Rolling element intermediate shaft assembly

Abstract

In one aspect, a rolling element intermediate shaft assembly is provided. The assembly includes a solid shaft having a first end and a second end and a tubular shaft configured to receive the shaft first end. The tubular shaft includes an inner wall with an axially extending groove formed therein, and the axially extending groove includes an inner surface. The assembly further includes a wear plate having a bottom surface and defining an axially extending channel, the wear plate being received in the tubular shaft axially extending groove, and at least one ball bearing disposed within the wear plate channel between the wear plate and the solid shaft.

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed: 
     
         1 . A wear plate for a rolling element intermediate shaft assembly having a tubular shaft with an axially extending groove formed in an inner surface of the tubular shaft, the wear plate comprising:
 an elastically deformable body having a first end and a second end, the body defining an axially extending channel configured to receive a plurality of ball bearings, the body configured to be oriented within the axially extending groove of the tubular shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The wear plate of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of arms extending from the body first end, the arms configured to hook onto the tubular shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The wear plate of  claim 2 , further comprising a tab extending from the body second end, the tab configured to retain the plurality of ball bearings in the axially extending channel. 
     
     
         4 . The wear plate of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a pair of bottom surfaces oriented to define an offset angle between the bottom surfaces and the tubular shaft axially extending groove. 
     
     
         5 . The wear plate of  claim 5 , wherein bottom surfaces are oriented to define an offset angle that is transverse to the axially extending groove of about between 0° and 10°. 
     
     
         6 . A rolling element intermediate shaft assembly comprising:
 a solid shaft having a first end and a second end;   a tubular shaft configured to receive the shaft first end, the tubular shaft having an inner wall with an axially extending groove formed therein, the axially extending groove having an inner surface;   a wear plate having a bottom surface and defining an axially extending channel, the wear plate received in the tubular shaft axially extending groove; and   at least one ball bearing disposed within the wear plate channel between the wear plate and the solid shaft.   
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a second axially extending groove formed in the tubular shaft inner wall; and   a second wear plate received in the tubular shaft second axially extending groove, wherein at least one ball bearing is disposed within the second wear plate channel between the second wear plate and the solid shaft.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the axially extending groove and the second axially extending groove are oriented approximately 180° apart from each other. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the wear plate and the second wear plate are oriented approximately 180° apart from each other. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein an offset angle is defined between the wear plate bottom surface and the tubular shaft groove inner surface. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the offset angle that is transverse to the axially extending groove of about between 0° and 10°. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the solid shaft includes an outer surface having an axially extending groove formed therein, wherein the at least one ball bearing is disposed within the wear plate channel and the solid shaft axially extending groove. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  12 , wherein the solid shaft includes a second axially extending groove formed therein. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the solid shaft axially extending groove and the solid shaft second axially extending groove are oriented approximately 180° apart from each other. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a retainer cap coupled to the tubular shaft to facilitate retention of the at least one ball bearing within the tubular shaft. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a yoke coupled to the solid shaft second end, wherein the tubular shaft further includes a yoke end. 
     
     
         17 . A method of assembling a rolling element intermediate shaft assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a solid shaft having a first end and a second end;   providing a tubular shaft having an inner wall with an axially extending groove formed therein, the axially extending groove having an inner surface;   providing a wear plate having a bottom surface and defining an axially extending channel;   orienting the wear plate in the tubular shaft axially extending groove;   inserting the solid shaft into the tubular shaft;   inserting at least one ball bearing within the wear plate channel between the wear plate and the solid shaft.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing the wear plate with an angled bottom surface such that the angled bottom surface defines an offset angle between the wear plate bottom surface and the tubular shaft groove inner surface, wherein the offset angle is transverse to the axially extending groove by about between 0° and 10°. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 providing the tubular shaft with a second axially extending groove;   providing a second wear plate;   orienting the second wear plate in the second axially extending groove; and   inserting at least one ball bearing within the second wear plate channel between the second wear plate and the solid shaft.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of providing the solid shaft comprises providing a solid shaft having a first end, a second end, and an outer surface having an axially extending groove formed therein,
 and wherein the step of inserting at least one ball bearing comprises inserting at least one ball bearing within the wear plate channel and the solid shaft axially extending groove.