Tripod type constant-velocity joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016102714-A1
Application number	US-201414787486-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Apr 30, 2013
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tripod type constant-velocity joint is provided through which a driving shaft is coupled to a driven shaft. The joint includes two outer rings connected to the driving shaft and the driven shaft, respectively, and a tripod member through which the outer rings are coupled together. Each of the outer rings has an inner periphery formed with three axially extending track grooves arranged at angular intervals of 120 degrees. The tripod member has two axial ends each formed with three protrusions axially slidably received in the respective track grooves of the corresponding one of the outer rings, whereby torque around an axis is transmitted between the respective outer rings and the tripod member. The joint can thus cope with a larger angle and/or offset between the axis of the driving shaft and the axis of the driven shaft.

First claim

1 . A tripod type constant-velocity joint through which a driving shaft is coupled to a driven shaft such that rotation of the driving shaft is transmitted to the driven shaft through the joint, wherein the joint is configured to reduce fluctuations in rotational speed of the driven shaft when an axis of the driving shaft and an axis of the driven shaft form an angle other than 180 degrees, or when the axis of the driving shaft and the axis of the driven shaft are out of alignment with each other,
wherein the joint comprises two outer rings connected to the driving shaft and the driven shaft, respectively, and a tripod member through which the outer rings are coupled together, wherein each of the outer rings has an inner periphery formed with three axially extending track grooves arranged at angular intervals of 120 degrees, and wherein the tripod member has two axial ends each formed with three protrusions axially slidably received in the respective track grooves of a corresponding one of the outer rings, whereby torque around an axis is transmitted between the respective outer rings and the tripod member.

2 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 1 , wherein the tripod member and the outer rings are formed of a synthetic resin or resins.

3 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 2 , wherein a main component of the synthetic resin forming the tripod member is different from a main component of the synthetic resin forming the outer rings.

4 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 1 , wherein the three protrusions at one of the two axial ends of the tripod member are connected to one of the outer rings so as to be more easily separable from the one of the outer rings than the three protrusions at the other of the two axial ends of the tripod member are separable from the other of the outer rings.

5 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 1 , wherein at a portion where the three protrusions at one of the axial ends of the tripod member are connected to one of the outer rings, the one of the outer rings is formed with three bulges between the respective adjacent pairs of the track grooves of the one of the outer rings, wherein each of the bulges is formed at a distal end portion thereof with a pair of tapered surfaces inclined in circumferentially opposite directions to each other, and defining an apex between the tapered surfaces at substantially a central portion of the bulge with respect to a circumferential direction of the one of the outer rings, and wherein each of the protrusions at the one of the axial ends of the tripod member is formed on a front surface thereof with a pair of tapered surfaces extending from substantially a widthwise central portion of the protrusion toward two sides of the protrusion, respectively, thereby defining an apex at substantially the widthwise central portion of the protrusion.

6 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 5 , wherein the apex of at least one of the three bulges of the one of the outer rings is located at an axial position different from axial positions of the apexes of the other two of the bulges.

7 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 6 , wherein the apex of the at least one of the three bulges is located forwardly of the apexes of the other two of the bulges.

8 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 5 , wherein the apex of at least one of the three protrusions at the one of the axial ends of the tripod member is located at an axial position different from axial positions of the apexes of the other two of the protrusions at the one of the axial ends of the tripod member.

9 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 8 , wherein the apex of the at least one of the three protrusions at the one of the axial ends of the tripod member is located forwardly of the apexes of the other two of the protrusions at the one of the axial ends of the tripod member.

10 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 5 , wherein each of the track grooves has two side surfaces, and wherein each of the protrusions has two side surfaces curved along an axial direction of the tripod member and facing, and kept in contact with, the respective side surfaces of a corresponding one of the track grooves.

11 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 2 , wherein the three protrusions at one of the two axial ends of the tripod member are connected to one of the outer rings so as to be more easily separable from the one of the outer rings than the three protrusions at the other of the two axial ends of the tripod member are separable from the other of the outer rings.

12 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 3 , wherein the three protrusions at one of the two axial ends of the tripod member are connected to one of the outer rings so as to be more easily separable from the one of the outer rings than the three protrusions at the other of the two axial ends of the tripod member are separable from the other of the outer rings.

13 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 2 , wherein at a portion where the three protrusions at one of the axial ends of the tripod member are connected to one of the outer rings, the one of the outer rings is formed with three bulges between the respective adjacent pairs of the track grooves of the one of the outer rings, wherein each of the bulges is formed at a distal end portion thereof with a pair of tapered surfaces inclined in circumferentially opposite directions to each other, and defining an apex between the tapered surfaces at substantially a central portion of the bulge with respect to a circumferential direction of the one of the outer rings, and wherein each of the protrusions at the one of the axial ends of the tripod member is formed on a front surface thereof with a pair of tapered surfaces extending from substantially a widthwise central portion of the protrusion toward two sides of the protrusion, respectively, thereby defining an apex at substantially the widthwise central portion of the protrusion.

14 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 3 , wherein at a portion where the three protrusions at one of the axial ends of the tripod member are connected to one of the outer rings, the one of the outer rings is formed with three bulges between the respective adjacent pairs of the track grooves of the one of the outer rings, wherein each of the bulges is formed at a distal end portion thereof with a pair of tapered surfaces inclined in circumferentially opposite directions to each other, and defining an apex between the tapered surfaces at substantially a central portion of the bulge with respect to a circumferential direction of the one of the outer rings, and wherein each of the protrusions at the one of the axial ends of the tripod member is formed on a front surface thereof with a pair of tapered surfaces extending from substantially a widthwise central portion of the protrusion toward two sides of the protrusion, respectively, thereby defining an apex at substantially the widthwise central portion of the protrusion.

15 . The tripod type constant-velocity joint of claim 4 , wherein at a portion where the three protrusions at one of the axial ends of the tripod member are connected to one of the outer rings, the one of the outer rings is formed with three bulges between the respective adjacent pairs of the track grooves of the one of the outer rings, wherein each of the bulges is formed at a distal end portion thereof with a pair of tapered surfaces inclined in circumferentially opposite directions to each other, and defining an apex bet

Assignees

• Ntn Toyo Bearing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yanagawa Hiroshi
• Hirose Kazuo

Classifications

• Y10S464/905

  Torque transmitted via radially extending pin · CPC title

• F16D3/2055 Primary

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