Patent ID: 8371950

Claim:
A coupling assembly for releasably connecting a motor vehicle hub bearing unit with a constant velocity joint, the hub bearing unit including a rotatable hub having a driving ring with outer splines and a rotatable member with an end surface, the coupling assembly comprising: a bell member of the constant velocity joint, the bell member including a generally tubular section disposed about the driving ring, the tubular section having an end surface facing the hub member end surface and an inner circumferential surface defining a bore, the inner surface having a plurality of inner splines engageable with the driving ring outer splines and a generally conical, tapering surface section; an annular sealing member disposed between the hub member end surface and the bell tubular section end surface and configured to substantially seal the space between the two end surfaces; a generally annular retainer disposed within the bell tubular section bore and having a generally conical, tapering outer circumferential surface engageable with the tapering inner surface section of the bore such that the bell tubular section is retained generally between the retainer outer surface and the hub end surface to prevent disengagement of the hub and bell splines and to compress the sealing member between the hub member end surface and the bell end surface; and a connector configured to connect the retainer with the hub.