Uni-Cardan Aktiengesellschaft

Gkn Automotive Ag

Karl-Heinz Muller

Werner Krude

Helmut Riemscheid

Alfons Jordan

Hans-Heinrich Welschof

Werner Hoffmann

Thomas Schafferus

A resilient shaft coupling includes a annular member constructed of a hexagonal resilient joint disc and at least one attaching element which includes a plurality of flange arms. The resilient joint disc includes attaching regions at its corners provided with axial connecting element bores. The straight sides of the joint disc are provided with thin web regions which permit elastic deformation.

Resilient shaft coupling designed as a composite part and method of

A continuous tensioning ring for mounting convoluted boots, consisting of an annular member rolled from flat strip material so as to be round, with the free ends of the strip being connected to each other. For this purpose the two free ends 12 and 13 are provided with claws 11 whose shapes are adapted to each other, which contact each other in the strip plane by engaging each other in a line-like way and which are caulked together in a force-locking way or spot-welded together in a material-locking way. The tensioning ring 10 is subsequently crimped, i.e. radially upset.

Continuous tensioning ring for mounting convoluted boots

A connecting part for Cardan shafts, with a centering member on a drive end, a radial flange and a connecting stub for connecting the Cardan shaft of a motor vehicle on the shaft end, wherein the flange is equipped in its radially outer region with a plurality of prefabricated apertures for balance weights as well as a method for balancing such a connecting part of plastic material, wherein balance weights are inserted into preformed apertures in the flange defined by rotational measurements and are secured in their position by plastic or elastic deformation of the flange.

Connecting part equippable with balance weights for cardan shafts and

A convoluted boot made of a thin-walled thermoplastic elastomer with at least one collar region which, on its inside, has an internal annular bead engaging a flat annular groove of a universal joint with a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section, where at least the one collar region, on its outside, has an annular groove with a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section for tensioning element, which annular groove is provided with a substantially flat bottom part resting against the tensioning element and is wider than the internal annular bead, and the collar region, within the flat annular groove in the region of the internal annular bead, has at least one recess-like annular gap with a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section whose cross-sectional depth is greater than its width.

Convoluted boot

A sealing assembly for a universal joint formed as an annular disc made of resilient material extending in sealing engagement between an inner joint member or a shaft part thereof and an outer joint member with the annular disc being in sealed engagement with the outer joint member and having a central bore formed with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the shaft of the inner joint member extending therethrough in order to effect sealing engagement with the shaft, the central bore being surrounded by a reinforcing annular portion which is dimensioned with an enlarged thickness for reinforcing purposes thereby to enable large angles of articulation to be endured even when the central bore is under extreme loads thereby to provide a rugged construction for the sealing assembly.

Sealing assembly for universal joint

A drive shaft assembly particulary suited for power transmission in motor vehicles wherein a drive shaft has a universal joint connected to at least one end thereof with a sealing boot attached in sealing engagement between the outer joint member of the universal joint and the drive shaft. The invention is particularly directed to the provision of an elastomeric cover on the outer surface of the drive shaft, the elastomeric cover extending along the shaft from the exterior of the sealing boot to within the region enclosed by the boot in order to provide an arrangement which is resistant to damage, corrosion, and wear and which may be conveniently fitted and assembled. The elastomeric cover may be provided with internal ribs to establish ventilation channels for the shaft assembly.

Drive shaft assembly for motor vehicles

A universal joint assembly having a universal joint which includes a pair of joint yokes and a cross member with an input and an output shaft being connected, respectively, to each of the joint yokes is formed to include a sealing boot of resilient material which is connected at its ends to both the input and the output shafts on opposite sides of the universal joint to completely cover the joint. The sealing boot is particularly constructed to include internal formations intermediate the ends thereof which engage with the joint yokes of the universal joint to provide additional fixing support connecting the sealing boot in sealing engagement over the universal joint.

Universal joint sealing assembly

A sealing boot for connection between an outer member of a universal joint assembly and a shaft member associated with an inner member of the joint, the boot being formed with a first end portion which is connected with the joint outer member and a second end portion which is connected with the shaft member. The first end portion of the boot affords a sealing face which engages an end face of the outer joint member and which extends generally radially relative thereto and an axially extending cylindrical portion which fits over the exterior of the outer joint member in order to connect the first end portion of the boot with the outer joint member. The first end portion of the boot may be formed with external reinforcing ribs and internal inwardly extending projections which act as stops to limit movement of the boot if the joint is over articulated. The second end portion of the boot may be conventionally secured to the shaft member or it may be formed with inwardly extending sealing lips.

Sealing boot for universal joint assembly

A sealing arrangement for covering and sealing the open space in a constant velocity universal joint includes a sealing boot, one end of which is fastened to the driven part of the joint and the other end of the sealing boot extending axially from the universal joint is fastened to a sleeve which is axially displaceable and is arranged coaxially surrounding a drive shaft connected to the driving part of the joint. A coating of a material having dirt-repellent and/or water-repellent properties or permitting easy sliding is provided on the drive shaft at least in the range of axial displacement of the sleeve relative to the drive shaft.

Sealing boot arrangement for a universal joint

A universal joint assembly having a pair of yokes with yoke arms interconnected by a trunnion cross includes a seal member extending between the trunnion cross and a bushing of the assembly, with the seal including a resilient portion defining a lubricant reservoir from which lubricant may be provided for roller bodies of the assembly in order to insure adequate lubrication and long life. The seal is further provided with ribs which define between the seal and the trunnion cross ducts for lubricant flow from the reservoir to portions of the joint assembly including the roller bodies.

Lubricating seal for universal joint

In a sealing arrangement for the open space in a homokinetic universal joint formed of an outer joint member defining an interior hollow space and an inner joint member positioned within the hollow space, a sealing boot assembly includes a single part or plural part boot. The assembly includes a ring having a cylindrical inner surface mounted on the outer spherical surface of the outer joint member. When a two-part boot is used, one end of each part is fixed to the ring and the other end is secured to one of the driving or driven parts extending from the universal joint.

Sealing arrangement for a universal joint

A bearing assembly for use with a motor vehicle wheel includes an inner sealing ring located within an outer sealing ring, and a constant velocity universal joint located within the inner bearing ring for driving a wheel hub. A contact seal is positioned between the spherical outside surface of the outer joint member of the universal joint and the inside surface of the inner bearing ring. The contact seal extends in the axial direction of the universal joint and has one end fitted into a groove in the inside surface of the inner bearing ring. A plurality of sealing lips extend inwardly from the inner surface of the contact seal into contact with the spherical outside surface of the outer joint member. The lips are spaced apart in the axial direction of the universal joint and extend perpendicularly to the spherical outer surface of the outer joint member. A reinforcing ring laterally encloses the outer surface of the contact seal.

Growing community of inventors

Wissen, Germany

Karl-Heinz Muller