DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The embodiments herein relate to a companion flange in a power transmission drivetrain system of at least one of a vehicle, a machine (industrial machine) and the like, where the companion flange having a first portion defining at least one locking portion adapted to restrict the movement (linear movement) of a dust cover thereby locking the dust cover onto the first portion of the companion flange at a predetermined position when the dust cover is assembled onto the first portion of the companion flange; and a second portion defining a plurality of speed sensing portions adapted to be provided in communication with a speed sensor which senses the output speed of an output shaft of a power transmission unit and accordingly provides the information (speed) to at least one of a cabin dashboard (instrumental cluster) in the vehicleand a separate display unit installed in an industrial workstation.
BACKGROUND
[002] Generally, a companion flange in a vehicle is used to transmit the power from an output shaft of a power transmission unit of the vehicle to a propeller shaft/drive shaft of the vehicle. The companion flange is mounted (spline fitted) to an output shaft of the power transmission unit of the vehicle and is rotatably connected to a propeller shaft of the vehicle. Usually, a dust cover is connected to the companion flange by weldingtherein to protect an oil seal from contaminants present in air. Contaminants may enter the oil seal if the dust cover is not properly welded with the companion flange or if the dust cover is damaged due to wear and tear, and alsoremoving the dust cover from the companion flange is difficult. Typically, a speed sensor is provided in communication with a separate speedo tonner ring to sense the output speed of the power transmission unit of the vehicle and the same speed which sensed by the speed sensor is displayed on a cabin dashboard (instrumental cluster) of the vehicle. Most vehicles have speedo tonner ring spaced away from the companion flange. The positioning of speedo tonner ring in the vehicle is complex and is one of the challenges posed to the original equipment manufacturers (OEM’S). Further, themanufacturing of the speed tonner ring involves multiple machining operations and the process is tedious.
[003] Therefore, there exists a need for a companion flange in a power transmission drive train system of at least one of a vehicle, a machine and the like, which obviates the aforementioned drawbacks.
OBJECTS
[004] The principal object of an embodiment of this invention is toprovide a companion flange in a power transmission drive train system of at least one of a vehicle, a machine (industrial machine) and the like, where the companion flange having a first portion defining at least one locking portion adapted to restrict the movement (linear movement) of a dust cover thereby locking the dust cover onto the first portion of the companion flange at a predetermined position when the dust cover is assembled onto the first portion of the companion flange; and a second portion defining a plurality of speed sensing portions adapted to be provided in communication with a speed sensor which senses the output speed of an output shaft of a power transmission unit and accordingly provides the information (speed) to at least one of a cabin dashboard (instrumental cluster) in the vehicle and a separate display unit installed in an industrial workstation.
[005] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a companion flange for a power transmission drive train system of at least one of a vehicle, a machine (industrial machine) and the like, which has integrated plurality of speed sensing portions thereby eliminatingthe need of a separate speedo tonner ring.
[006] Yet, another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a companion flange for a power transmission drive train system of at least one of a vehicle, a machine (industrial machine) and the like, which eliminates the need of welding the dust cover with the companion flange thereby reducing costs and eliminates welding defects.
[007] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[008] The embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[009] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a companion flange in a power transmission drive train system of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0010] FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of the companion flange and a dust cover in assembled condition, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0011] FIG. 3 depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a first portion of the companion flange, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0012] FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view of the companion flange assembled to an output shaft of a power transmission unit of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0013] FIG. 5 depicts a partial cross-sectional view of the companion flange, an oil seal, the dust cover and the output shaft of the power transmission unit in assembled condition, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein; and
[0014] FIG. 6 depicts a side view of a speed sensor provided in communication with at least one speed sensing portion of a second portion of the companion flange, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0016] The embodiments herein achieve a companion flange in a power transmission drive train system of at least one of a vehicle, a machine (industrial machine) and the like, where the companion flange having a first portion defining at least one locking portion adapted to restrict the movement (linear movement) of a dust cover thereby locking the dust cover onto the first portion of the companion flange at a predetermined position when the dust cover is assembled onto the first portion of the companion flange; and a second portion defining a plurality of speed sensing portions adapted to be provided in communication with a speed sensor which senses the output speed of an output shaft of a power transmission unit and accordingly provides the information (speed) to at least one of a cabin dashboard (instrumental cluster) in the vehicle and a separate display unit installed in an industrial workstation (workplace).Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1through 6, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughoutthe figures, there are shown embodiments.
[0017] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a companion flange 100 in a power transmission drive train system of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. For the purpose of this description and ease of understanding, the companion flange 100 is explained herein below with reference to be provided in a power transmission drive train systemof a vehicle. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the companion flange 100in a power transmission drive train system of at least one of a machine, any other systems, wind turbines, generators, turbines, rotary applications, or in any other machines/systems using rotary shafts and/or gears. In an embodiment, the companion flange 100 is used to transmit the power from an output shaft 10S (as shown in fig. 4) of a power transmission unit 10T (as shown in fig. 4) of the vehicle to a propeller shaft (not shown, also can be considered as drive shaft) of the vehicle thereby propelling the vehicle during operation of an engine (not shown) of the vehicle. The companion flange 100 is mounted (spline fitted) onto the output shaft 10S of the power transmission unit 10T at a predetermined position and rotatably connected to the propeller shaft (drive shaft) of the power transmission drive train system of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the companion flange 100 includes a first portion 100F, an intermediate portion 100I, a second portion 100S and a flange 100X.FIG. 3 depicts a partial cross-sectional view of a first portion 100F of the companion flange 100, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. The first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 defines at least one locking portion 100L, a taper portion 100T and a dust cover seating portion 100D. The locking portion 100L of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 is provided onto the first portion 100F at a predetermined position (can be considered as one end which is immediately to the rear of an oil seal R, as shown in fig. 5). The locking portion 100L (can be considered as locking cone) of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 is adapted to restrict the movement (linear movement) of a dust cover D (as shown in fig. 2) thereby locking the dust cover D onto the dust cover seating portion 100D of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 at a predetermined position when the dust cover D is assembled onto the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100. The locking portion 100L of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 is radially extending along the circumference of the first portion 100F at a predetermined position. The locking portion 100L of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 substantially defines a cone shape configuration. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the locking portion 100L of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 in any other shape and size without otherwise deterring the intended function of the locking portion 100L of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 as can be deduced from the description and corresponding drawings. The taper portion 100T (can be considered as slope portion) of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 is provided at a predetermined distance from the locking portion 100L and immediately to the rear of the dust cover seating portion 100D of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100. The dust cover seating portion 100D of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 is provided in between the locking portion 100L and the taper portion 100T of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100. The dust cover seating portion 100D of the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 is used to facilitate seating of the dust cover D onto the first portion 100F thereby mounting the dust cover D onto the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100. The intermediate portion 100I extends from the first portion 102F of the companion flange 100. The intermediate portion 100I of the companion flange 100 is adapted to facilitate mounting of the oil seal R at a predetermined position. The second portion 100S extends from the intermediate portion 100I of the companion flange 100. The second portion 100S of the companion flange 100 defines a plurality of speed sensing portions 100P (can be considered as speedo tonner portion) adapted to be provided in communication with a speed sensor S (as shown in fig. 6) which senses the output speed of the output shaft 10S of the power transmission unit 10T and accordingly provides the information (speed) to at least one of a cabin dashboard (instrumental cluster) in the vehicle and a separate display unit installed in an industrial workstation. Each speed sensing portion 100P of the second portion 100S of the companion flange 100 can be considered to be at least one of a cavity and an opening. Each speed sensing portion 100P of the second portion 100S of the companion flange 100 is provided at a predefined angle from the other. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the plurality of speed sensing portions 100P onto the first portion 100F or onto the intermediate portion 100I or any other portion of the companion flange 100 without otherwise deterring the intended function of the plurality of speed sensing portions 100P of the second portion 100S of the companion flange 100 as can be deduced from the description and corresponding drawings. The flange 100X is radially extending from the first portion 100F of the companion flange 100 at a predetermined position.
[0018] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
,CLAIMS:STATEMENT OF CLAIMS

