A boot that protects a moveable joint and retains lubricant associated with the joint. The wall of the boot includes a venting aperture that is protected by a surrounding barrier structure.

A seal and vent assembly for a constant velocity joint including a vent plate for being disposed in a compartment of the constant velocity joint. The vent plate defines a mounting aperture. A vent valve is received in the mounting aperture for sealing the compartment of the constant velocity joint. The vent valve has a body portion extending along an axis and received by the mounting aperture and a rim portion extending from the body portion into engagement with, and biased against the vent plate. The vent valve defines a chamber between the rim portion, the body portion and the vent plate. A venting channel fluidly connects the chamber of the vent valve and the compartment of the constant velocity joint. The vent plate defines the at least one venting channel.

A sealing assembly for a shaft includes: a first sealing component; a first spring energizer associated with said first sealing component; an annular support member configured for supporting said first sealing component; a second sealing component; a second spring energizer associated with said second sealing component, said first and second sealing components each having a pair of seal lips, said pairs of seal lips facing each other, said first and second spring energizers each configured for energizing respectively said first and second sealing components, each said spring energizer being respectively between one said pair of seal lips, said annular support member being disposed about the shaft and positioned between said first and second sealing components and said first and second spring energizers, said annular support member including two outwardly facing protuberances each of which interfits with a respective said pair of seal lips.

A multi-piece propeller shaft includes a constant velocity joint disposed between and operably interconnecting first and second shaft segments. The constant velocity joint includes an outer race extending along an axis A from a first outer race end operably connected to the second shaft segment to a second outer race end to define an inner surface bounding an internal cavity. A vent and seal assembly is disposed inside the outer race and defines a plurality of venting cavities disposed serially along the axis A in fluid communication with one another. A first one of the venting cavities is disposed in fluid communication with the internal cavity and a last one of the venting cavities is disposed in fluid communication with an environment of the constant velocity joint for venting air from the internal cavity to the environment.

A constant velocity joint includes a shaft and an inner race coupled to the shaft. The inner race has a shaft groove formed thereon. A boot assembly engages the shaft and covers the inner race. A pair of grooves is axially formed in the boot assembly. The shaft groove provides communication between the pair of grooves.

A propshaft with first and second propshaft segments, a bearing assembly, a slinger and a boot seal. The first and second propshaft segments have connection members that are non-rotatably but axially slidably coupled together. The bearing assembly is mounted to the first propshaft segment and supports the first propshaft segment for rotation. The slinger has a first slinger member, which is mounted to the bearing assembly, and a second slinger member that is mounted to the first propshaft segment. The first and second slinger members cooperate to shroud an axial end of the bearing assembly and are spaced apart from one another to form a labyrinth. Opposite ends of the boot seal are fixedly coupled to the second slinger member and the second propshaft segment. A vent is disposed through the second slinger member to fluidly couple the boot seal and the labyrinth.

An air venting system for a constant velocity joint (20) having an inner race (24), an outer race (22), a cage (26), a plurality of torque transferring elements (28), a drive sleeve, a drive nut and a boot assembly. The outer race has a wall portion (90) having a vent hole (88, 242) with a first and a second axially extending channel (224, 264). A radially extending wall integrally connects the second axially extending channel to the first axially extending channel. A valve (256) having a stopper portion (264), a disk portion (258) and a breather portion (260) is at least partially located within the vent hole. The breather portion (260) further includes an axially extending ring (292) that terminates in a radially extending wall. At least a portion (300) of an edge portion of the radially extending wall of the breather portion of the valve is in direct contact with at least a portion (250) of an outer surface of the wall portion of the outer race.

A propshaft with first and second propshaft segments, a bearing assembly, a slinger and a boot seal. The first and second propshaft segments have connection members that are non-rotatably but axially slidably coupled together. The bearing assembly is mounted to the first propshaft segment and supports the first propshaft segment for rotation. The slinger has a first slinger member, which is mounted to the bearing assembly, and a second slinger member that is mounted to the first propshaft segment. The first and second slinger members cooperate to shroud an axial end of the bearing assembly and are spaced apart from one another to form a labyrinth. Opposite ends of the boot seal are fixedly coupled to the second slinger member and the second propshaft segment. A vent is disposed through the second slinger member to fluidly couple the boot seal and the labyrinth.

A boot with a body cavity that protects a moveable joint and retains lubricant associated with the joint is disclosed. The wall of the boot body includes a venting aperture that is protected by a surrounding barrier structure.

A boot with a body cavity that protects a moveable joint and retains lubricant associated with the joint is disclosed. The wall of the boot body includes a venting aperture that is protected by a surrounding barrier structure.