Patent ID: 7354216

Claim:
A splined joint comprising: an internally splined first component and a second externally splined component; a grease seal cup having an end portion and an annular wall defined by a cylindrical interior portion and a tapered outer portion wherein the thickness of the annular wall increases as a function of distance from said end portion; a first seal formed between said cylindrical interior portion of said grease seal cup and said internally splined first component; a second seal formed between said tapered outer portion of said grease seal cup and a sealing member extending from and being integral to said externally splined second component so that said second seal is formed between said tapered outer portion and said second component; the end portion of the grease seal cup extending radially inward from and integral to said annular wall of the grease seal cup; the end portion of the grease seal cup engaged with an end portion of the internally splined first component; wherein the end portion of the grease seal cup resists axial displacement of the grease seal cup during axial urging of the internally splined first component into the externally splined second component, irrespective of circumferential orientation of the grease seal cup relative to the circumferential orientation of the first component or the second component; and wherein the annular wall of the grease seal cup is squeezed between said internally splined first component and said sealing member of said externally splined second component.