Patent ID: 7624819

Claim:
A universal joint assembly comprising: an assembly housing having a plurality of pockets formed in an interior surface of the assembly housing, the pockets configured to partially receive a plurality of drive balls; an assembly cap coupled to the assembly housing; a rotatable mandrel fitted within a cavity defined by the assembly housing and the assembly cap, the mandrel having a plurality of pockets configured to partially receive the drive balls the plurality of substantially spherical drive balls rotatable within the cavity about a central axis of the mandrel; a substantially circular groove formed in the cavity, the groove defined by a proximal end of the assembly cap and an interior wall and a shoulder of the assembly housing; and a floating washer disposed within the substantially circular groove and configured to radially displace within the groove when the central axis of the mandrel is displaced from a central axis of the assembly housing, the floating washer having an inner radial surface in sealing contact with the mandrel thereby retaining a lubricating fluid within the cavity.