US 2008/0287201 A1 · Constant Velocity Joint of Tripod Type

Abstract

A constant velocity joint for a drive system having a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft coupled with the constant velocity joint, wherein the constant velocity joint comprises: a hollow housing having an opening at one end, and a closing at its opposite end fixed to an end of the first rotating shaft, an inner face of the housing including a plurality of guide grooves extending in an axial direction of the housing and spaced equally apart in a circumferential direction of the housing, each groove having a pair of side faces opposing to each other; and a tripod disposed at an end of the second rotating shaft, having a plurality of trunnions each positioned in a corresponding one of the guide grooves and being spaced equally apart in a circumferential direction of and at an angle normal to the second rotating shaft; and, an inner roller mounted to an outer end portion of each of the trunnions, an outer roller mounted on an outer face of each inner roller with needle rollers engaged between the inner and outer rollers, and allowing the outer face of each outer roller to roll and move in the corresponding one of the guide grooves and for transmitting a load between the first and second rotating shafts to drive the driving system. Each trunnion includes an at least partially spherical surface in a circumferential area subjecting to the load, and a cylindrical protrusion disposed at the at least partially spherical surface and protruded to a distance from the at least partially spherical surface in a direction normal to the axis of the respective trunnion, the cylindrical protrusion having an at least partially spherical surface at its distal end for surface-to-surface contact with an at least partially spherical inner face of the respective inner roller while defining a gap around the cylindrical protrusion and between the at least partially spherical surface of the respective trunnion and the at least partially spherical inner face of the respective inner roller.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A constant velocity joint of a drive system having a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft coupled with the constant velocity joint, the constant velocity joint comprising:

a hollow housing having an opening at one end, and a closing at its opposite end fixed to an end of the first rotating shaft, an inner face of the housing including a plurality of guide grooves extending in an axial direction of the housing and spaced equally apart in a circumferential direction of the housing, each groove having a pair of side faces opposing to each other;
a tripod disposed at an end of the second rotating shaft, having a plurality of trunnions each positioned in a corresponding one of the guide grooves and being spaced equally apart in a circumferential direction of and at an angle normal to the second rotating shaft;
an inner roller mounted to an outer end portion of each of the trunnions, an outer roller mounted on an outer face of each inner roller with needle rollers engaged between the inner and outer rollers, and allowing the outer face of each outer roller to roll and move in the corresponding one of the guide grooves and for transmitting a load between the first and second rotating shafts to drive the driving system;
and
each of the trunnions including an at least partially spherical surface in a circumferential area subjecting to the load, and a cylindrical protrusion disposed at the at least partially spherical surface and protruded to a distance from the at least partially spherical surface in a direction normal to the axis of the respective trunnion, the cylindrical protrusion having an at least partially spherical surface at its distal end for surface-to-surface contact with an at least partially spherical inner face of the respective inner roller while defining a gap around the cylindrical protrusion and between the at least partially spherical surface of the respective trunnion and the at least partially spherical inner face of the respective inner roller.

2 more elements

A method of assembling a roller assembly of a constant velocity joint on a trunnion of the joint, comprising:

providing a roller assembly for a constant velocity joint, the roller assembly including:
an outer roller with a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the inner face of the outer roller;
an inner roller with a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the outer face of the inner roller and with at least partially spherical inner face, the tapered outer cylindrical surface of the inner roller having a same taper angle with the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller, the inner roller including a pair of grooves formed on a bottom portion of the inner roller facing a boss of the trunnion and in a diametric direction, and another pair of grooves formed on a top portion of the inner roller and in a diametric direction perpendicular to the direction of the pair of grooves formed on the bottom portion;
and needle rollers for receiving between the inner and outer rollers;
providing a constant velocity joint having a tripod with at least one trunnion, the trunnion including a pair of cylindrical protrusions protruded normal to the axis of the trunnion to a predetermined height from an outer surface of the trunnion, each of the cylindrical protrusions having a generally spherical end surface for contacting with the at least partially spherical inner face of the inner roller;
mounting the outer roller on a shoulder portion of the tripod disposed below the trunnion, in such a manner that the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller is converged in a radial direction facing a boss of the tripod, the outer roller having the needle rollers assembled in the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller;
placing the inner roller in an opening defined by the needle rollers assembled in the outer roller with the pair of cylindrical protrusions received in the pair of grooves on the bottom of the inner roller, in such a manner that a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the outer face of the inner roller are converged in the radial direction facing the boss and the pair of grooves on the top portion of the inner race are positioned in the direction not receiving the load;
and
applying a gripping force on the upper edges of the inner roller in the direction receiving the load, and forcing the inner opening of the inner roller elastically expanded around the grooves formed on the top portion of the inner roller and in the direction receiving the load, the elastic expansion being within a radial clearance of the roller assembly provided between the tapered cylindrical outer face of the inner roller, the tapered cylindrical inner face of the outer roller, and the needle rollers, and thereby mounting the inner roller to the trunion with the generally spherical end surface of the cylindrical protrusions contacting against the at least partially spherical inner face of the inner roller.

