Constant velocity joint with crash collapse feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11428273-B2
Application number	US-201816625159-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2018
Priority date	Jul 21, 2017
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A constant velocity joint assembly with a crash collapse feature. The constant velocity joint assembly includes an inner race, an outer race, a cage and one or more torque transfer elements. The inner race is drivingly connected to a first shaft and the outer race is connected to a second shaft. Circumferentially extending along at least a portion of an inner surface of the outer race is one or more outer race torque transfer element grooves. One or more crash collapse features circumferentially extend radially inward from at least a portion of the inner surface of the outer race and are disposed directly adjacent to the one or more outer race torque transfer element grooves in the outer race. The one or more crash collapse features are disposed entirely between the one or more outer race torque transfer element grooves and do not extend axially beyond the grooves.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A constant velocity joint assembly, comprising:
an inner race, an outer race, a cage, one or more torque transfer elements, a flexible boot, and a boot can;
wherein said inner race is drivingly connected to a first shaft;
wherein said outer race is drivingly connected to a second shaft;
wherein said outer race has an inner surface and an outer surface defining a hollow portion therein;
wherein one or more outer race torque transfer element grooves circumferentially extend along at least a portion of said inner surface of said outer race;
wherein upon the occurrence of a crash condition said cage of said constant velocity joint assembly is driven into direct contact with one or more crash collapse features and said cage applies an amount of force onto said one or more crash collapse features needed to separate said one or more crash collapse features from said outer race allowing at least a portion of said first shaft to translate axially into at least a portion of said second shaft;
wherein at least a portion of a first end portion of said boot can is connected to said outer race of said constant velocity joint assembly and at least a portion of a second end portion of said boot can is connected to at least a portion of a first end portion of said flexible boot;
wherein at least a portion of a second end portion of said flexible boot is connected to at least a portion of said first shaft;
wherein an amount of force needed to translate said first shaft into said second shaft is dependent on an ultimate tensile strength of said flexible boot, an amount of clamping force exerted onto said flexible boot by said second end portion of said boot can and an amount of force needed separate said one or more crash collapse features from said outer race of said constant velocity joint assemblies; and
wherein said one or more crash collapse features comprises a substantially cylindrical portion.

2. The joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein said substantially cylindrical portion of said one or more crash collapse features have a length of approximately 1 mm to approximately 25 mm.

3. The joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein said one or more crash collapse features have a ratio of an outermost diameter of said cage/a diameter of said substantially cylindrical portion of said one or more crash collapse features is from approximately 1.0002 to approximately 1.5.

4. The joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein said one or more crash collapse features have a ratio of a length of said substantially cylindrical portion/a diameter of said substantially cylindrical portion of said one or more crash collapse features is from approximately 0.002 to approximately 0.5.

Assignees

• Dana Automotive Systems Group

Inventors

• Oh Seung Tark

Classifications

• Y10S464/906

  Torque transmitted via radially spaced balls · CPC title

• F16D2003/22303

  Details of ball cages · CPC title

• F16D3/227 Primary

  the joints being telescopic · CPC title

• F16D3/845

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

• F16D3/223 Primary

  the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts · CPC title