Abstract: A composite vehicle driveshaft assembly includes a composite tube and a yoke bonded to one of the ends of the tube. The yoke has an inner sleeve that is concentrically received in the end of the tube. The sleeve has an outer peripheral surface that faces the inner peripheral surface of the tube with a cavity formed therebetween. An adhesive injection passage is formed in the yoke and extends at an acute angle from an inlet that is formed in an axial surface of the yoke to an outlet that is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and that opens into the cavity. Also disclosed is a method of bonding a yoke of such a driveshaft assembly to a composite tube.

Abstract: A composite vehicle driveshaft is provided with a composite tube and a welded joint system(s) at one or both ends of the composite tube for connecting the composite vehicle driveshaft to driveline components. Each welded joint system may include a sleeve that is bonded to an end of the composite tube and a joint assembly that is welded to the sleeve.

Abstract: A composite vehicle driveshaft is provided with a crash collapse system that allows for a controlled longitudinal collapse of the driveshaft by facilitating telescopic movement of various components with respect to each other during a crash event. The crash collapse system may include a collapsible joint with a sleeve that is concentrically bonded in an end of a composite tube and a stub end assembly that is spline-engaged and interference fit within the sleeve, such as by way of a press-fit and/or a thermal shrink-fit procedure. This relationship may rotationally lock and axially fix the stub end assembly to the sleeve unless, during a crash event, the composite vehicle driveshaft experiences a compression or push-type force that exceeds a minimum breakaway or collapse force value that longitudinally and telescopically collapses the composite vehicle driveshaft.

Abstract: A composite vehicle driveshaft assembly includes a composite tube and a yoke bonded to one of the ends of the tube. The yoke has an inner sleeve that is concentrically received in the end of the tube. The sleeve has an outer peripheral surface that faces the inner peripheral surface of the tube with a cavity formed therebetween. An adhesive injection passage is formed in the yoke and extends at an acute angle from an inlet that is formed in an axial surface of the yoke to an outlet that is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and that opens into the cavity. Also disclosed is a method of bonding a yoke of such a driveshaft assembly to a composite tube.

Abstract: A composite vehicle driveshaft assembly includes a composite tube and a bondable end component that is bonded to one of the ends of the tube. The bondable end component may include a flex plate end yoke, a slip joint, or a stub shaft that may provide a modular support to which other end or joint components can mount. The modular end component may include an inner sleeve that is concentrically received in the end of the tube. The sleeve has an outer peripheral surface that faces the inner peripheral surface of the tube with a cavity formed therebetween. An adhesive injection passage is formed in the end component and extends at an acute angle from an inlet that is formed in an axial surface of the flex plate end yoke to an outlet that is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and that opens into the cavity. Also disclosed is a method of bonding an end component of such a driveshaft assembly to a composite tube.

Abstract: A system or a kit of multiple composite driveshaft assemblies for vehicles is provided, with the with the different composite driveshaft assemblies having different performance characteristics. The different performance characteristics of the composite driveshaft assemblies may be achieved by varying, for example, filament material(s), filament winding depth(s), and filament wind angle(s).