Patent ID: 8425141

Claim:
A jointed shaft in a drive train of a vehicle, comprising a shaft or a journal in the drive train as a first component and a ball-and-socket joint, wherein the ball-and-socket joint comprises an internal drive hub as a second component, wherein the first component and the second component are fixed relative to one another by a securing ring, wherein said drive hub being provided with a central opening, the securing ring is made from an elastic material, and is provided with a radially extending slit, and comprises a profile having a substantially rectangular cross-section, both radially outer edges of said cross-section are provided with one defined bevel for facilitating assembly or disassembly of the securing ring, said first component has, at least partially, an essentially cylindrical external surface having spline toothing, and said second component has, at least partially, an essentially cylindrical internal surface having a mating splined toothing for accommodating the cylindrical external surface of the first component, and the securing ring is configured to be introduced into grooves associated with one another and arranged in said external surface and said internal surface in order to connect the two components, said first component is configured to be inserted into the second component and sealed with at least one sealing ring arranged behind said securing ring in the direction of insertion, said sealing ring is arranged in a groove of a non-splined toothing of the first component to seal against the internal surface of the second component, at least one of said two defined bevels provided on said radially outer edges of said cross-section is inclined at an angle of between approximately 15° and approximately 35° relative to a radial side surface of said securing ring, at least one of the grooves associated with one another has a defined bevel at a transition to the external surface or the internal surface, the two defined bevels provided on said radially outer edges of said cross-section and the at least one defined bevel of the grooves associated with one another are adapted to one another such that upon on axial movement of the two components relative to one another, one of said two defined bevels provided on said radially outer edges of said cross-section and the at least one defined bevel of the grooves associated with one another come into contact with one another and slide over one another, thereby forcing said securing ring radially inwardly or radially outwardly, and at least one of the first component and the second component has at least one guide bevel at a distal end of the first or second component adjoining the respective internal or external cylindrical surface for alignment and insertion of the shaft into the hub.