Patent ID: 7232373

Claim:
A driveshaft comprising two constant velocity universal joints and an intermediate shaft; one of the constant velocity universal joints comprises an outer joint part with first ball tracks which form first angles of intersection with the joint axis, an inner joint part with second ball tracks which form second angles of intersection with the joint axis, balls which run in pairs of tracks comprising a first ball track and a second ball track, and a first cage which holds the balls in a common plane, wherein the first and second angles of intersection of the ball tracks of a pair of tracks each are identical in size and are positioned symmetrically relative to the joint axis and wherein the first ball cage is axially fixed in the constant velocity joint; the intermediate shaft comprises a longitudinal plunging unit having a sleeve with first ball grooves which extend axially, a journal with second ball grooves which extend axially, balls which are held in groups in pairs of grooves each comprising a first ball groove and a second ball groove, and a second cage which holds the balls at a fixed distance from one another, and wherein the outer joint part has an inner cylindrical guiding face for supporting an outer face of the first ball cage, and wherein the first ball cage comprises an inner cylindrical guiding face, and a spherical outer face which is held axially and radially between first and second annular stop faces of the outer joint part.