Constant velocity joint assembly

A joint assembly, comprising:

• a first joint member drivingly connected to a second joint member by one or more torque transmission elements;
• wherein a first end portion of said first joint member has a first hollow portion and a second end portion of said first joint member has a second hollow portion;
• wherein at least a portion of said second joint member and said one or more torque transmission elements are disposed within said second hollow portion of said first joint member;
• a first shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion;
• wherein a plurality of axially extending first shaft splines circumferentially extend along at least a portion of an outer surface of said second end portion of said first shaft that are complementary to and meshingly engaged with a plurality of axially extending first joint member splines circumferentially extending along at least a portion of a first inner surface defining said first hollow portion of said first joint member;
• a first joint member snap-ring groove circumferentially extends along at least a portion of said first inner surface of said first joint member;
• wherein said first joint member snap-ring groove is complementary to a first shaft snap-ring groove circumferentially extending along at least a portion of said outer surface of said second end portion of said first shaft;
• a snap-ring, said snap-ring in an unassembled state having a substantially polygonal shape defined by a plurality of interconnected substantially straight portions;
• wherein at least a portion of said snap-ring is received and/or retained within at least a portion of said first joint member snap-ring groove in said first joint member and said first shaft snap-ring groove in said first shaft;
• wherein said snap-ring in said unassembled state has a first plurality of substantially straight portions having a circumscribed radius R1 with a center that is offset from a Y-Y axis of said snap-ring by a distance D1;
• wherein said snap-ring in said unassembled state has a second plurality substantially straight portions having a circumscribed radius R2 with a center that is offset from said Y-Y axis of said snap-ring by a distance D2;
• and
• wherein said snap-ring in said unassembled state has a third plurality of straight portions having a circumscribed radius R3 with a center that is offset from an X-X axis of said snap-ring by a distance D3.

A joint assembly, comprising:

• a first joint member drivingly connected to a second joint member by one or more torque transmission elements;
• wherein a first end portion of said first joint member has a first hollow portion and a second end portion of said first joint member has a second hollow portion;
• wherein at least a portion of said second joint member and said one or more torque transmission elements are disposed within said second hollow portion of said first joint member;
• a first shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion;
• wherein a plurality of axially extending first shaft splines circumferentially extend along at least a portion of an outer surface of said second end portion of said first shaft that are complementary to an meshingly engaged with a plurality of axially extending first joint member splines circumferentially extending along at least a portion of a first inner surface defining said first hollow portion of said first joint member;
• a first nut;
• wherein a plurality of first nut threads circumferentially extend along at least a portion of a first inner surface of said first nut that are complementary to and meshingly engaged with a plurality of first shaft threads circumferentially extending along at least a portion of said outer surface of said second end portion of said first shaft;
• wherein a nut snap-ring groove circumferentially extends along at least a portion of a second inner surface of said first nut;
• wherein said nut snap-ring groove is complementary to a first joint member nut snap-ring groove circumferentially extending along at least a portion of an outer surface of said first end portion of said first joint member;
• a nut snap-ring, said nut snap-ring in an unassembled state having a substantially polygonal shape defined by a plurality of interconnected substantially straight portions;
• wherein at least a portion of said nut snap-ring is received and/or retained within at least a portion of said first joint member snap-ring groove in said first joint member and said first nut snap-ring groove in said first nut;
• wherein said nut snap-ring in said unassembled state has a first plurality of substantially straight portions having a circumscribed radius R1 with a center that is offset from a Y-Y axis of said nut snap-ring by a distance D1;
• wherein said nut snap-ring in said unassembled state has a second plurality substantially straight portions having a circumscribed radius R2 with a center that is offset from said Y-Y axis of said nut snap-ring by a distance D2;
• and
• wherein said nut snap-ring in said unassembled state has a third plurality of straight portions having a circumscribed radius R3 with a center that is offset from an X-X axis of said nut snap-ring by a distance D3.