# US 10,309,466 B2 · Protective device for a universal shaft as well as protective arrangement with universal shaft and such a protective device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,466 B2 - Document ID: US10309466B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/428,454 - Filed: 2017-02-09 - Published: 2017-08-10 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-10 - Assignees: GKN Walterscheid GmbH - Applicants: GKN Walterscheid GmbH - Inventors: Matthias Littau; Martin Hector; Wolfgang Adamek - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309466B2 ## CPC - F16D 3/841: {Open covers, e.g. guards for agricultural p.t.o. shafts} - F16B 2/20: Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening - F16D 2250/0061: Joining - Y10S 292/11: Cover fasteners - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A protective device for a universal shaft (3) has an attachment element (6), a tubular protective guard (7) and a latching device (24, 25). The attachment (6) is positioned around a shaft journal (2) projecting from a housing (1) and is attached to said housing (1). The tubular protective guard (7) extends along a longitudinal axis L and is positioned around a universal shaft (3) connected to the shaft journal (2). The latching device has at least one latching element (24) and at least one latching projection (25). The latching element (24) is arranged on either the attachment element (6) or the protective guard. The latching projection (25) is arranged on either the protective guard (7) or the attachment element (6). The latching element (24) is displaceable between a latched position and a release position. The latching element (24) is elastically formed and engages, in the latched position, behind the latching projection (25). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A protective arrangement, comprising: a housing with a shaft journal projecting from the housing; a universal shaft connected to the shaft journal; an attachment element positioned around the shaft journal and being attached to the housing; a tubular protective guard extending along a longitudinal axis, the tubular protective guard including a first shell element and a second shell element positioned around the universal shaft, the first and second shell elements connected along respective longitudinal edges; and a latching device attaching the protective guard to the attachment element; wherein the latching device has at least one latching element and at least one latching projection; wherein the latching element is arranged on the attachment element and the latching projection is arranged on the protective guard or the latching element is arranged on the protective guard and the latching projection is arranged on the attachment element; wherein the latching element is displaceable between a latched position and a release position; wherein the latching element is elastically formed and the latching element engages behind the latching projection in the latched position; and wherein the latching projection has a setting face that interacts, during pushing the protective guard in an axial direction onto the attachment element, with the latching element so that the latching element is displaced into the release position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the attachment element has a support collar, and the protective guard is radially supported on the support collar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The protective arrangement according to claim 2, wherein in the latched position of the latching element, the smallest distance of the latching element to the support collar is smaller than the largest distance of the latching projection to the support collar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The protective arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the protective guard is arranged externally around the support collar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the setting face extends in an axial direction with increasing distance to the support collar and the latching projection has a latching face, on which the latching element is axially supported in the latched position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the latching element is formed as a spring element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the latching element has engagement faces for a tool. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a return element is axially supported on the attachment element and on the protective guard and the return element biases the protective guard in a direction away from the attachment element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the latching element is attached on the attachment element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the latching projection extends at least partially along the circumference of the protective guard. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The protective arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first shell element is openable in a direction away from the second shell element. ### Claim 12 A protective arrangement, comprising: a housing with a shaft journal projecting from the housing; a universal shaft connected to the shaft journal; an attachment element positioned around the shaft journal and being attached to the housing; a tubular protective guard extending along a longitudinal axis, the tubular protective guard including a first shell element and a second shell element positioned around the universal shaft, the first and second shell elements connected along respective longitudinal edges; and a latching device attaching the protective guard to the attachment element; wherein the latching device has at least one latching element and at least one latching projection; wherein the latching element is arranged on the attachment element and the latching projection is arranged on the protective guard or the latching element is arranged on the protective guard and the latching projection is arranged on the attachment element; wherein the latching element is displaceable between a latched position and a release position; wherein the latching element is elastically formed and the latching element engages behind the latching projection in the latched position; wherein the latching projection has a setting face that interacts, during pushing the protective guard in axial direction onto the attachment element, with the latching element so that the latching element is displaced into the release position; and wherein a return element is axially supported on the attachment element and on the protective guard and the return element biases the protective guard in a direction away from the attachment element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The protective arrangement of claim 12, wherein the attachment element has a support collar, the protective guard is radially supported on the support collar. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The protective arrangement of claim 13, wherein in the latched position of the latching element, the smallest distance of the latching element to the support collar is smaller than the largest distance of the latching projection to the support collar. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The protective arrangement of claim 13, wherein the protective guard is arranged externally around the support collar. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The protective arrangement of claim 12, wherein the setting face extends in an axial direction with increasing distance to the support collar and the latching projection has a latching face, on which the latching element is axially supported in the latched position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The protective arrangement of claim 12, wherein the latching element is formed as a spring element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The protective arrangement of claim 12, wherein the latching element has engagement faces for a tool. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The protective arrangement of claim 12, wherein the latching projection extends at least partially along the circumference of the protective guard. ### Claim 20 A protective arrangement, comprising: a housing with a shaft journal projecting from the housing; a universal shaft connected to the shaft journal; an attachment element positioned around the shaft journal and being attached to the housing; a tubular protective guard extending along a longitudinal axis, the tubular protective guard positioned around the universal shaft; and a latching device attaching the protective guard to the attachment element; wherein the latching device has at least one latching element and at least one latching projection; wherein the latching element is arranged on the attachment element and the latching projection is arranged on the protective guard or the latching element is arranged on the protective guard and the latching projection is arranged on the attachment element; wherein the latching element is displaceable between a latched position and a release position; wherein the latching element is elastically formed and the latching element engages behind the latching projection in the latched position; wherein the latching projection has a setting face that interacts, during pushing the protective guard in axial direction onto the attachment element, with the latching element so that the latching element is displaced into the release position; and wherein a return element is axially supported on the attachment element and on the protective guard and the return element biases the protective guard in a direction away from the attachment element.