Patent ID: 7179172

Claim:
A universal joint, comprising: at least one journal including a cylindrical outer wall and an outward end forming a thrust face, said journal having an axial lubrication channel therein, said channel having a lubricant chamber at the outermost end thereof; a bearing cup rotatably surrounding said cylindrical outer wall of said journal and having an inner thrust surface opposing said outward end of said journal; and a lubricant retention and bearing component comprising an annular thrust washer portion having an upper surface and a lower surface and having at least one radial lubrication channel disposed on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface, said annular thrust washer portion simultaneously contacting said outward end of said journal end and said inner thrust surface of said bearing cup to provide a sliding bearing interface therebetween, said lubrication retention and bearing component further including a cylindrical baffle portion perpendicular to, and coaxial with, said annular thrust washer portion, a generally rigid cylindrical element coaxially disposed within said cylindrical baffle portion, said cylindrical element perpetually open at opposite ends and defining an axial lubrication delivery passage, and an annular base contiguously coupling said cylindrical baffle portion to said cylindrical element opposite from said annular thrust washer portion, said component press fit into said lubrication chamber, wherein said cylindrical baffle portion, said annular base, and said cylindrical element cooperatively define an annular lubrication retaining volume concentric with said axial lubrication delivery passage and an end of said cylindrical element opens adjacent said annular thrust washer portion.