Universal joint
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsRobert J. Wehner, Thomas J. Oldenburg, Donald J. Kurecka, Salvatore N. Grupido
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A universal joint includes a yoke with a leg having an aperture extending therethrough. The aperture includes an annular groove. The universal joint also includes a cruciform having a trunion, a bearing cup positioned in the aperture and mounted on the trunion and a retention member including an outer ring having a first surface and a second surface. The retention member further includes a spring tab axially extending beyond the first surface and disposed within the aperture such that the spring tab biasedly engages the bearing cup. The second surface of the retention member is at least partially disposed within the groove.
Claims7
A universal joint comprising:
- a yoke including a leg having an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture including an annular groove;
- a cruciform having a trunion;
- a bearing cup mounted on said trunion, said bearing cup positioned in said aperture;
- and
- a retention member including an outer ring having a first surface and a second surface, said outer ring disposed in said groove and further including a spring tab axially extending beyond said first surface such that said spring tab being deflected to biasedly engage said bearing cup and wherein said second surface of said outer ring is at least partially disposed in said groove.
A universal joint comprising:
- a first yoke adapted to be rotated about a first rotary axis, said first yoke including a pair of first legs each having a first throughbore including a first annular groove therein;
- a second yoke adapted to be rotated about a second rotary axis, said second yoke including a pair of second legs each having a second throughbore including a second annular groove therein;
- a cruciform having a pair of first trunions and a pair of second trunions;
- a pair of first bearing cups mounted on said first trunions and positioned in said first throughbores;
- a pair of second bearing cups mounted on said second trunions and positioned in said second throughbores;
- and
- retention members positioned in said first and second annular grooves wherein each of said retention members includes an outer ring and a radially and axially extending spring tab being deflected for biasedly engaging said first and second bearing cups;
- wherein said rotary axis of said first yoke is aligned with respect to said rotary axis of said second yoke.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.