6 more elements

A method of assembling a roller assembly of a constant velocity joint on a trunnion of the joint, comprising:

providing a roller assembly for a constant velocity joint, the roller assembly including:
an outer roller with a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the inner face of the outer roller;
an inner roller with a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the outer face of the inner roller and with at least partially spherical inner face, the tapered outer cylindrical surface of the inner roller having a same taper angle with the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller, the inner roller including a pair of grooves formed on a bottom portion of the inner roller facing a boss of the trunnion and in a diametric direction, and another pair of grooves formed on a top portion of the inner roller and in a diametric direction parallel to the direction of the pair of grooves formed on the bottom portion;
and needle rollers for receiving between the inner and outer rollers;
providing a constant velocity joint having a tripod with at least one trunnion, the trunnion including a pair of cylindrical protrusions protruded normal to the axis of the trunnion to a predetermined height from an outer surface of the trunnion, each of the cylindrical protrusions having a generally spherical end surface for contacting with the at least partially spherical inner face of the inner roller;
mounting the outer roller on a shoulder portion of the tripod disposed below the trunnion, in such a manner that the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller is converged in a radial direction facing a boss of the tripod, the outer roller having the needle rollers assembled in the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller;
placing the inner roller in an opening defined by the needle rollers assembled in the outer roller with the pair of cylindrical protrusions received in the pair of grooves on the bottom of the inner roller, in such a manner that a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the outer face of the inner roller are converged in the radial direction facing the boss and the pair of grooves on the top portion of the inner race are positioned in the direction receiving the load;
and
applying a gripping force on the upper edges of the inner roller in the direction not receiving the load, and forcing the inner opening of the inner roller elastically expanded around the grooves formed on the top portion of the inner roller and in the direction not receiving the load, the elastic expansion being within a radial clearance of the roller assembly provided between the tapered cylindrical outer face of the inner roller, the tapered cylindrical inner face of the outer roller, and the needle rollers, and thereby mounting the inner roller to the trunion with the generally spherical end surface of the cylindrical protrusions contacting against the at least partially spherical inner face of the inner roller.

6 more elements

A method of assembling a roller assembly of a constant velocity joint on a trunnion of the joint, comprising:

providing a roller assembly for a constant velocity joint, the roller assembly including:
an outer roller with a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the inner face of the outer roller;
an inner roller with a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the outer face of the inner roller and with at least partially spherical inner face, the tapered outer cylindrical surface of the inner roller having a same taper angle with the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller, the inner roller including a pair of grooves formed on a bottom portion of the inner roller facing a boss of the trunnion and in a diametric direction, and two pairs of grooves formed on a top portion of the inner roller both in a diametric direction parallel to and in a diametric direction perpendicular to the direction of the pair of grooves formed on the top portion;
and needle rollers for receiving between the inner and outer rollers;
providing a constant velocity joint having a tripod with at least one trunnion, the trunnion including a pair of cylindrical protrusions protruded normal to the axis of the trunnion to a predetermined height from an outer surface of the trunnion, each of the cylindrical protrusions having a generally spherical end surface for contacting with the at least partially spherical inner face of the inner roller;
mounting the outer roller on a shoulder portion of the tripod disposed below the trunnion, in such a manner that the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller is converged in a radial direction facing a boss of the tripod, the outer roller having the needle rollers assembled in the tapered inner cylindrical surface of the outer roller;
placing the inner roller in an opening defined by the needle rollers assembled in the outer roller with the pair of cylindrical protrusions received in the pair of grooves on the bottom of the inner roller, in such a manner that a tapered cylindrical surface formed on the outer face of the inner roller are converged in the radial direction facing the boss and said one pair of grooves on the top portion of the inner race are positioned in the direction not receiving the load and said the other pair of grooves on the top portion of the inner race are positioned in the direction receiving the load;
and
pressing the inner roller into the trunnion by a force applied in the axial direction of the trunnion, and forcing the inner opening of the inner roller elastically expanded around said two pairs of grooves formed on the top portion of the inner roller both in the direction receiving the load and in the direction not receiving the load, the elastic expansion being within a radial clearance of the roller assembly provided between the tapered cylindrical outer face of the inner roller, the tapered cylindrical inner face of the outer roller, and the needle rollers, and thereby mounting the inner roller to the trunion with the generally spherical end surface of the cylindrical protrusions contacting against the at least partially spherical inner face of the inner roller.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Constant Velocity Joint of Tripod Type

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Constant Velocity Joint of Tripod Type

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18