The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 17, 1980
Filed:
Nov. 20, 1978
Warren W Weible, Defiance, OH (US);
The Zeller Corporation, Defiance, OH (US);
Abstract
A universal joint is provided and particularly a universal joint of the constant velocity type. The joint is particularly intended for use in drive trains of front wheel drive vehicles. The universal joint includes a pair of members attachable to each of two shafts to be joined, with a curved elongate bridging element connecting the two members. The bridging element extends in a curve from 180.degree. up to several turns in progressing from one of the members to the other. The bridging element is designed to have high resistance to bending in both a direction parallel to and a direction perpendicular to axes of the two connected shafts, when they are aligned. At the same time, the bridging element is designed to have low resistance in torsion or to twisting. These characteristics enable the bridging element to transmit torque from one shaft to the other and yet enable the bridging element to twist or flex so as to accommodate angular misalignment between the two shafts. In a preferred form, the bridging element is of I-shape in transverse cross section and is made of a multiplicity of graphite fibers extending longitudinally thereof and held in a structurally integral shape by means of a binder or coating material, such as a resin.