Constant velocity universal joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10544837-B2
Application number	US-201515327478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Jul 23, 2014
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

A constant velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member having an opening portion at one end thereof, and an inner joint member configured to transmit torque while allowing angular displacement with respect to the outer joint member through balls. End portions of a boot closing the opening portion of the outer joint member are fastened and fixed to a mounting part of the outer joint member and a mounting part of a shaft extending from the inner joint member. At a part of an outer peripheral surface of the shaft where at least an inner peripheral surface of the boot contacts when the shaft takes an operating angle with respect to the outer joint member, a sliding bearing is arranged to reduce abrasion due to friction caused by relative movement between the outer peripheral surface of the shaft and the inner peripheral surface of the boot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A constant velocity universal joint, comprising:
an outer joint member having an opening portion at one end thereof;
an inner joint member configured to transmit torque while allowing angular displacement with respect to the outer joint member through a torque transmission member;
a boot closing the opening portion of the outer joint member, the boot having end portions which are fastened and fixed to a mounting part of the outer joint member and a mounting part of a shaft member extending from the inner joint member; and
an intermediate member configured to reduce abrasion due to friction caused by relative movement between an outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral surface of the boot, the intermediate member being arranged at a part of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member where at least the inner peripheral surface of the boot is brought into contact when the shaft member takes an operating angle with respect to the outer joint member,
wherein the inner peripheral surface of the boot slides with respect to an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate member, and an inner peripheral surface of the intermediate member slides with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member.

2. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member comprises a sliding bearing.

3. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member comprises a plurality of sliding bearings independently arranged next to each other along an axial direction.

4. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1 ,
wherein the intermediate member is formed of a cylindrical member configured to cover the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, and
wherein the cylindrical member is movable with respect to the shaft member in a circumferential direction and in an axial direction.

5. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 4 , wherein the cylindrical member has an axial slit formed between both axial ends thereof.

6. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 5 ,
wherein the cylindrical member is capable of being increased in diameter so that an inner diameter dimension is set larger than a maximum outer diameter dimension at an axial end part of the shaft member, and
wherein, when the cylindrical member is to be mounted to a part where the inner peripheral surface of the boot is brought into contact, the cylindrical member is reduced in diameter to an inner diameter dimension enabling movement with respect to the shaft member in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction.

7. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 5 ,
wherein the cylindrical member is capable of being increased in diameter so that a width dimension of the axial slit in the circumferential direction is set larger than an outer diameter dimension at a part where the inner peripheral surface of the boot of the shaft member is brought into contact, and
wherein, when the cylindrical member is to be mounted to a part where the inner peripheral surface of the boot is brought into contact, the cylindrical member is reduced in diameter to an inner diameter dimension enabling movement with respect to the shaft member in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction.

8. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 5 ,
wherein the cylindrical member has an inner diameter dimension smaller than a part of the shaft member where the inner peripheral surface of the boot is brought into contact, and
wherein, when the cylindrical member is to be mounted to a part of the shaft member where the inner peripheral surface of the boot is brought into contact, the cylindrical member is increased in diameter to an inner diameter dimension enabling movement with respect to the shaft member in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction.

9. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1 , wherein a lubricant sealed inside the joint is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate member and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member.

10. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness dimension between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate member is set from 0.01 mm to 1 mm.

11. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1 ,
wherein the intermediate member is formed of a cylindrical member configured to cover the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, and
wherein the cylindrical member has a pair of end portions, which are configured to be joined to each other, that are formed along an axial direction of the cylindrical member at least at one location of the cylindrical member in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical member.

12. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical member comprises a plurality of sliding bearings independently arranged next to each other along the axial direction.

13. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical member is movable with respect to the shaft member in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction.

Assignees

• Ntn Toyo Bearing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Taguchi Kazuhiko
• Tomogami Shin
• Takabe Shinichi

Classifications

• F16D2003/22323

  Attachments to the shaft of the inner joint member whereby the attachments are distanced from the core · CPC title

• F16D2300/12

  Mounting or assembling · CPC title

• F16D3/2055

  having three pins, i.e. true tripod joints · CPC title

• F16D3/845

  allowing relative movement of joint parts due to the flexing of the cover · CPC title

• Y10S464/905

  Torque transmitted via radially extending pin · CPC title