Universal joint
AssigneeFederal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
InventorsDavid Nelson, William Stern
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A universal joint having a cross-member journal or trunnion with a lubrication chamber includes a combination of a thrust washer and lubrication baffle press fit into the lubrication chamber. The thrust washer and lubrication baffle incorporate one or more lubrication grooves, facilitating the flow of lubricant between the surfaces of the cross-member and bearing cap. Elastomeric properties of the thrust washer eliminate the need for grinding of the journal surfaces to desired tolerances, while incorporation of lubrication grooves into the thrust washer surface eliminates the need for pressing of lubrication grooves directly into the journal ends prior to hardening or heat treating.
Claims14
A universal joint, comprising:
- at least one journal having an axial lubrication channel therein, said channel having a lubricant chamber at the outermost end thereof;
- and
- a lubricant retention and bearing component comprising an annular thrust washer portion having an upper surface and a lower surface and having at least one radial lubrication channel disposed on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface, a cylindrical baffle portion perpendicular to, and coaxial with, said annular thrust washer portion, a cylindrical element coaxially disposed within said cylindrical baffle portion, said cylindrical element open at opposite ends and defining an axial lubrication delivery passage, and an annular base continguously coupling said cylindrical baffle portion to said cylindrical element opposite from said annular thrust washer portion, said component press fit into said lubrication chamber, wherein said cylindrical baffle portion, said annular base, and said cylindrical element cooperatively define an annular lubrication retaining volume concentric with said axial lubrication delivery passage and an end of said cylindrical element opens adjacent said annular thrust washer portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.