Patent ID: 7288029

Claim:
A propeller shaft for a vehicle comprising: an elongated hollow cylindrical body having a splined interior surface along at least an engagement length (L) thereof; and a correspondingly splined shaft mating in register with and directly contacting the cylindrical body along the engagement length (L), wherein major (c) and minor (b) spline diameters of the splined shaft are less than respective major (y) and minor (x) spline diameters of the cylindrical body, and wherein the splined shaft includes a stub shaft at a connecting end thereof, a diameter (a) of the stub shaft being less than the splined shaft minor diameter (b) such that, in response to an inward axial load, the cylindrical body telescopes over the splined shaft including the stub shaft portion, wherein the cylindrical body is adapted to telescope over the splined shaft along a free plunge region (D 1 ) while being rotationally fixed with respect to each other such that the propeller shaft can transmit torque and, thereafter, telescope through an interference region (D 2 ) comprising an interference mechanism for energy dissipation, and wherein the interference mechanism comprises an increasing minor spline diameter (b) of the splined shaft.