Axle-shaft system with two-stage stiffness and side-to-side stiffness bias

摘要

An axle-shaft system for transmitting torque in a motor vehicle drive-train includes first and second two-stage stiffness axle-shafts. Each axle-shaft includes a hollow cylinder having first and second ends and a hollow cylinder stiffness. The axle-shaft also includes an inner shaft extending through the hollow cylinder, and having first and second ends and an inner shaft stiffness. The inner shaft's and the hollow cylinder's first ends are engaged via a rotational clearance fit. The inner shaft's and the hollow cylinder's second ends are rotationally fixed to permit the inner shaft's first end to twist relative to the inner shaft's second end. The inner shaft's stiffness defines the axle-shaft's first-stage stiffness, while the inner shaft's and the hollow cylinder's combined stiffness defines the axle-shaft's second-stage stiffness. At least one of the first-stage and second-stage stiffness of the first axle-shaft is dissimilar from the respective stiffness of the second axle-shaft.