Constant velocity joint and driveshaft including same

A driveshaft configured to transmit rotational driving force, comprising:

• an interconnecting shaft;
• and
• a constant velocity joint coupled to the interconnecting shaft,
• wherein the constant velocity joint comprises:
• an outer race forming a plurality of outer ball tracks;
• an inner race forming a plurality of inner ball tracks corresponding to the plurality of the outer ball tracks;
• a ball cage interposed between the outer race and the inner race and forming a plurality of windows;
• and
• a plurality of torque transmitting balls respectively disposed in spaces formed by the pairs of the outer and inner ball tracks in a state of being respectively housed in the windows;
• wherein the outer race and the inner race are configured to implement an angular articulation function that allows for relative angular displacement therebetween,
• wherein the inner race is coupled to the interconnecting shaft via a ball spline coupling structure to implement a length displacement function through relative axial displacement along an axial direction of the interconnecting shaft,
• wherein the ball spline coupling structure comprises:
• an outer spline groove provided on the inner race;
• an inner spline groove provided on the interconnecting shaft corresponding to the outer spline groove;
• a sleeve member interposed between the inner race and the interconnecting shaft;
• and
• a plurality of spline balls disposed in a space formed by a pair of the outer and inner spline grooves, with said spline balls being accommodated within a sleeve window formed on the sleeve member,
• wherein the sleeve window is formed to extend longitudinally in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the interconnecting shaft,
• wherein the plurality of the spline balls are arranged to be adjacent to each other in contact, thereby forming a row within the sleeve window, and
• wherein the outer race and the inner race are configured to allow axial relative displacement due to a clearance between the outer race and the inner race.

A driveshaft configured to transmit rotational driving force, comprising:

• an interconnecting shaft;
• and
• a constant velocity joint coupled to the interconnecting shaft,
• wherein the constant velocity joint comprises:
• an outer race forming a plurality of outer ball tracks;
• an inner race forming a plurality of inner ball tracks corresponding to the plurality of the outer ball tracks;
• a ball cage interposed between the outer race and the inner race and forming a plurality of windows;
• and
• a plurality of torque transmitting balls respectively disposed in spaces formed by pairs of the outer and inner ball tracks in a state of being respectively housed in the windows;
• wherein the outer race and the inner race are configured to implement an angular articulation function that allows for relative angular displacement therebetween,
• wherein the inner race is coupled to the interconnecting shaft via a ball spline coupling structure to implement a length displacement function through relative axial displacement along an axial direction of the interconnecting shaft, and
• wherein the outer race and the inner race are configured to allow axial relative displacement due to a clearance between the outer race and the inner race.