Universal joint yoke

A universal joint yoke comprising:

• a generally cylindrical tubular body having an outer surface, an inner surface and a connecting surface disposed between said outer surface and said inner surface;
• said tubular body connecting surface being generally oriented in a plane which is generally perpendicular to the axis of said tubular body;
• a pair of ears projecting generally axially from one end of said tubular body;
• said ears having an outer surface, an inner surface and a connecting surface disposed between said outer surface and said inner surface;
• said ears having a base disposed adjacent said tubular body and a distal end disposed opposite said base;
• each of said ears defining a hole, said holes being substantially aligned along a common axis;
• each of said ear connecting surfaces having a pair of lower portions adjacent said base, an upper portion adjacent said distal end and a pair of transition portions connecting said lower portions to said upper portion;
• said lower portions are oriented such that a generally straight line drawn in said tubular body connecting surface plane goes through (i) a point at the junction of said ear outer surface and said ear connecting surface;
• (ii) a point at the junction of said ear inner surface and said ear connecting surface;
• and (iii) a point on said axis of said tubular body;
• said upper portion is oriented such that a generally straight line drawn between (i) a point on the junction of said ear outer surface and said ear connecting surface and (ii) a point at the junction of said ear inner surface and said ear connecting surface is generally parallel to said common axis;
• said tubular body has an endcap;
• said endcap is generally upwardly concave facing towards said ears;
• and
• said endcap is formed as the frustum of a hollow sphere, said frustum of said hollow sphere having an inner surface, an outer surface and a connecting surface between said endcap outer surface and said endcap inner surface;
• and
• the radius of said sphere as measured from the midpoint of said connecting surface is generally equal to the radius of said tubular body as measured from the midpoint of said tubular body connecting surface.

A universal joint yoke comprising:

• a generally cylindrical tubular body having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a connecting surface between said inner surface and said outer surface;
• and
• a pair of ears projecting generally axially from one end of said tubular body, each of said ears defining a hole;
• said tubular body having an endcap formed as the frustum of a hollow sphere, said frustum of said hollow sphere having an inner surface, an outer surface and a connecting surface between said inner endcap surface and said outer endcap surface, the radius of said sphere as measured from the midpoint of said connecting surface being generally equal to the radius measured from the midpoints of said tubular body connecting surface.