A 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 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 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 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 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 said first end portion of a 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 said 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 grove circumferentially extends along at least a portion of a second inner surface of said first nut;
• wherein said nut snap-ring grove is complementary to a first joint member nut snap-ring groove circumferentially extending along at least a portion of said outer surface of said first end portion of said first joint member;
• a nut snap-ring 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 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 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 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.

A joint assembly, comprising:

• a first joint member drivingly connected to a second joint member by one or more torque transmission elements;
• wherein at least a portion of a first end portion of said first joint member has a reduced diameter portion;
• wherein a plurality of axially extending first joint member splines circumferentially extend along at least a portion of an outer surface of said reduced diameter portion of said first joint member;
• a first shaft;
• wherein at least a portion of a first end portion of said first shaft has a gear member with a plurality of gear teeth;
• wherein a plurality of axially extending first shaft splines circumferentially extend from at least a portion of an inner surface defining a hollow interior portion in a second end portion of said first shaft and wherein said plurality of plurality of axially extending first shaft are complementary to and meshingly engaged with said plurality of axially extending first joint member splines on said first joint member;
• a first nut having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, a second end, a first end portion and a second end portion;
• wherein a plurality of first nut threads circumferentially extend along at least a portion of said first inner surface of said first nut and wherein said plurality of first nut threads 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 first nut snap-ring groove circumferentially extends along at least a portion of said second inner surface of said first nut and is complementary to a first joint member snap-ring groove circumferentially extending along at least a portion of said outer surface of an intermediate portion of said first joint member;
• wherein said first nut has one or more axially extending portions that are plastically deformed radially inboard and are received and/or retained within at least a portion of one or more axially extending portion receiving grooves in said outer surface of said intermediate portion of said first joint member;
• and
• a 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.

A joint assembly, comprising:

• a first joint member drivingly connected to a second joint member by one or more torque transmission elements;
• wherein at least a portion of a first end portion of said first joint member has a reduced diameter portion;
• wherein a plurality of axially extending first joint member splines circumferentially extend along at least a portion of an outer surface of said reduced diameter portion of said first joint member;
• a first shaft;
• wherein at least a portion of a first end portion of said first shaft has a gear member with a plurality of gear teeth;
• wherein a plurality of axially extending first shaft splines circumferentially extend from at least a portion of an inner surface defining a hollow interior portion in a second end portion of said first shaft and wherein said plurality of plurality of axially extending first shaft splines are complementary to and meshingly engaged with said plurality of axially extending first joint member splines on 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 first plurality of first shaft threads circumferentially extending along at least a portion of an 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 and wherein said nut snap-ring groove is complementary to a first joint member snap-ring groove circumferentially along at least a portion of said outer surface of an intermediate portion of said first joint member;
• a nut snap-ring is received and/or retained within at least a portion of said nut snap-ring groove in said first nut and said first joint member snap-ring groove in said first joint member;
• a second nut having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end portion and a second end portion;
• wherein a plurality of second nut threads circumferentially extend along at least a portion of said inner surface of said second nut and wherein said plurality of second nut threads are complementary to and meshingly engaged with at least a portion of a second 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 said second nut has one or more axially extending portions that are received and/or retained within at least a portion of one or more axially extending portion receiving grooves in said outer surface of said first nut.

A joint assembly comprising:

• a first joint member drivingly connected to a second joint member by one or more torque transmission elements;
• a first shaft having a first end portion, a second end portion and an outer surface;
• a snap-ring having a substantially polygonal shape defined by a plurality of interconnected substantially straight portions;
• wherein said snap-ring 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 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;
• wherein said snap-ring 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;
• and
• wherein said snap-ring secures first shaft relative to said first joint member.