US 7,320,644 B2
Universal joint with bearing retention device and method
Robert J. Wehner, Livonia, Mich. (US)
Assigned to American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., Detroit, Mich. (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/62,934.
Prior Publication US 2006/0189395 A1, Aug. 24, 2006
Int. Cl. F16D 3/40 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 464—130  [464/128] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A universal joint comprising:
a spider having a plurality of trunnions;
a pair of yokes, each yoke having a pair of arms with an aperture formed therethrough, each yoke being arranged such that an opposite pair of the trunnions are received into the aperture in the arms, each aperture including a ring groove and a discreet recess in communication with the ring groove, the recess axially extending beyond an edge of the ring groove;
a plurality of bearing cups, each bearing cup receiving an associated one of the trunnions and being received into a corresponding aperture and an associated one of the arms, each bearing cup including a substantially cylindrical wall capped by an end wall, wherein the end wall lies in a plane intersecting the ring groove; and
a plurality of retaining members, each retaining member being formed in-situ from a molten injected polymer positioned in the ring groove, each of the retaining members including a lug positioned in the recess coupling an associated one of the bearing cups and its associated arm.