Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Coupling accommodates drive between members having... – Coupling transmits torque via radially spaced ball
Patent
1997-07-14
2000-09-19
Browne, Lynne H.
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Coupling accommodates drive between members having...
Coupling transmits torque via radially spaced ball
464906, F16D 3223
Patent
active
061203823
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a constant velocity joint having 8 torque transmitting balls.
Constant velocity joints are classified roughly into the fixed type allowing only angular displacement between two axes and the plunging type allowing angular displacement and axial displacement between two axes. One of the features of the fixed type constant velocity joint, as compared with the plunging type, is that it is capable of taking a high operating angle. For example, the fixed type constant velocity joint used in the drive shaft of an automobile is required to have a maximum operating angle of, e.g., 45.degree. or more; however, such high operating angle can be provided only by the fixed type. On the other hand, the fixed type constant velocity joint, as compared with the plunging type, inevitably has its internal construction somewhat complicated.
FIGS. 23A and 23B show a Zepper type constant velocity joint typical of the fixed type constant velocity joint. This constant velocity joint comprises an outer joint member 11 having a spherical inner surface 11a axially formed with 6 curved guide grooves 11b, an inner joint member 12 having a spherical outer surface 12a axially formed with 6 curved guide grooves 12b and an inner surface formed with serrations (or splines) 12c for connection to a shaft, six torque transmitting balls 13 disposed in ball tracks defined between the guide grooves 11b and 12b of the outer and inner joint members 11 and 12, respectively, and a cage 14 for retaining the torque transmitting balls 13.
The centers A and B of the guide grooves 11b and 12b of the outer and inner joint members 11 and 12, respectively, are offset with respect to the spherical centers of the inner and outer surfaces 11a and 12a, respectively, by an equal distance in opposite directions (the guide groove center A is offset toward the open side of the joint, and the guide groove center B toward the innermost side of the joint). As a result, the ball track defined between the guide groove 11b and the guide groove 12b corresponding thereto is wedge-wise enlarged toward the open side of the joint. The spherical centers of the inner and outer surfaces 11a and 12a of the outer and inner joint members 11 and 12 are located in the joint center plane O including the centers of the torque transmitting balls 13.
When the outer and inner joint members 11 and 12 make an angular displacement of angle .theta., the torque transmitting balls 13 guided by the cage 14 are maintained in the bisector plane (.theta./2) bisecting the angle .theta. irrespective of the value of the operating angle .theta., and hence uniform velocity is secured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to make this type of constant velocity joint more compact and secure the strength, load capacity and durability which are at least equal to those in a comparative article (such as a 6-ball constant velocity joint as shown in FIG. 23).
To achieve the above object, the invention provides a constant velocity ball joint comprising an outer joint member having a plurality of axially extending curved guide grooves formed in the spherical inner surface thereof, an inner joint member having a plurality of axially extending curved guide grooves formed in the spherical outer surface thereof, a plurality of ball tracks defined between the guide grooves of the outer joint member and the guide grooves of the inner joint member corresponding thereto, said ball tracks being enlarged in one sense of the axial direction, a torque transmitting ball disposed in each of the plurality of ball tracks, a cage having a plurality of pockets for storing the torque transmitting balls, said constant velocity joint being characterized in that the number of said ball tracks and the number of said torque transmitting balls disposed are eight.
The ratio r1 (=PCD.sub.BALL /D.sub.BALL) of the pitch circle diameter (PCD.sub.BALL) of the torque transmitting balls to the diameter (D.sub.BALL) of said torque transmitting balls may be within the range 3.3.ltoreq.r1
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Hozumi Kazuhiko
Kaneko Yoshihisa
Sone Keisuke
Sugiyama Tatsuro
Binda Greg
Browne Lynne H.
NTN Corporation
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