Boot bushing for constant velocity universal joint

A stroking constant velocity universal joint comprising:

• a tulip housing having an open end in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of said tulip housing,
• a plurality of drive channels in said tulip housing each open through said plane of said open end of said tulip housing and including a pair of planar surfaces parallel to said longitudinal centerline,
• a shaft having a hub in said tulip housing with a plurality of trunnions on said hub extending into respective ones of said drive channels,
• a plurality of drive bearings in respective ones of said drive channels each including a square block having a pair of planar sides on opposite sides of said square block parallel to said pair of planar surfaces of said drive channel and a plurality of needle rollers between said planar sides of said square block and said planar surfaces of said drive channel and a cage defining a continuous path for said needle rollers around said square block,
• means pivotally connecting each of said square blocks to a corresponding one of said trunnions,
• a flexible boot having a small diameter end around said shaft and a big diameter end around said open end of said tulip housing, and
• a boot bushing including
• a unitary elastomeric annulus around said tulip housing adjacent said open end thereof having a planar back face generally in said plane of said open end of said tulip housing,
• said elastomeric annulus having a cylindrical outside surface corresponding in diameter to the diameter of said big diameter end of said boot and an inside surface corresponding in shape to the shape of said tulip housing so that said booth bushing defines a seat for said big diameter end of said boot,
• a plurality of integral bosses on said elastomeric annulus projecting beyond said plane of said back face away from said open end of said tulip housing aligned with respective ones of said drive channels, and
• a pair of planar walls on each of said integral bosses forming extensions of said planar surfaces of said aligned one of said drive channels upon which said needle rollers of the corresponding one of said drive bearings roll to maintain alignment of said planar sides of said square block of said corresponding drive bearing with said planar surfaces of said aligned one of said drive channels when the center of said corresponding one of said drive bearings is outboard of said plane of said open end of said tulip housing.