Fixed center constant velocity joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9664236-B2
Application number	US-95058707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2007
Priority date	Dec 5, 2007
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A constant velocity joint includes an outer member defining a plurality of outer member ball tracks and an inner member defining a plurality of inner member ball tracks. The outer member ball tracks and the inner member ball tracks cooperate to define a plurality of uniform funnels having a uniform width along a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of diverging funnels having a diverging width along the longitudinal axis. A drive ball is disposed within each of the uniform funnels and the diverging funnels. A cage is disposed between the outer member and the inner member, and defines a plurality of windows with one of the drive balls disposed within each of the windows. The diverging funnels urge the drive balls along the longitudinal axis to pre-load the cage, while the uniform funnels do not urge the drive balls along the longitudinal axis, thereby reducing the amount of heat generated between the cage and the drive balls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A constant velocity joint comprising:
an outer member defining an interior and a plurality of outer member ball tracks within said interior extending along a longitudinal axis with said plurality of outer member ball tracks including a first group of outer member ball tracks and a second group of outer member ball tracks;
an inner member disposed within said interior and defining a plurality of inner member ball tracks extending along said longitudinal axis with said plurality of inner member ball tracks including a first group of inner member ball tracks and a second group of inner member ball tracks;
said first group of inner member ball tracks opposing said first group of outer member ball tracks to define a first group of funnels and said second group of inner member ball tracks opposing said second group of outer member ball tracks to define a second group of funnels;
a plurality of drive balls with one of said plurality of drive balls disposed within each of said first group of funnels and within each of said second group of funnels;
a cage disposed between said outer member and said inner member and defining a plurality of windows with one of said plurality of drive balls disposed within each of said plurality of windows;
said first group of inner member ball tracks and said first group of outer member ball tracks of said first group of funnels spaced from each other in parallel relationship relative to each other to define a uniform width between said first group of inner member ball tracks and said first group of outer member ball tracks along said longitudinal axis to define a plurality of uniform funnels and said second group of inner member ball tracks and said second group of outer member ball tracks of said second group of funnels spaced from each other in non-parallel relationship to define a diverging width between said second group of inner member ball tracks and said second group of outer member ball tracks along said longitudinal axis to define a plurality of diverging funnels, said plurality of uniform funnels located radially opposite one another about the longitudinal axis in radially opposing pairs and said plurality of diverging funnels located radially opposite one another about the longitudinal axis in radially opposing pairs.

2. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of uniform funnels and said plurality of diverging funnels are arranged radially about said longitudinal axis in alternating relationship relative to each other.

3. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 2 wherein said outer member includes an attachment end for coupling said outer member to a drive shaft.

4. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of diverging funnels diverge toward said attachment end in a first direction along said longitudinal axis to urge said plurality of drive balls in said first direction.

5. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of diverging funnels diverge away from said attachment end in a second direction along said longitudinal axis to urge said plurality of drive balls in said second direction.

6. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of diverging funnels includes a first subset and a second subset and wherein said first subset of said plurality of diverging funnels are located radially opposite one another about the longitudinal axis in radially opposing pairs and diverge toward said attachment end in a first direction along said longitudinal axis and said second subset of said plurality of diverging funnels are located radially opposite one another about the longitudinal axis in radially opposing pairs and diverge away from said attachment end in a second direction along said longitudinal axis.

7. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first subset of said plurality of diverging funnels is equal in number to said second subset of said plurality of diverging funnels.

8. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 7 wherein said plurality of uniform funnels includes a group having four funnels and said plurality of diverging funnels includes a group having four funnels.

9. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first subset of said plurality of diverging funnels includes two funnels and said second subset of said plurality of diverging funnels includes two funnels.

10. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 9 wherein said plurality of uniform funnels are arranged radially about said longitudinal axis and equally spaced from each other with said first subset of said plurality of diverging funnels arranged opposite each other about said longitudinal axis and said second subset of said plurality of diverging funnels arranged opposite each other about said longitudinal axis.

11. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 3 wherein said inner member defines an aperture for receiving a driven shaft therein extending away from said attachment end.

12. A constant velocity joint as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of drive balls include a spherical shape.

13. A constant velocity joint comprising:
an outer member defining an interior and a plurality of outer member ball tracks within said interior extending along a longitudinal axis with said plurality of outer member ball tracks including a first group of outer member ball tracks and a second group of outer member ball tracks, said outer member includes an attachment end for coupling said outer member to a drive shaft;
an inner member disposed within said interior and defining a plurality of inner member ball tracks extending along said longitudinal axis with said plurality of inner member ball tracks including a first group of inner member ball tracks and a second group of inner member ball tracks;
said first group of inner member ball tracks opposing said first group of outer member ball tracks to define a first group of funnels and said second group of inner member ball tracks opposing said second group of outer member ball tracks to define a second group of funnels;
a plurality of drive balls with one of said plurality of drive balls disposed within each of said first group of funnels and within each of said second group of funnels;
a cage disposed between said outer member and said inner member and defining a plurality of windows with one of said plurality of drive balls disposed within each of said plurality of windows;
said first group of inner member ball tracks and said first group of outer member ball tracks of said first group of funnels spaced from each other in parallel relationship relative to each other to define a uniform width between said first group of inner member ball tracks and said first group of outer member ball tracks along said longitudinal axis to define a plurality of uniform funnels and said second group of inner member ball tracks and said second group of outer member ball tracks of said second group of funnels spaced from each other in non-parallel relationship to define a diverging width between said second group of inner member ball tracks and said second group of outer member ball tracks along said longitudinal axis to define a plurality of diverging funnels, said plurality of diverging funnels includes a first subset and a second subset wherein said first subset of said plurality of diverging funnels diverge toward said attachment end in a first direction along said longitudinal axis and said second subset of said plurality of diverging funnels diverge away from said attachment end in a second direction along said lo

Assignees

• Kozlowski Keith A
• Mondragon Eduardo
• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Kozlowski Keith A
• Mondragon Eduardo

Classifications

• F16D3/2245

  where the groove centres are offset from the joint centre · CPC title

• F16D3/223 Primary

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

• F16D2003/22303

  Details of ball cages · CPC title

• F16D2003/22306

  having counter tracks, i.e. ball track surfaces which diverge in opposite directions · CPC title

• F16D3/224

  the groove centre-lines in each coupling part lying on a sphere · CPC title