Constant velocity fixed ball joint as a counter track joint

US6672965B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GKN Automotive Limited · DE

Inventors

• Wolfgang Hildebrandt · Lohmar, DE
• Stephan Maucher · Siegburg, DE
• Thomas Weckerling · Bonn, DE
• Hans Wormsbacher · Dreieich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 30, 2001
• Grant date: Jan 6, 2004
• Expiry date: Feb 6, 2022

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 fixed ball joint in the form of a counter track joint, having an outer joint part with outer tracks, an inner joint part with inner tracks, torque transmitting balls which are received in pairs of tracks consisting of outer tracks and inner tracks, and a ball cage with cage windows in which the balls are held in a common plane and are guided on to the angle-bisecting plane when the joint is articulated. First outer tracks, together with first inner tracks, form pairs of tracks whose control angles open in a first axial direction and in which first balls are held. Second outer tracks, together with second inner tracks, form pairs of tracks whose control angles open in a second axial direction and in which second balls are held. The control angles are defined as angles between the tangents at the ball contact points in the tracks. The outer joint part, on its inside, forms a stop-and-guiding face for a spherical outer face of the ball cage. The stop-and-guiding face is undercut-free if viewed in the second axial direction (R2). The ball cage, on its inside, forms a stop-and-guiding face for a spherical outer face of the inner joint part. The stop-and-guiding face …