Long plunge VL joint

A propeller shaft assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a constant velocity universal joint comprising:
• an outer joint part including an outer race surface having an outer forward portion and an outer rearward portion;
• an inner joint part including an inner race surface having an inner forward portion and an inner rearward portion;
• a plurality of torque transmitting balls each guided in a corresponding pair of said outer and inner race surfaces;
• and
• a ball cage having a plurality of cage windows each accommodating one of said torque transmitting balls and holding said torque transmitting balls in a plane when said torque transmitting balls are in communication with said inner race surface and said outer race surface;
• a hollow shaft connected to said outer joint part;
• a connecting shaft connected to said inner joint part and having a recessed surface portion;
• and
• a first stop;
• wherein during a collision, said torque transmitting balls translate off said inner race surface and drop into said recessed surface portion allowing said connecting shaft to collapse into said hollow shaft, said torque transmitting balls cross the edge of said inner forward portion prior to said outer rearward portion contacting said torque transmitting balls.

A propeller shaft assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a constant velocity universal joint comprising:
• an outer joint part including an outer race surface having an outer forward portion and an outer rearward portion;
• an inner joint part including an inner race surface having an inner forward portion and an inner rearward portion;
• a plurality of torque transmitting balls each guided in a corresponding pair of said outer and inner race surfaces;
• and
• a ball cage having a plurality of cage windows each accommodating one of said torque transmitting balls and holding said torque transmitting balls in a plane when said torque transmitting balls are in communication with said inner race surface and said outer race surface;
• a hollow shaft connected to said outer joint part;
• and
• a connecting shaft connected to said inner joint part;
• said outer rearward portion and said inner forward portion adapted to act as a first stop;
• wherein during a collision, said torque transmitting balls cross the edge of said inner forward portion prior to said outer rearward portion contacting said torque transmitting balls, thereby allowing said connecting shaft to collapse into said hollow shaft without disintegrating said ball cage.