US 12,220,881 B2
Flexible thermoplastic driveshaft
Raghu Iyer, New Hartford, NY (US); Joyel M. Schaefer, Earlville, NY (US); and Brayton Reed, Rome, NY (US)
Assigned to Goodrich Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Goodrich Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Jan. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/586,510.
Application 17/586,510 is a division of application No. 16/748,308, filed on Jan. 21, 2020, granted, now 11,260,605.
Prior Publication US 2022/0143933 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/38 (2006.01); B29C 70/32 (2006.01); B29C 70/34 (2006.01); F16C 1/02 (2006.01); F16C 3/02 (2006.01); F16D 3/72 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/382 (2013.01) [B29C 70/32 (2013.01); B29C 70/34 (2013.01); F16C 1/02 (2013.01); F16C 3/026 (2013.01); F16D 3/725 (2013.01); B29L 2031/75 (2013.01); F16C 2326/43 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flexible composite driveshaft formed by automated fiber placement, the flexible composite driveshaft comprising:
a first region extending longitudinally about an axis and having a substantially constant first diameter; and
a second region adjacent to the first region, the second region comprising:
a first diaphragm extending radially outward from the first region about a circumference of the driveshaft; and
a second diaphragm extending radially outward from the first region about the circumference of the driveshaft;
wherein the first and second regions each comprise a plurality of strips of unidirectional fiber tape, wherein the plurality of strips is arranged in a plurality of stacked layers and wherein a first portion of the plurality of strips is oriented in a circumferential direction; and
wherein at least one of the circumferentially-oriented strips of unidirectional fiber tape is positioned between the first and second diaphragms and comprises a plurality of folds formed about the circumference of the driveshaft.