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US 2004/0166946 A1Published application
Driveshaft assembly with retention mechanism
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Bommarito, Steven P. Gillihan, Joseph P. Flanagan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A universal joint includes a yoke with a leg having an aperture extending therethrough. The aperture includes an annular groove. The universal joint also includes a cruciform having a trunnion, a bearing cup positioned in the aperture and mounted on the trunnion and a retention member including a stepped cross-section. The retention member is disposed within the groove to fill the gap remaining between the groove edge and the bearing cup.
Claims8
A universal joint comprising:
- a yoke including a leg having an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture including an annular groove;
- a cruciform having a trunnion;
- a bearing cup mounted on said trunnion, said bearing cup positioned in said aperture;
- and
- a retention member including a ring having a plurality of stepped surfaces, wherein at least one of said stepped surfaces is disposed in said groove and wherein said ring biasedly engages said yoke.
2 more elements
A universal joint comprising:
- a first yoke adapted to be rotated about a first rotary axis, said first yoke including a pair of first legs each having a first throughbore including a first annular groove therein;
- a second yoke adapted to be rotated about a second rotary axis, said second yoke including a pair of second legs each having a second throughbore including a second annular groove therein;
- a cruciform having a pair of first trunnions and a pair of second trunnions;
- a pair of first bearing cups mounted on said first trunnions and positioned in said first throughbores;
- a pair of second bearing cups mounted on said second trunnions and positioned in said second throughbores;
- and
- retention members each including an inner edge, an outer edge and a variable thickness cross-section, wherein the thickness of said cross-section increases from said outer edge to said inner edge, said outer edge and at least a portion of said cross-section being positioned within said first and second annular grooves;
- wherein said rotary axis of said first yoke is aligned with respect to said rotary axis of said second yoke.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.