Axial retaining member

A unitary axial retaining member for interconnecting a first member with a second member, said unitary axial retaining member comprising:

• a hollow main body, said hollow main body having a longitudinal axis, a first end fitted over said first member, and a second end opposite said first end and adjacent said second member;
• first interconnection means extending radially inwardly from said first end of said hollow main body for interconnecting said hollow main body with said first member;
• second interconnection means extending radially outwardly from said second end of said hollow main body for interconnecting said hollow main body with said second member;
• and
• a plurality of longitudinal slots formed in said hollow main body and extending from one of said first and second ends towards the opposite of said first and second ends such as to separate said one of said first and second ends into a plurality of longitudinally extending flexible fingers;
• and
• wherein at least one of said flexible fingers is shorter than the other of said flexible fingers such as to extend only partially towards said one of said first and second ends, said at least one flexible finger further comprising a partial radial flange extending outwardly therefrom.

In combination with a constant velocity universal joint of the type having an inner joint member having a splined bore therein, a shaft having a plurality of splines thereon, said splines of said shaft being mounted in said splined bore, the improvement comprising:

• a counterbore adjacent said splined bore in said inner joint member;
• a radially inwardly oriented annular channel located in said shaft, said radially inwardly oriented annular channel being spaced from said plurality of splines on said shaft;
• an annular channel in said inner joint member, said annular channel being oriented radially outwardly from said counterbore of said inner joint member;
• a hollow unitary axial retaining member formed of a resilient material, said hollow unitary axial retaining member having a longitudinally extending main body portion fitted onto said shaft;
• a radially inwardly oriented flange extending from said main body portion at one end of said main body portion, said radially inwardly oriented flange extending into said radially inwardly oriented annular channel of said shaft;
• and a radially outwardly oriented flange extending from said hollow unitary axial retaining member at an opposite end of said main body portion, said radially outwardly oriented flange further engaging said annular channel of said inner joint member;
• and
• a plurality of longitudinal slots formed in said main body portion of said hollow unitary axial retaining member, said plurality of longitudinal slots partially extending longitudinally in a direction from said opposite end of said main body portion towards said one end of said main body portion so as to separate said opposite end of said main body portion into a plurality of longitudinally extending flexible fingers, such that when said hollow unitary axial retaining member is mounted to said shaft and said plurality of splines of said shaft are mounted to said splines of said inner joint member, said plurality of flexible fingers resiliently move radially inward as said shaft is inserted into said inner joint member until said radially outwardly oriented flange engages said annular channel in said inner joint member to lock said inner joint member to said shaft.

A locking arrangement comprising in combination:

• a female member;
• a splined bore extending through said female member;
• a male member comprising a shaft, said shaft having a plurality of splines thereon, said plurality of splines of said shaft being mounted in said splines of said bore such that said shaft and said female member are prevented from relative movement;
• a counterbore in said female member coaxial with said bore and disposed around a portion of said shaft;
• a first radially oriented annular channel in said female member extending radially outwardly from said counterbore;
• a second radially oriented annular channel in a portion of said shaft remote from said bore;
• a hollow unitary axial retaining member formed of a resilient material and having a longitudinally extending main body portion fitted onto said shaft, said hollow unitary axial retaining member having a first end and a second end;
• an inwardly oriented radial flange extending from said first end of said hollow unitary axial retaining member and engaging said second radially oriented annular channel;
• an outwardly oriented radial flange extending from said second end of said hollow unitary axial retaining member and engaging said first radially oriented annular channel;
• wherein said female member comprises an inner face of a universal joint;
• and
• a plurality of longitudinal slots formed in said main body portion and extending from said second end towards said first end such as to separate said second end into a plurality of longitudinally extending flexible fingers.