Patent ID: 8062140

Claim:
A rotational power transmission line section comprising: a) an input component for connection with a source of rotational power that provides torque, the input component having a central axis, and an output component for connection with a driven member to provide torque to the driven member, the output component having a central axis; b) a connecting drive shaft having a longitudinal axis and extending between and rotationally interconnecting the input component with the output component for transmitting torque between the input component and the output component, wherein the drive shaft is connected with each of the input component and the output component by a ball joint to allow swiveling motion between the drive shaft and each of the input component and the output component and to allow angular deflection of the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft relative to the longitudinal axes of each of the input and output components; and c) a plurality of ball segments circumferentially distributed about and received in respective V-shaped, axially-extending, peripherally-disposed outer end regions at each end of the drive shaft and received in respective circumferentially disposed inner surfaces of each of the input and output components for transmitting rotary motion between the drive shaft and the input and output components, wherein the ball segments each have a flat upper surface that faces an inner surface of a respective input or output member, a flat lower surface for contact with a first flat, axially-extending surface of a respective ball-segment-receiving region at an axial end of the drive shaft, a flat first side surface for contact with a second flat, axially-extending surface of a respective ball-segment-receiving region at an axial end of the drive shaft and that is angularly disposed relative to the first end surface of the drive shaft, and a convexly-curved second side surface opposite to the flat first side surface for surface-to-surface contact with a respective concavely-curved inner surface of an end component.