Tripod universal joint and method of its manufacture

Details Tripod universal joint and method of its manufacture Tripod universal joint and method of its manufacture

1999-05-06

2001-02-20

Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)

Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro

Coupling accommodates drive between members having...

Tripod coupling

C464S903000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06190260

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to stroking universal joints and more particularly to the retaining system for releasable retention of the inner drive member within the outer drive housing of the joint assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,957 to Chyz et al discloses a tripot-type universal joint having a drive shaft and a spider splined to the shaft and carrying a set of three rollers disposed within axial channels of an outer drive housing and retained against removal by an annular spring retainer wire. The wire retainer is mounted within an internal retention groove in the housing. As one or more of the tripot rollers approach the open end of the guide channels, they contact the retaining spring and can cause it to deflect axially outwardly if severely loaded.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,202 to Westercamp and U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,404 to Sutton et al disclose stroking constant velocity universal joints in which the inner rollers are retained in the outer drive housing by an external can or sleeve crimped about the exterior of the drive housing and having an end flange extending across the end face of the open end of the housing and then turned inwardly projecting into the roller channels. The inwardly directed portions of the '404 joint assembly serve to align the can with the drive housing and prevent relative circumferential movement therebetween, but do not interfere per se with the travel of the rollers. Retention relies instead on radially inwardly extending contoured portions which, like the spring retainer, are confronted by the rollers and susceptible to axial outward flexing under extreme loading. The projecting portions of the outer can of the '202 joint assembly lie in the path of the rollers and wedge between the rollers and their channels to limit the outward stroke of the rollers toward the open end of the housing. The outer can configuration of the '202 retainer is required to close the radially open roller channels of the drive housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, a stroking constant velocity universal joint assembly comprises an inner drive member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced rotatable drive elements, an outer drive housing disposed about the drive elements having an inner wall formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive channels having drive element-engaging running surfaces extending axially of the housing to an open end thereof and guiding the drive elements for axial stroking movement relative to the housing. A retention groove is formed in the inner wall of the housing adjacent its open end and releasably mounts a retainer having stroke-limiting stop portions projecting along the running surfaces of the drive channels for wedging engagement between the drive elements and the running surfaces to maintain the drive elements within the housing.
A method is also provided for manufacturing such a stroking constant velocity joint assembly in which the rotatable drive elements of the inner drive member are retained within drive channels of an outer drive housing by installing a retainer within a retention groove formed in an inner wall of the housing having stroke-limiting stop portions which extend along running surfaces of the drive channels adjacent the open end of the housing for wedging engagement between the drive elements and the running surfaces to maintain the drive elements within the housing.
The present invention has the advantage of providing a simple yet effective retaining system for the rotatable drive elements. Mounting the retainer within an inner groove of the housing overcomes the cost and complexity of outer can-type retention systems. The stroke-limiting stop portions which extend along the drive channels are highly effective at withstanding extreme loading and precluding axial flexing of the retainer which, if extensive, could interfere with the boot seal normally provided about the open end of the housing. By wedging between the drive elements and running surfaces, the stop portions are compressed rather than deflecting axially outwardly under loading from the drive elements.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3029617 (1962-04-01), Marquis et al.
patent: 4083202 (1978-04-01), Westercamp
patent: 4224808 (1980-09-01), Gehrke
patent: 4516957 (1985-05-01), Chyz et al.
patent: 4795404 (1989-01-01), Sutton et al.
patent: 6042479 (2000-03-01), Hopson et al.

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