Universal Joint With Protective Shield
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsChristopher Peter Nicholas, Scott Wilson, Jonathan Gretsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A constant velocity (CV) joint includes a conical shield to protect a J-boot from damage due to projectiles such as stones. In order to facilitate vehicle assembly, the conical shield is divided into a number of leaves which each flex radially to permit installation of bolts. When the CV joint is shipped to the vehicle assembly plant, a band is installed to hold the leaves in a stowed position. Once the bolts have been installed to attach the CV joint to a driveline component, the band is removed and the leaves flex to a deployed position in which they protect the J-boot.
Claims18
A universal joint comprising:
- a ring having a ring axis, the ring defining a plurality of holes to receive fasteners to fasten the ring to a powertrain component;
- a shaft coupled to the ring and having a shaft axis non-coincident with the ring axis;
- a flexible boot fixed to the ring and to the shaft;
- and
- a protective shield having a cylindrical section fixed to the shaft and having a plurality of leaves, the leaves hinged to the cylindrical section permitting movement of the leaves from a stowed position which provides access to install the fasteners to a deployed position which protects the flexible boot from projectiles.
A vehicle driveshaft comprising:
- a shaft having a shaft axis and adapted for fixation at a first end to a differential;
- a ring adapted for fixation to a transmission and coupled to a second end of the shaft to rotate about a ring axis non-coincident with the shaft axis;
- and
- a conical sleeve fixed at a narrow end to the shaft and having a number of leaves configured to flex radially.
A method of assembling a vehicle comprising:
- positioning a U-joint ring of a shaft adjacent to a flange of a driveline component;
- while leaves of a U-joint sleeve are in a stowed position, inserting fasteners from a shaft side of the ring into the flange;
- and
- moving the leaves to a deployed position in which they form a conical shield to protect a flexible boot on the shaft side of the ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.