Dana Corporation

Torque-traction Technologies, Inc.

Andrew L Nieman

Ray A Gall

James A Duggan

Leon W Valencic

Kerry Shannon

A process for balancing a vehicular driveline including a propeller shaft and an input shaft of a vehicle axle interconnected by a universal joint. First, the vehicle propeller shaft is balanced to a predetermined residual imbalance having an imbalance vector angle of 0&#xb0; or 180&#xb0; which lies inline with open set of cardan joint trunnions. The corrected residual imbalance is then visually marked. Next, the input shaft is balanced to a predetermined residual imbalance having an imbalance vector angle of 0&#xb0; or 180&#xb0; which lies inline with cross-holes in yoke ears. Again, the corrected residual imbalance on the input shaft is then visually marked. During the assembly of the vehicle, the assembly line operator couples the propeller shaft to the input shaft through a cardan joint cross by aligning the marks on the propeller shaft and the input shaft so that the marks are located opposite to each other.

System and method for balancing a driveline system

A universal joint assembly includes a cross having a plurality of trunnions extending outwardly therefrom. A bearing cup is disposed about each of the trunnions, and a plurality of needle bearings is disposed between each of the bearing cups and its associated trunnion to facilitate relative rotational movement. A thrust washer is disposed between the outer end surface of each of the trunnions and its associated bearing cup. Each of the thrust washers is generally annular in shape, including a first inner annular region surrounded by a second outer annular region. The inner region is sized to extend between the outer end surface of the trunnion and the associated inner surface of the end portion of the bearing cup. The outer region is sized to extend between the outer ends of the needle bearings and the associated inner A surfaces of the end portions of the bearing cup. The outer region is connected to and supported on the inner region by a plurality of radially extending legs. The inner region of the thrust washer is formed from a first material, while the outer region of the thrust washer is formed from a second material that is different from the first material. The inner region is preferably formed from a first material that is suited to withstand the relatively large loading stresses experienced between the trunnion and the bearing cup during use. The second region is preferably formed from a second material that is suited to lubricate the needle bearings during use. It is desirable that the first and second materials be capable of being molded together simultaneously to form the integral thrust washer.

Thrust washer for universal joint

A driveshaft assembly includes a universal joint and a driveshaft tube. The universal joint includes a hollow journal and bearing carrier that is adapted to support a cross having a plurality of outwardly extending trunnions therein. In a first embodiment, the universal joint is assembled by initially disposing a pair of bearing supports loosely about a first pair of opposed trunnions of the cross. Next, the cross and the bearing supports are inserted within the carrier. The bearing supports are preferably sized to fit snugly within the carrier. Then, bearing cups are inserted through openings formed through upper and lower panels of the carrier and through openings formed through the bearing supports onto the opposed trunnions of the cross. The carrier and the cross are then connected to the driveshaft tube by moving them axially such that the carrier is received within opposed channel regions provided in a pair of arms formed in an end portion of the driveshaft tube. Lastly, the outermost ends of the arms of the end portion are bent inwardly toward one another to enclose portions of the carrier therein. The bent ends of the arms function to positively retain the universal joint within the end portion of the driveshaft tube.

Driveshaft tube and universal joint assembly and method of manufacturing same

A universal joint assembly includes a cross having a plurality of trunnions extending outwardly therefrom. An internal passageway is formed in each of the trunnions that extends through to the outer end thereof. A bearing cup is disposed about each of the trunnions, and a plurality of needle bearings is disposed between each of the bearing cups and its associated trunnion to facilitate relative rotational movement. A thrust washer is disposed between the outer end surface of each of the trunnions and its associated bearing cup. Each of the trust washers is generally annular in shape, including an outer flat portion and an inner frusto-conical portion having a central opening formed therethrough. One or more grooves may be formed in one or both sides of the thrust washer. The frusto-conical portion of the thrust washer extends within the lubricant passageway to facilitate the installation thereof in a centered position on the outer end of the trunnion and subsequently maintain the thrust washer in that desired position during use.

A slip joint seal assembly includes an elastomeric sealing body and an annular metallic cage circumferentially supporting the body. The assembly also includes a relubrication chamber. An auxiliary sealing lip on the elastomeric sealing body is normally out of contact with a shaft, but engages the shaft upon pressurization of the relubrication chamber to prevent lubrication from flowing toward primary sealing lips on the sealing body during relubrication. In a preferred form, the elastomeric sealing body includes a pair of sealing lips disposed for making angular contact with the shaft, while the auxiliary lip is also angularly disposed with respect to the shaft but in an axially opposite direction. In an alternate preferred form, an annular ring provides a reduction in volume of the relubrication chamber between the cage and shaft to enhance pressurization characteristics of the chamber.

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Lambertville, MI, United States of America

Andrew L Nieman