Patent ID: 7335108

Claim:
A drive shaft comprising: an elongated composite laminate shaft portion having opposing ends; and at least one end adapter disposed at one end of the composite laminate shaft portion, the end adapter being captured into the composite laminate shaft portion during the process of manufacturing the composite laminate shaft portion; wherein the end adapter comprises: a component interface portion adapted for coupling to a driving or driven component; and an adapter-tube interface portion; wherein the adapter-tube interface portion is adapted to be captured into the composite material portion during the process of manufacturing; wherein the end adapter further comprises: at least one outwardly protruding lug disposed at the adapter-tube interface portion; wherein each lug comprises: a circumferentially exterior lug face; a lug flank on each side of the lug face for transmitting torque from the end adapter to the composite material portion and vice versa; a lug base between the lug flanks of adjacent lugs; and a tapered lug end on each longitudinal end of the lug for supporting axial tensile loads, axial compressive loads, and bending moments.