Patent ID: 6406034
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: F16J

Abstract:
A joint assembly mountable on a rotatable torque-transmitting shaft comprising:a joint housing having an open end; a boot seal fixed to said housing for sealing said open end of said housing, said boot seal including a neck portion having a generally cylindrical inner wall surface extending longitudinally inwardly from an open free end of said neck portion to provide a passage for receiving a removable shipping plug prior to assembly with the shaft; and an annular wiper rib provided on said boot seal in longitudinally inwardly spaced relation to said open free end of said neck portion, said wiper rib having a circumferentially continuous elastically deformable sealing lip projecting radially inwardly of said generally cylindrical inner wall surface of said neck portion when said sealing lip is in a free state, said sealing lip being elastically deformable longitudinally inwardly and radially outwardly of said free state to a stressed position in which said sealing lip lies substantially flush with said generally cylindrical inner wall surface in response to inserting the shipping plug into said passage.