A linkage system for transmitting torque includes a central element, an input arm and an output arm. The central element has four sides and a top and bottom. The input arm and an output arm each have a head portion for connecting with the central element and a body portion. The head portion of each of the input and output arms defines a bearing surface having a first radius. The input and output arms engage the central element such that the bearing surfaces of the heads are offset by 90 degrees.

A joint yoke (7, 107) for a universal joint (2) has a first yoke arm (11, 111) and a second yoke arm (12, 112). The first and second yoke arms (11, 12) have at least two recesses (33, 33, 34, 34). The yoke arms (11, 12, 111, 112) have, radially to the axis of rotation (X), an outer portion (A) and an inner portion (B) adjacent to the outer portion (A). The wall thickness (d1) of the yoke arms (11, 12, 111, 112), in a radial direction to the bearing axis (Y) in a plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation (X) and through the joint center (M), is reduced in the outer portion relative to the inner portion (B).

A universal joint includes a trunnion including an annular recess in an outer surface. A bearing cup is disposed on the trunnion and includes an inner diameter surface having a retention recess therein. A needle bearing assembly is disposed between an outer surface of the trunnion and the inner diameter surface of the bearing cup. A seal assembly is disposed at an open end of the bearing cup and includes a seal support insert including a radially outwardly protruding retention member engaged with the retention recess of the bearing cup. An elastomeric seal is molded to the seal support insert and includes a plurality of radially inwardly extending seal lips engaging the outer surface of the trunnion and a dust lip extending axially from the seal support insert and including a dust lip retention feature received in an annular recess of the trunnion.

A universal joint bearing for a joint cross of a universal joint includes a hollow cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a base in an end region of the body, at least one first needle roller set including a first plurality of rollers inside the cylindrical body and at least one second needle roller set including a second plurality of rollers inside the cylindrical body. The first needle roller set is disposed adjacent to the second needle roller set in a direction of the longitudinal axis, and at least one of the first plurality of rollers is longer than at least one of the second plurality of rollers.

Drivelines have double conical bearing joints incorporated therein. The double conical bearing joints provide the drivelines with multiple degrees of freedom and allow the driveline to bear load in any direction. The conical bearing joints of the driveline include polycrystalline diamond bearing surfaces.

A universal joint assembly includes a hollow upper shaft, a lower shaft extending at least partially within the upper shaft, and a cage having a plurality of bearing apertures. Each bearing aperture includes a pair of opposed loading pads having a distinct inner wall surface sector extending radially inward into the at least one bearing aperture. The cage receives at least a portion of the lower shaft and is positioned within the hollow upper shaft. The assembly further includes at least one upper tilt pin extending through the upper shaft and a bearing aperture of the plurality of bearing apertures, and a lower tilt pin extending through the lower shaft and a bearing aperture of the plurality of bearing apertures.

In order to attach cup bearings 18 with good precision in portions between circular holes 15 that are formed in joining-arm sections 10 of yokes 7a, 7b of a cross shaft universal joint 6 and the tip-end sections of a shaft section 17a of a cross shaft 8 regardless of variation in the dimensions of the joining-arm sections 10, the circular holes 15 in the tip-end sections thereof, and the cup bearings 18, and elastic deformation of the joining-arm sections 10 of the yoke 7a during press-fitting work, press-fitting punches 33 are used to pressure fit the cup bearings 18 to a preset reference position inside the circular holes 15, and the value of the pressure that is applied to the press-fitting punches at that instant is set as a reference pressure, and at the instant when the pressure applied to the press-fitting punches becomes larger than the reference pressure by a preset specified value, the cup bearings 18 are determined to have reached positions where press-fitting is complete.

A seal for a cross member unit for universal joints has a carrier ring to be inserted into a bearing cup of the cross member unit. The carrier ring has an L-shaped cross section with a cylindrical portion coaxial to a longitudinal axis and a flange portion extending form the cylindrical portion inwardly. An elastomeric sealing lip element is connected to the carrier ring. The sealing lip element has first engagement elements form fittingly engaging into first engagement apertures. The first engagement apertures extend through the flange portion of the carrier ring. The sealing lip element further has second engagement elements form fittingly engaging into second engagement apertures. The second engagement apertures extend through the cylindrical portion of the carrier ring.

A cup assembly for a pin of a universal joint bearing includes a cup, a first seal ring attached to the cup, and a second seal ring. The first seal ring includes an elastic element and a spring element configured to preload the elastic element toward the pin, the second seal ring includes a dimensionally stable seal section that is configured to sealingly interact with the pin, and the second seal ring is connected to the cup either directly, or via the elastic element or via an elastic retainer. Also a method of installing the cup assembly.

A universal joint includes two joint forks and a pin cross. The pin cross has a central body and four pins, which project in a common plane from the central body in two directions perpendicularly to one another, and each have a bearing point at which the respective pin is mounted in a respective corresponding fork bore of the joint forks. Next to at least one of the pins, at least one protrusion is formed which protrudes beyond the respective pin perpendicularly to its central longitudinal axis and has at least one stop face, which stands perpendicularly to a common plane and serves as a stop. Only in an event of fault of a bearing of the respective pin, for supporting the pin cross on an inner side, facing the pin cross, of the corresponding joint fork in order to limit a shift of the pin cross relative to the corresponding joint fork along a central longitudinal axis of the respective pin.