Patent ID: 7100464

Claim:
A splined connection comprising: a shaft with ridges protruding radially outward from an exterior surface of the shaft and extending longitudinally along the length of the shaft, intermediate grooves being formed between the ridges, a hub with ridges protruding radially inward from an interior surface of the hub and extending in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction along the length of the shaft, intermediate grooves being formed between the ridges, the hub ridges and grooves being adapted to fit in engagement with the shaft grooves and ridges, respectively, thus forming a connection region between the shaft and the hub and causing the shaft and the hub to rotate together around an axis of rotation, a sealing arrangement closing off the connection region, the sealing arrangement comprising two annular sealing elements located at an axial distance from one another adjacent to the connection region, the sealing elements being sized and shaped to each be in continuous contact with a contact surface of the shaft around the inner radial surface of the two annular sealing elements and in continuous contact with a contact surface of the hub around the outer radial surface of the two annular sealing elements, at least one of the two annular sealing elements being fitted in an annular space bounded by at least one sidewall which is defined by end surfaces of the shaft ridges or end surfaces of the hub ridges, the annular space being further bounded by the contact surface of the shaft and the contact surface of the hub, the contact surface of the shaft being located at substantially the same radial distance from the axis of rotation as the shaft grooves and the contact surface of the hub being located at substantially the same radial distance from the axis of rotation as the hub grooves.