Patent ID: 7670229

Claim:
A displacement unit for a jointed shaft, said displacement unit comprising: a tubular outer part having an inner face with outer tracks at least partially formed therein; an inner part which is axially displaceable in the outer part, said inner part having an outer face with inner tracks at least partially formed therein, said inner tracks being associated in pairs with respective outer tracks of said tubular outer part, and balls arranged in respective pairs of outer tracks and inner tracks for transmitting torque between said outer and inner parts; wherein said outer part is connected by a predetermined breaking point to a connecting segment having an inside diameter which is substantially equal to or greater than the outside diameter of said tubular outer part; wherein said connecting segment connects said outer part to a shaft section, and wherein the outer part, the connecting segment and the predetermined breaking point connecting the outer part to the connecting segment are configured such that when a defined axial force acting against the outer part is exceeded, the predetermined breaking point fails and the outer part is displaceable into the connecting segment.