Patent ID: 7115036

Claim:
A universal coupling comprising: a torque transmitting unit; first and second shafts that are connected through the torque transmitting unit; a boot covering the torque transmitting unit and having a first end connected to the first shaft and a second end connected to the second shaft, the second end being formed into a cylindrical wall that is tightly disposed on a cylindrical portion of the second shaft and has an axially leading end; a boot cover disposed on the cylindrical portion of the second shaft to cover the cylindrical wall leaving an annular clearance therebetween, the boot cover having an inside end surface that contacts the axially leading end of the cylindrical wall; and an air bleeding passage that communicates the inside of the boot with the outside of the same, the air bleeding passage including a first passage that is at least one groove formed in an inner surface of the cylindrical wall and a second passage that is defined between the axially leading end of the cylindrical wall and the inside end surface of the boot cover, the second passage being provided by at least one of the axially leading end and the inside end surface, wherein the inside end surface is formed with projections that contact the axially leading end to provide a clearance between the inside surface and the axially leading end, the clearance constituting the second passage.