driveshaft is generally stir welded at along the joint interface.

US Patent:

20030125118, Jul 3, 2003

Filed:

Dec 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/035066

Inventors:

Suresh Raghavan - Grosse Pointe Farms MI, US
Mark Berns - Northwood OH, US
Robert Dines - Waterford MI, US
David Douglass - Plymouth MI, US

International Classification:

B23K026/28
B23K026/00

US Classification:

464/182000, 219/121640

Abstract:

The present invention involves a laser-welded driveshaft and method of making same. The laser-welded driveshaft comprises a tube and a yoke laser welded to the tube. The tube has a driveshaft wall extending to an open end, wherein the wall has inner and outer surfaces. The yoke includes a tube-engaging pilot which is disposed through the open end and the yoke is laser-welded to the open end of the tube.