Double offset joint with centering means for cage

US6299544A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• GKN Lobro GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Peter Schwarzler · Goldbach, DE
• Friedhelm John · Obertshausen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 6, 1999
• Grant date: Oct 9, 2001
• Expiry date: Dec 6, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S464/906
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A constant velocity ball joint having an outer joint part with an inner cylindrical guiding face provided with first, longitudinally extending ball grooves; an inner joint part with a convex guiding face provided with second, longitudinally extended ball grooves; and torque transmitting balls which run in the first and second ball grooves. The balls are held by an annular ball cage in a ball center plane (E). The ball cage comprises an outer spherical control face whose greatest diameter is axially removed in a first direction by a distance (x) from the ball center plane (E) and wherein the ball cage comprises an inner concave control face whose greatest diameter is axially removed in a second direction by a distance (x) from the ball center plane (E). The inner control face in the ball cage forms end stops for delimiting an axial displacement path of the inner joint part relative to the ball cage. The joint further includes resilient members which are effective between the ball cage and the inner joint part and which, when the ball cage is axially displaced relative to the inner joint part from the center of the axial displacement path, are pre-tensioned.