Retainer assembly

A retainer for the interior assembly of a universal joint comprising:

• a shaft having a splined portion and having an external groove, said groove including a flared wall surface extending at an angle relative to said splined portion and a bottom surface extending from said flared wall surface;
• a hub member defining a bore having splines and adapted for mating engagement with said splined portion of said shaft, said hub member including an internal groove including a flared wall extending outwardly from said bore at an angle relative thereto and an annular groove portion extending from said flared wall;
• and
• a retaining ring having first and second legs that are flexible with respect to each other, said first leg engaging said flared wall surface of said shaft and said second leg engaging said flared wall of said hub, to thereby prevent relative axial movement between said hub and said shaft.

A retainer for the interior assembly of a universal joint comprising:

• a shaft having a splined portion and having an external groove outward of said splined portion, said groove including a flared wall surface extending at an angle relative to said splined portion and a bottom surface extending from said flared wall surface, said shaft further including a stop surface extending from said bottom surface, and a cam portion forward of said stop surface;
• a hub member defining a bore having splines and adapted for mating engagement with said splined portion of said shaft, said hub member internal an internal groove outward of said splines, said internal groove including a flared wall extending outwardly from said bore at an angle relative thereto and an annular groove portion extending from said flared wall, said hub member further including a shallow groove portion outward of said annular groove portion and an annular outboard flared surface outward of said shallow groove portion and angled with respect thereto;
• and
• a retaining ring having first and second legs that are flexible with respect to each other, said first leg engaging said flared wall surface of said shaft and said second leg engaging said flared wall of said hub, to thereby prevent relative axial movement between said hub and said shaft, said retainer ring further including a third leg extending from a distal end of said second leg and engaging said annular groove portion of said hub.

A method of securing a splined shaft with a splined hub comprising the steps of:

• providing a shaft having a splined portion thereon and an external groove including a flared wall surface extending at an angle relative to said splined portion and a bottom surface extending from said flared wall surface;
• providing a hub member defining a bore and having splines, said hub including an internal groove including a flared wall extending outwardly from said bore at an angle relative thereto and an annular groove portion extending from said flared wall;
• placing a retaining ring having first and second legs into said internal groove of said hub such that said second leg engages said flared wall and said second leg depends downwardly therefrom and into said bore;
• inserting said shaft into said hub member such that said splined portion of said shaft engages said splines of said bore and further inserting said shaft into said hub such that said shaft engages said first leg of said retaining ring and deflects said first leg relative to said second leg and continuing such insertion until said first leg engages said flared wall surface of said shaft.

A method of securing a splined shaft with a splined hub comprising the steps of:

• providing a shaft having a splined portion thereon and an external groove outward of said splined portion;
• providing a hub member defining a bore and having splines, said hub including an internal groove outward of said splines;
• placing a retaining ring having first and second legs into said internal groove of said hub such that said second leg depends downwardly therefrom and into said bore;
• inserting said shaft into said hub member such that said splined portion of said shaft fully engages said splines of said bore prior to engagement of said retaining ring in said external groove of said shaft;
• and
• further inserting said shaft into said hub such that said shaft engages said first leg of said retaining ring and deflects said first leg relative to said second leg and continuing such insertion until said first leg engages said external groove of said shaft.