Joint for cardan shafts

Abstract

A joint is provided for cardan shafts, as are for instance, utilized in steering columns of motor vehicles and includes a trunnion cross provided as a coupling member, the axis length of the one pair of trunnions of this trunnion cross being larger than the axis length of the other trunnion pair, the trunnion pair having the greater axis length being supported in the end of one shaft configured as a bell-shaped joint part, while the trunnion pair having the smaller axis length on the hand is received by the arms of a fork, forming the end of the other shaft. The ratio of the lengths of the lever arms, on which the computation of the arising forces and moments is based, is only slightly greater than one, and the outer side of the bell or tulip shaped joint part is set off in a step like manner for receiving and/or abutting a bearing or a bearing ring. The center point of the joint lies in or closely to the central plane of the bearing or bearing ring received by the bell-shaped joint part.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.