Patent ID: 7867097

Claim:
Flexible bushing arrangement to provide a barrier against the transmission of structure-borne noise between an inner joint member and an outer joint member of a universal joint comprising; a one piece inner bushing to surround an inner joint member of a universal joint while not being connected thereto, an outer bushing which surrounds the inner bushing about a longitudinal axis of rotation and delimits an annular space therewith extending the length thereof, said outer bushing locatable within an outer joint member while not being connected thereto with said outer bushing and said inner bushing having spaced apart but side by side first ends and spaced apart but side by side opposite second ends with said annular space extending from between said first ends lengthwise through said outer bushing to said second ends, a resilient connecting body, which is arranged in the annular space and connects the two bushings to each other, said resilient body extends from between said first ends lengthwise through said outer bushing to between said second ends, said outer bushing, said resilient body and said inner bushing being arranged coaxially with each other on said axis while said inner joint member is in line adjacent said first ends and said outer joint member is in line adjacent said second ends on said axis, and spacers which are arranged in the end regions of the annular space and allow only limited radial relative movements to the bushings in relation to each other, wherein each of the spacers is constructed in one piece with one of the bushings and arranged in such a way that it may only act on the other bushing via the connecting body, each of the spacers is constructed in the manner of a toothed ring wherein at an end region of the inner bushing there is provided at least one inner spacer and at an end region being arranged opposite to the end region of the inner bushing there is provided at least one outer spacer, said at least one inner spacer being integral with said inner bushing and projecting radially outwardly into said resilient connecting body and toward said outer bushing, said at least one outer spacer being integral with said outer bushing and projecting radially inwardly into said resilient connecting body and toward said inner bushing, and, said inner bushing, outer bushing and resilient connecting body being arranged for reciprocal centering of said inner bushing and outer bushing isolating structure-borne noise between the inner joint member and the outer joint member of a universal joint by allowing limited movement between said inner bushing and said outer bushing and said reciprocal centering by said inner bushing while said outer bushing and said resilient connecting body and said inner bushing rotate about said longitudinal axis.