This invention relates generally to front wheel drive

J t" 5 vehi.cles and most speci.fi.cally to a device for positioning a flexible constant velocity joint boot to a shaft such as exists on front wheel drive vehicles. Background Art

From time to time, the constant velocity joints on

10 front wheel drive vehicles must be serviced. This process requires the flexible boot to be slid from the constant velocity joint onto the drive shaft while the bearings located inside the joint are cleaned, lubricated or replaced. The boot can comprise a resiliently flexible

15 rubber-like material and protects the bearings from dirt and moisture. If the condition of the old boot is satisfactory it is replaced on the joint; however, if a new boot is required, the outer constant velocity joint must be removed and the new boot slid onto the drive shaft. The joint is

20 replaced and a new boot is attached thereto. Another method of replacing the boot has been to stretch the boot by hand over a cone-shaped member slid over the outer constant velocity joint. For this application, it is required that the cone-shaped member be lubricated to facilitate the

25 passage of the boot. By either method, replacing the boot has proved to be time consuming for the automobile technician and quite costly for the consumer, since heretofore it has been impossible to replace swiftly a boot without either removing the outer constant velocity joint or

30 engaging a stretching of the boot by hand over the outer constant velocity joint.

U.S. Patent No. 4,564,988 to Norrod discloses an apparatus which attaches a boot to a universal joint wherein the universal joint must first be removed before the boot is

35 positioned on the drive shaft. In U.S. Patent No. 4,713,869 to Pool a tool is described which attaches and detaches a boot from a universal joint. U.S. Patent No. 5,008,994 to

Retigg, et al., discloses an expanding device which enlarges the diameter of a boot such that it may be fitted on a propeller shaft.

While these devices perform well for their intended applications, the art does not provide a device for positioning a flexible constant velocity joint boot to the drive shaft of a front wheel drive vehicle while the outer constant velocity joint and drive shaft remain in place. Additionally, the art does not provide such a device which instantaneously positions a flexible boot on a shaft without need for lubricants or a stretching of the boot by hand. Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device which will instantaneously position a flexible constant velocity joint boot to a shaft. It is further an object of this invention to provide a device which will position a flexible constant velocity joint boot to the drive shaft while the outer constant velocity joint and drive shaft remain in place. It is still further an object of this invention to provide a device which will stretch a flexible constant velocity joint boot over the outer constant velocity joint without lubricants or a stretching of the boot by hand.

These as well as other objects are accomplished by a device for positioning a flexible constant velocity joint boot to a shaft. A sleeve comprises a cylindrical portion enveloping the outer constant velocity joint and a conical portion receiving the drive shaft. A flexible constant velocity joint boot is attached inside one end of an elongate cylinder. A coarsely textured strip disposed around a raised lip defined around the exterior edge of the cylinder engages the collar region of the boot and the boot and cylinder are slid over the sleeve by a handle attached to the other end of the cylinder. The boot expands over the sleeve, and hence over the outer constant velocity joint, and engages the drive shaft on the other side of the outer constant velocity joint.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a perspective view of a constant velocity joint boot positioning device comprising a sleeve, an elongate cylinder and a handle. FIG. la of the drawings illustrates a perspective view of a sleeve having a plurality of lengthwise ribs. FIG. 2 of the drawings illustrates a cross-sectional view of a flexible constant velocity joint boot stretching over the sleeve. FIG. 2a of the drawings illustrates an expanded cross- sectional view of a flexible constant velocity joint boot stretching over the sleeve as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 of the drawings illustrates a cross-sectional view of a flexible constant velocity joint boot releasably attached to one end of the elongate cylinder. FIG. 4 of the drawings illustrates a partial side, partial cross-sectional view of a flexible constant velocity joint boot positioned on a drive shaft of a front wheel drive vehicle. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a constant velocity joint boot positioning device comprising sleeve 1, elongate cylinder 3, handle 5, and clamp 15. Designed for positioning over the outer constant velocity joint and drive shaft of a front wheel drive vehicle, sleeve 1 is formed of a single piece of rigid polymeric material defining a cylindrical portion 7 and a conical portion 9.

FIG. la illustrates sleeve 2 identical in design to sleeve 1 but including a plurality of narrow ribs 6 rounded at the apexes thereof and extending in lengthwise fashion from the closed end of conical portion 9 and terminating generally between the mid-point and the open end of cylindrical portion 7. Narrow ribs 6 define therebetween cavities.

FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate a cross-sectional view of interior wall 11 and sleeves 1 and 2. Interior wall 11 becomes substantially thicker such that interior lip 8 is formed at a point generally between the mid-point and the open end of cylindrical portion 7. Interior wall 11

maintains uniform thickness to juncture 10 of cylindrical portion 7 and conical portion 9, then interior wall 11 gradually tapers to the closed end of conical portion 9. Sleeves 1 and 2 are fashioned to prevent a backward sliding of flexible constant velocity joint boot 27 when it is stretched over the outside surface of either sleeve 1 or 2, as will be described in due course. The substantial thickness of interior wall 11 allows sleeves 1 and 2 to resist breakage when dropped or mishandled. Referring back to FIG. 1 and to FIG 2a, elongate cylinder 3 has a bore extending therethrough from a first end to a second end for closely sliding over sleeve 1. Located on the first end of elongate cylinder 3 is raised lip 21 over which coarsely textured strip 23 is attached for engaging the collar region 25 of flexible constant velocity joint boot 27. It is noted that strip 23 is purchased off- the-shelf and discarded and replaced as needed.

During assembly of the device, handle 5 is attached to elongate cylinder 3. Handle 5 comprises cylindrical end 31 and gripping end 33 which is substantially rectangular in cross-section. Gripping end 33 includes a plurality of triangular slots 34 accommodating the fingers. Cylindrical end 31 closely receives the second end of elongate cylinder 3, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Now, flexible constant velocity joint boot 27 is attached to the first end of elongate cylinder 3, as best illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 3. This is accomplished by inserting boot 27 inside elongate cylinder 3 and folding collar region 25 of boot 27 over coarsely textured strip 23. The rough surface of strip 23 engages and holds the collar region 25 of boot 27 such that boot 27 is fixedly held inside elongate cylinder 3. Clamp 15, illustrated in FIG. 1, is used if strip 23 is worn or absent or it may be used in combination with strip 23 to provide additional securance of boot 27 to elongate cylinder 3. The clamp illustrated here is similar to those heretofore utilized such as a screw- or clamp-type fastener. If the outside constant velocity joint boot is to be

replaced, boot 27 is turned inside out, inserted into elongate cylinder 3 and attached to strip 23. Conversely, if the inside constant velocity joint boot is to be replaced, the boot is inserted right side out then attached to strip 23.

During operation the tire assembly is, of course, removed and either sleeve 1 or 2 is positioned over outer constant velocity joint 13 and drive shaft 17 such that the outside face of joint 13 squarely abuts interior lip 8 and drive shaft 17 extends into conical portion 9, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 2a and 4. Next, the technician clutches gripping end 33 attached to elongate cylinder 3 in which boot 27 has been affixed and slides elongate cylinder 3 over sleeve 1 or 2. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2a, being extremely deformable, boot 27 flattens and stretches over sleeve 1 or 2. The exterior design of sleeves 1 and 2 give the technician total control of boot 27, because it prevents boot 27 from regaining its shape as it stretches over sleeve 1 or 2. Specifically, conical portion 9 defining a gradually increasing outside diameter facilitates in stretching boot 27 and cylindrical portion 7, since it is of uniform outside diameter, holds boot 27 in a stretched position. Additionally, as previously disclosed, sleeve 2 includes narrow ribs 6 defining therebetween cavities 4. Ribs 6 raise portions of boot 27 and cavities 4 reduce friction by removing the planer surface area over which boot 27 would otherwise stretch. Smooth surface 40, having no ribs or cavities, provides an area of friction which deters boot 27 from backsliding off sleeve 2. Similarly, the outside surface of sleeve 1 provides a uniform area of friction as to prevent boot 27 from regressing.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front wheel drive assembly including engine 35 and inside constant velocity joint 37. As shown, elongate cylinder 3 and boot 27 have slid over sleeve 1 or 2 and boot 27, having regained its original shape, has engaged drive shaft 17. Now, the technician will attach boot 27 to either outer constant velocity joint 13 or

inside constant velocity joint 37.

As various modifications occur to those familiar with the art, such modifications may occur without in any way departing from the spirit and scope of the following appended claims.