Patent ID: 7886863

Claim:
A driveshaft assembly for transmitting rotary power between a first driveline component and a second driveline component, the driveshaft assembly comprising: a first universal joint having a splined member that is adapted to be non-rotatably but axially slidably coupled to an output member of the first driveline component to receive rotary power therefrom; a first shaft member having a first end, a second end and a magnetically encoded zone, the first end of the first shaft being mounted to the first universal joint to receive rotary power therefrom, the magnetically encoded zone being configured to produce a magnetic field that varies as a function of a torque that is transmitted through the first shaft member; a second shaft member; a second universal joint coupling a first end of the second shaft member to the second end of the first shaft member for rotation therewith; a third universal joint coupled to a second end of the second shaft member, the third universal joint being configured to couple the second shaft member to an input member of the second driveline component; a bearing assembly that comprises a bearing support, which is adapted to be coupled to a vehicle structure, and a bearing that is housed in the bearing support and journally supports the second end of the first shaft member for rotation about a first axis; and a sensor coupled to the bearing assembly and arranged to sense the magnetic field of the magnetically encoded zone and responsively produce an electrical signal.