Universal joint having a retainer ring
A universal joint having a retainer ring that secures a bearing cup to a cross shaft. A bearing cup retainer may secure the bearing cup to the retainer ring. A cross shaft retainer may secure the retainer ring to the cross shaft. A seal may extend from the body of the retainer ring to the cross shaft.
1. A universal joint comprising:
a cross shaft having a trunnion;
a bearing module that extends around the trunnion;
a bearing cup that receives the bearing module and is rotatable with respect to the trunnion; and
a retainer ring that secures the bearing cup to the cross shaft, the retainer ring having:
a body that includes:
a support flange that engages the bearing module;
a bearing cup retainer that secures the bearing cup to the retainer ring, wherein the bearing cup retainer extends away from the cross shaft; and
a cross shaft retainer that secures the retainer ring to the cross shaft, wherein the support flange and the cross shaft retainer are disposed at opposite ends of the body; and
a seal that extends from the body to the cross shaft.
2. The universal joint of claim 1 wherein the support flange is disposed inside the bearing cup and extends toward and is spaced apart from the trunnion.
3. The universal joint of claim 1 wherein the support flange is disposed in the bearing cup and the cross shaft retainer is disposed outside the bearing cup.
4. The universal joint of claim 3 wherein the support flange and the cross shaft retainer extend toward the cross shaft and are disposed substantially parallel to each other.
5. The universal joint of claim 1 wherein the cross shaft has a trunnion groove that receives the cross shaft retainer.
6. The universal joint of claim 5 wherein the cross shaft retainer is a ring that is disposed inside the body and extends continuously around the cross shaft.
7. The universal joint of claim 1 wherein the bearing cup has a bearing cup groove that receives the bearing cup retainer.
8. The universal joint of claim 7 wherein the bearing cup groove extends continuously around the bearing cup.
9. The universal joint of claim 7 wherein the bearing cup has an end surface, a rim surface disposed opposite the end surface, and an outer surface that extends from the end surface to the rim surface and that extends around and faces away from the cross shaft, wherein the bearing cup groove is disposed on the outer surface.
10. The universal joint of claim 9 wherein the bearing cup retainer includes a first portion that extends from the body and engages the rim surface, a second portion that extends toward the end surface, and a third portion that extends toward the cross shaft and is received in the bearing cup groove.
11. The universal joint of claim 1 wherein the seal is disposed between the support flange and the cross shaft retainer.
12. The universal joint of claim 11 wherein the seal is disposed opposite the bearing cup retainer.
13. The universal joint of claim 1 wherein the bearing cup has an inner surface that engages the bearing module and a bearing cup groove that extends from the inner surface and receives the bearing cup retainer.
14. A universal joint comprising:
a cross shaft having a trunnion;
a bearing module that extends around the trunnion;
a bearing cup that receives the bearing module and is rotatable with respect to the trunnion; and
a retainer ring that secures the bearing cup to the cross shaft, the retainer ring having:
a body that includes:
a support flange that engages the bearing module;
a bearing cup retainer that secures the bearing cup to the retainer ring, wherein the bearing cup retainer extends away from the cross shaft; and
a cross shaft retainer that secures the retainer ring to the cross shaft;
a seal that extends from the body to the cross shaft; and
a thrust washer that is disposed in the bearing cup between the bearing cup and an end of the trunnion, wherein the bearing module extends from the thrust washer to the support flange.
15. The universal joint of claim 14 wherein the bearing module includes a plurality of roller bearing elements that rotate about the trunnion, wherein the support flange engages an end surface of the roller bearing elements.
16. The universal joint of claim 14 wherein the support flange and the cross shaft retainer are disposed at opposite ends of the body.
17. A universal joint comprising:
a cross shaft having a trunnion;
a bearing module that extends around the trunnion;
a bearing cup that receives the bearing module and is rotatable with respect to the trunnion, wherein the bearing cup has a bearing cup groove; and
a retainer ring that secures the bearing cup to the cross shaft, the retainer ring having:
a body that includes:
a support flange that engages the bearing module;
a bearing cup retainer that secures the bearing cup to the retainer ring, wherein the bearing cup retainer extends away from the cross shaft; and
a cross shaft retainer that secures the retainer ring to the cross shaft; and
a seal that extends from the body to the cross shaft;
wherein the bearing cup groove and the bearing cup retainer are disposed inside the bearing cup and the bearing cup groove receives the bearing cup retainer.
18. The universal joint of claim 17 wherein the bearing cup has an end surface, a rim surface disposed opposite the end surface, an outer surface that extends from the end surface to the rim surface and that extends around and faces away from the cross shaft, and an inner surface that is disposed opposite the outer surface and that engages the bearing module, wherein the body includes a step that is disposed on the rim surface and is disposed between the rim surface and the seal.
19. The universal joint of claim 18 wherein the bearing cup groove extends from the inner surface.
20. A universal joint comprising:
a cross shaft having a trunnion;
a bearing module that extends around the trunnion;
a bearing cup that receives the bearing module and is rotatable with respect to the trunnion; and
a retainer ring that secures the bearing cup to the cross shaft, the retainer ring having:
a body that includes:
a support flange that engages the bearing module;
a bearing cup retainer that secures the bearing cup to the retainer ring, wherein the bearing cup retainer extends away from the cross shaft; and
a cross shaft retainer that secures the retainer ring to the cross shaft; and
a seal that extends from the body to the cross shaft, wherein the seal is disposed between the support flange and the cross shaft retainer and the seal is disposed between the bearing cup retainer and the cross shaft retainer.