We claim,

1. A companion flange 100 having:
a first portion 100F defining at least one locking portion 100L adapted to restrict the movement of a dust cover D thereby locking the dust cover D onto said first portion 100F of said companion flange 100 at a predetermined position when the dust cover D is assembled onto said first portion 100F of said companion flange 100; and
a second portion 100S defining a plurality of speed sensing portions 100P adapted to be provided in communication with a speed sensor S.

2. The companion flange 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking portion 100L of said first portion 100F substantially defines a cone shape configuration, where said locking portion 100L radially extends along the circumference of said first portion 100F at a predetermined position.

3. The companion flange 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said speed sensing portion 100P of said second portion 100S is at least one of a cavity and an opening, where each speed sensing portion 100P is provided at a predefined angle from the other.

4. The companion flange 100 as claimed in claim 1 further includes an intermediate portion 100I between the first portion 100F and the second portion 100S, where the intermediate portion 100I extendsfrom the first portion 100F.

5. The companion flange 100 as claimed in claim 1, further defines a flange 100X radially extending from the first portion 100F at a predetermined position.

6. The companion flange 100 as claimed in claim 1 is configured to be provided ina power transmission drive train system of at least one of a vehicle, a machine (industrial machine) and the like.

7. The companion flange 100 as claimed in claim 6is adapted to be mounted onto an output shaft 10S of a power transmission unit 10T at a predetermined position and rotatably connected to a propeller shaft (drive shaft) of the power transmission drive train system of the vehicle.