Semi-cylindrical/semi-spherical inner surface of an outer race and a ball cage for a fixed constant velocity joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11149797-B2
Application number	US-201816211484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A constant velocity joint assembly includes an outer race having a first bore defined by an inner surface of the outer race. A ball cage has an outer surface and a second bore defined by an inner surface of the ball cage. The ball cage is axially received in the first bore of the outer race. At least one of the inner surface of the outer race or the inner surface the ball cage includes a first portion having a cylindrical contour and a second portion having a spherical contour.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An axially fixed constant velocity joint assembly comprising:
an outer race having ball tracks and a first bore defined by an inner surface of the outer race, the outer race including a first central axis, a first joint center plane arranged perpendicular to the first central axis, and a first joint center point disposed at an intersection of the first central axis and the first joint center plane; and
a ball cage having an outer surface and a second bore defined by an inner surface of the ball cage, the ball cage axially received in the first bore of the outer race, the ball cage including a second central axis, a second joint center plane arranged perpendicular to the second central axis, and a second joint center point disposed at an intersection of the second central axis and the second joint center plane;
wherein the constant velocity joint assembly includes one or both of:
the inner surface of the outer race includes a first portion having a cylindrical contour and a second portion having a spherical contour, the first portion of the inner surface of the outer race intersecting the second portion of the inner surface of the outer race along the first joint center plane of the outer race; and/or
the inner surface of the ball cage includes a first portion having a cylindrical contour and a second portion having a spherical contour, the first portion of the inner surface of the ball cage intersecting the second portion of the inner surface of the ball cage along the second joint center plane of the ball cage.

2. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an inner race having an outer surface, the inner race axially inserted into the second bore of the ball cage, at least one of the outer surface of the inner race or the outer surface of the ball cage having a spherical contour.

3. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 2 ,
wherein the first joint center point of the outer race aligns with the second joint center point of the ball cage and a third joint center point of the inner race,
and wherein the first joint center point, the second joint center point, and the third joint center point remain aligned with each other as any one of the outer race, the ball cage, and the inner race rotate about a respective one of the first joint center point, the second joint center point, and the third joint center point.

4. The constant velocity joint of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the inner surface of the outer race is arranged tangential to the second portion of the inner surface of the outer race where the first portion of the inner surface of the outer race intersects the second portion of the inner surface of the outer race.

5. The constant velocity joint of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the inner surface of the ball cage is arranged tangential to the second portion of the inner surface of the ball cage where the first portion of the inner surface of the ball cage intersects the second portion of the inner surface of the ball cage.

6. An axially fixed constant velocity joint assembly comprising:
an outer race having ball tracks and a first bore defined by an inner surface of the outer race, the inner surface including a first portion having a cylindrical contour and a second portion having a spherical contour, the outer race including a first central axis extending through the first bore, a first joint center plane arranged perpendicular to the first central axis, and a first joint center point disposed at an intersection of the first central axis and the first joint center plane;
a ball cage having an outer surface and a second bore defined by an inner surface of the ball cage, the ball cage axially received in the first bore of the outer race, the ball cage including a second central axis extending through the second bore, a second joint center plane arranged perpendicular to the second central axis, and a second joint center point disposed at an intersection of the second central axis and the second joint center plane, the outer surface of the ball cage having a spherical contour and the inner surface of the ball cage including a first portion having a cylindrical contour and a second portion having a spherical contour, the first portion of the inner surface of the ball cage intersecting the second portion of the inner surface of the ball cage along the second joint center plane; and
an inner race having an outer surface with a spherical contour, the inner race axially received in the second bore of the ball cage, the inner race including a third central axis extending axially therethrough, a third joint center plane arranged perpendicular to the third central axis, and a third joint center point disposed at an intersection of the third central axis and the third joint center plane.

7. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 6 ,
wherein the first central axis, the second central axis, and the third central axis align with each other when the ball cage is axially received in the outer race and the inner race is axially received in the ball cage, and
wherein the first joint center plane, the second joint center plane, and the third joint center plane align with each other when the ball cage is axially received in the outer race and the inner race is axially received in the ball cage.

8. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 7 ,
wherein the first portion of the inner surface of the outer race has a substantially constant first radial distance along a direction of the first central axis, and
wherein the first radial distance is measured from the first portion of the inner surface of the outer race to the first central axis in a direction perpendicular to the first central axis.

9. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 8 ,
wherein the second portion of the inner surface of the outer race has a substantially constant second radial distance along the direction of the first central axis,
wherein the second radial distance is measured from the second portion of the inner surface of the outer race to the first joint center point, and
wherein the first radial distance is equal to the second radial distance.

10. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 9 ,
wherein the inner surface of the outer race further includes a third portion having a cylindrical contour, and
wherein the second portion of the inner surface of the outer race is disposed intermediate the first portion of the inner surface of the outer race and the third portion of the inner surface of the outer race.

11. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 10 ,
wherein the third portion of the inner surface of the outer race has a substantially constant third radial distance along the direction of the first central axis,
wherein the third radial distance is measured from the third portion of the inner surface of the outer race to the first central axis in a direction perpendicular to the first central axis, and
wherein the third radial distance is less than the first radial distance and the second radial distance.

12. The constant velocity of joint assembly of claim 11 ,
wherein the outer surface of the ball cage has a substantially constant fourth radial distance along a direction of the second central axis,
wherein the fourth radial distance is measured from the outer surface of the ball cage to the second joint center point, and
wherein the fourth radial distance is less than the first radial distance and the second radial distance.

13. The constant velocity joint assembly of claim 12 ,
wherein the first portion of the inner surface of the ball cage has a substantially constan

Assignees

• Neapco Intellectual Property Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Hopson Michael
• Seidel Richard

Classifications

• F16D2003/22303

  Details of ball cages · CPC title

• F16D3/2237 Primary

  where the grooves are composed of radii and adjoining straight lines, i.e. undercut free [UF] type joints · CPC title

• Y10S464/906

  Torque transmitted via radially spaced balls · CPC title