Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Torque transmitted via flexible element – Element is flaccid and operates in tension during torque...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-20
2004-09-21
Binda, Greg (Department: 3679)
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Torque transmitted via flexible element
Element is flaccid and operates in tension during torque...
C464S904000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06793582
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to constant velocity joints, and, more particularly, to a pulley type constant velocity joint which is capable of transmitting the rotational movement of an input shaft to an output shaft at the same velocity, and which is capable of adjusting the intersection angle of the input and output shafts within about 90°.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, since the wheels of an automobile are moved up and down while the automobile moves on the road, the angle between the wheel and a drive shaft is varied. A perspective view showing a conventional constant velocity joint is shown in
FIG. 1
, and a detailed perspective view showing the principal elements of the conventional constant velocity joint of FIG.
1
. is shown in FIG.
2
. As may be seen in these drawings, the conventional constant velocity joint includes input and output shafts
1
and
2
to be rotated by a driving force from the engine of an automobile, a Birfield joint
5
for adjusting the intersection angle of the input and output shafts
1
and
2
, a Birfield joint boot
3
, and a dust cover
7
.
Here, the Birfield joint
5
includes an outer ring
11
to which the output shaft
2
is attached. The outer ring
11
is provided in its interior with an inner surface
12
. Six guide grooves
13
are formed along the inner surface
12
of the outer ring
11
at regular intervals. The inner surface
12
is formed to have a truncated sphere shape.
An inner ring
14
connected with the input shaft
1
is inserted into the outer ring
11
and has an outer surface of a truncated sphere shape. A plurality of guide grooves
15
are formed along the outer surface of the inner ring
14
to correspond to the guide grooves
13
of the outer ring
11
. Also, the center of the inner ring
14
has a hole
19
to be inserted on one end of the input shaft
1
.
A plurality of balls (i.e., ball bearings)
16
are inserted into the spaces defined by the grooves
13
of the outer ring
11
and the grooves
15
of the inner ring
14
. Additionally, a cage
18
having holes
17
corresponding to the number of the balls
16
, or the number of the grooves
13
or
15
(e.g., six) which are regularly formed, is inserted between the outer ring
11
and the inner ring
14
to hold the balls
16
at the constant positions defined by the guide grooves
13
and
15
. Each ball
16
is situated between opposite guide grooves
13
and
15
and holes
17
of the cage
18
. The ball
16
is slidably rotated within the guide grooves
13
and
15
.
The operation of the conventional constant velocity joint as described above will now be described. Each ball
16
is situated at a constant position within two opposite guide grooves
13
and
15
when the input shaft
1
is aligned with the output shaft
2
, and the ball
16
is slidably situated at a position different from the constant position within the guide grooves
13
and
15
when the input shaft
1
is not aligned with the output shaft
2
. Therefore, the balls
16
flexibly transmit power from the input shaft
1
to the output shaft
2
even though the axis of the two shafts
1
and
2
are not aligned with each other.
In such a case, the inner ring
14
and the outer ring
16
are brought into contact with one point of each ball
16
, respectively. Furthermore, the rotating force of the inner ring
14
is transmitted to the balls
16
through the contact points between the inner ring
14
and the balls
16
, and the rotating force transmitted to the balls
16
is transmitted to the outer ring
11
through the contact points between the outer ring
11
and the balls
16
.
In the conventional constant velocity joint described above, the inner and outer rings
14
and
11
may become fatigue-fractured due to the concentration of stress on the contact points, and stress may well be excessively concentrated on the balls
16
. In addition, the conventional constant velocity joint typically includes contact portions and guide grooves
11
and
15
, which make fabrication of the joint difficult and the structure of the joint complicated.
Moreover, the conventional constant velocity joint can allow a maximum 46.5° as the intersection angle of the input and output shafts at which the balls
16
may be kept stably within the guide grooves
13
and
15
and at which power can be transmitted from the input shaft
1
to the output shaft
2
. Thus, the conventional constant velocity joint can only be used for an intersection angle of less than 46.5°.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a pulley type constant velocity joint in which an elongate members or wires are wound around the circumferential grooves of two pulleys, thereby allowing the range of the intersection angle of input and output shafts to be maximized while transmitting the velocity of the input shaft to the output shaft.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pulley type constant velocity joint in which the wires are wound around the circumferential grooves of the pulleys to allow the input and output shafts to maintain bilateral symmetry with each other and to transmit the axial rotation velocity of the input shaft to the output shaft to cause the structure of the joint to be relatively simple.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a pulley type constant velocity joint in which the wires are wound around the circumferential grooves of the pulleys to transmit the axial rotation velocity of the input shaft to the output shaft and reduce the failure rate of the joint.
To accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a pulley type constant velocity joint which may include first and second shafts for transmitting and receiving power therebetween, first and second pulleys being fixedly attached to ends of the first and second shafts, respectively, and first and second wires wound around the circumferential grooves of the first and second pulleys to allow the first and second pulleys to be rotated with respect to the center of the first and second pulleys. Furthermore, first and second support frames may also be included for rotatably supporting each center of the first and second pulleys, both ends of which are rotatably connected with each other. The pulley type constant velocity joint may also include two rotating pins to rotatably connect with the first and second pulleys and the frames at the centers of the first and second pulleys, and two connecting pins for connecting the first and the second frames at their ends and for allowing the frames to rotate according to the rotation of the first and second shafts.
The present invention also relates to a pulley type constant velocity joint which may include first and second shafts for transmitting and receiving power therebetween, first and second pulleys being fixedly attached to each end of said first and second shafts and symmetrically rotating with respect to each center thereof as a first degree of freedom, and first and second wires wound around the circumferential grooves of the first and second pulleys to symmetrically rotate the first and second pulleys with respect to each of the centers. Additionally, first and second support frames may be included for rotatably supporting each center of the first and second pulleys and rotatably connecting both ends thereof as a second degree of freedom.
Further, the present invention also provides a pulley type constant velocity joint which may include first and second shafts, first and second pulleys, and first and second wires to make the first and second shafts have a first degree of freedom and transmit and receive power therebetween. In addition, first and second support frames may be included to make the first and second shafts have a second degree of freedom and transmit and receive power therebetween.
REFERENCES:
patent: 854426 (1907-05-01), Lowry
patent: 1373393 (1921-03-01), Langworthy
patent: 1403679 (1922-01-01), Forsyth
patent: 4242048 (1980-12-01), McArdle
patent: 6139437 (2000-10-01), Thompson
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Binda Greg
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
LandOfFree
Pulley type constant velocity joint does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pulley type constant velocity joint, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pulley type constant velocity joint will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3199756