Patent ID: 7329189

Claim:
A flexible connector comprising: a drive shaft having a drive axis of rotation and a drive end, a drive lug disposed fixedly at a surface of said drive end, said drive lug being offset substantially from said drive axis of rotation; a lower shaft disposed insertably within said drive end, said lower shaft having a driven lug disposed fixedly at a surface of said lower shaft substantially abutably to said drive lug; a tube having an open end and a lower end distal from said open end, said lower end disposed fixedly at said lower shaft substantially parallel to said drive axis of rotation, an inner surface of said open end comprising a plurality of apices forming a substantially polygonal lower cross-section normal to said drive axis of rotation; an upper shaft having an insert end disposed insertably in said open end, an upper end distal from said insert end, and a driven axis of rotation, said upper end having a drive aperture substantially normal to said driven axis of rotation, an outer surface of said insert end comprising a plurality of substantially planer flats forming a substantially polygonal upper cross-section normal to said driven axis of rotation, said upper cross-section being substantially similar to said lower cross-section; an elastic member disposed compressably between each of said flats and each of said apices; a driven shaft having a driven end, an insert aperture having a substantially polygonal insert cross-section disposed fixably in said driven end, said insert cross-section being substantially congruent to said upper cross-section, said insert end disposed insertably within said insert aperture, said driven shaft having a driven aperture proximate to said drive aperture; and a bolt disposed insertably within said drive aperture and said driven aperture; wherein a torque applied to said drive shaft forces said drive lug against said driven lug, transmitting said torque to said lower shaft and said tube; wherein said torque applied to said tube compresses said elastic members against said flats, transmitting said torque to said insert end and said upper end; and wherein said insert end transmits said torque to said insert aperture and said driven shaft.