TULIP COVER ASSEMBLY FOR CONSTANT VELOCITY TRIPOD JOINT

摘要

A self-aligning tripod joint tulip cover for use in a tripod joint assembly that has an irregularly shaped, non-circular tulip body and a shaft mounted spider assembly, the tulip cover having a cylindrical flange that surrounds a portion of the tulip body, interconnecting projections extending from the cylindrical flange that are received in part annular recesses of part cylindrical outer surface portions of the tulip body to secure the tulip cover to the tulip body, the tulip body further having an annular flange that extends radially inwardly from the cylindrical flange to lie in close proximity to the front face of the tulip body and to trap a resilient, annular sealing member therebetween. The tulip body has a longitudinal recess therein and longitudinal tracks that extend radially outwardly from the recess, each such recess slidingly receiving a roller of the spider assembly to permit reciprocation of the spider assembly within the tulip body. The tulip cover also has longitudinally extending projections which extend from the annular flange into the tracks in the tulip body to help prevent relative rotational movement between the tulip cover and the tulip body. The tripod joint assembly also has an annular flexible sealing boot, one end of which is attached to the shaft of the spider assembly and the other end of which is attached to the outside of the cylindrical flange of the tulip cover and is maintained in such position by a constricting band. The tulip cover is molded in a single piece from a thermoplastic material.