Centering mechanism arrangement for double cardan joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9670965-B2
Application number	US-201514814466-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A joint assembly including a first yoke and a second yoke is provided. A sleeve is coupled to the first and second yokes and a centering device engages the ends of the first and second yokes. The centering device is configured to maintain the angular positions of the first and second yokes relative to one another, and is substantially fixed from rotation during rotation of the first and second yokes.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A joint assembly comprising:
a first yoke having a first yoke axis and a first end, the first yoke includes a pair of first yoke ears each having a distal end, and a first bridge coupled between the distal ends of the first yoke ears proximate the first end;
a second yoke having a second yoke axis and a second end, the second yoke includes a pair of second yoke ears each having a distal end, and a second bridge coupled between the distal ends of the second yoke ears proximate the second end;
a sleeve coupled to the first and second yokes;
a first spider coupled between the first yoke and the sleeve;
a second spider coupled between the second yoke and the sleeve; and
a centering device engaging the ends of the first and second yokes, the centering device configured to maintain the angular positions of the first and second yokes relative to one another, the centering device rotatably coupled to the second bridge and the second spider along the second yoke axis, the centering device configured to be substantially fixed from rotation relative to the first yoke and second yoke during rotation of the first and second yokes.

2. The joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first spider includes a first set of opposed pins and a second set of opposed pins, wherein the first set of opposed pins is rotatably coupled to the sleeve, and the second set of opposed pins is rotatably coupled to the first yoke ears.

3. The joint assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a ball stud fixedly coupled to the first bridge.

4. The joint assembly of claim 3 , wherein the ball stud includes a shaft portion that extends along the first yoke axis, and the first bridge includes an aperture to fixedly receive the shaft portion.

5. The joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein the centering device includes a socket portion configured to receive the ball stud and a shaft portion that extends along the second yoke axis, and the second bridge includes an aperture to rotatably receive the centering device shaft portion.

6. The joint assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a bushing disposed in the second bridge aperture, the centering device shaft portion rotatably disposed within the bushing to facilitate rotation of the second yoke about the centering device.

7. The joint assembly of claim 5 , wherein the socket portion comprises an outer wall defining a receiving socket to receive the ball stud, the outer wall including a slot formed therein to accept a shaft of the ball stud.

8. The joint assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second spider includes a bearing aperture that is disposed about the second yoke axis, and wherein a bearing is disposed in the bearing aperture and the shaft portion of the centering device is rotatably disposed within a bore of the bearing.

9. The joint assembly of claim 8 , wherein the bearing is a spherical bearing.

10. The joint assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first yoke axis and the second yoke axis are oriented at an angle relative to one another, the angle being between approximately 43° and approximately 83°.

11. A double cardan joint comprising:
a first yoke having a first yoke axis and a first end, the first yoke includes a pair of first yoke ears each having a distal end, and a first bridge coupled between the distal ends of the first yoke ears proximate the first end;
a second yoke having a second yoke axis and a second end, the second yoke includes a pair of second yoke ears each having a distal end, and a second bridge coupled between the distal ends of the second yoke ears proximate the second end;
a first universal joint comprising a first spider coupled to the first yoke;
a second universal joint comprising a second spider coupled to the second yoke;
a sleeve coupled to the first and second universal joints, the first and second universal joints disposed within the sleeve; and
a centering device engaging the first end of the first yoke and the second end of the second yoke, the centering device configured to maintain the angular positions of the first and second yokes relative to one another, the centering device rotatably coupled to the second bridge and the spider along the second yoke axis, the centering device configured to be substantially fixed from rotation relative to the first and second yokes during rotation of the first and second yokes.

12. The double cardan joint of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first set of bearing pins projecting from the first universal joint into the sleeve; and
a second set of bearing pins projecting from the second universal joint into the sleeve, the first and second set of bearings pins establishing a jointed connection between the first and second universal joints and the sleeve for rotation of the sleeve in response to rotation of the first and second universal joints about their respective axes.

13. The double cardan joint of claim 12 , wherein the first yoke end comprises a ball stud, and the second bridge comprises a yoke bridge aperture to rotatably receive a portion of the centering device.

14. The double cardan joint of claim 13 , wherein the centering device comprises a socket portion to receive the ball stud and a shaft portion that extends along the second yoke axis into the yoke bridge aperture of the second yoke, the socket portion having an outer wall defining a receiving socket to receive the ball stud, the outer wall including a slot formed therein to accept a shaft portion of the ball stud.

15. The double cardan joint of claim 14 , further comprising a bushing disposed in the yoke bridge aperture, the centering device shaft portion rotatably disposed within the bushing to facilitate rotation of the second yoke about the centering device.

16. The double cardan joint of claim 15 , wherein the second spider includes a bearing aperture that is disposed about the second yoke axis, and wherein a spherical bearing is disposed in the bearing aperture and the shaft portion of the centering device is rotatably disposed within a bore of the spherical bearing.

17. A method of assembling a joint assembly, the method comprising:
providing a first yoke having a first yoke axis and a first end, the first yoke includes a pair of first yoke ears each having a distal end, and a first bridge coupled between the distal ends of the first yoke ears proximate the first end;
providing a second yoke having a second yoke axis and a second end;
providing a sleeve coupled to the first and second yokes;
providing a first spider coupled between the first yoke and the sleeve;
providing a second spider coupled between the second yoke and the sleeve; and
providing a centering device engaging the ends of the first and second yokes, the centering device configured to maintain the angular positions of the first and second yokes relative to one another, the centering device rotatably coupled to the second bridge and the second spider along the second yoke axis, the centering device configured to be substantially fixed from rotation relative to the first yoke and second yoke during rotation of the first and second yokes.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Bodtker Joen C

Classifications

• F16D3/33 Primary

  with ball or roller bearings · CPC title

• F16D3/32 Primary

  by the provision of two intermediate members each having two relatively perpendicular trunnions or bearings · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title