Constant velocity fixed ball joint as a counter track joint

US6709338B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GKN Automotive Limited · DE

Inventors

• Thomas Weckerling · Bonn, DE
• Stephan Maucher · Siegburg, DE
• Peter Harz · Hennef (Sieg), DE
• Wolfgang Hildebrandt · Lohmar, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 30, 2001
• Grant date: Mar 23, 2004
• Expiry date: Jan 31, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T403/32819
• 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 received in pairs of tracks formed of outer tracks and inner tracks, and a ball cage with cage windows in which the balls are held in a common plane and guided on to the angle-bisecting plane when the joint is articulated. First outer tracks, together with first inner tracks, form first pairs of tracks whose control angles open in a first axial direction. Second outer tracks, together with second inner tracks, form second pairs of tracks whose control angles open in a second axial direction, with the control angles being defined as angles between the tangents at the ball contact points in the tracks when the joint is in the aligned condition. The outer joint part forms a first stop-and-guiding face for a spherical outer face of the ball cage. A securing element at the outer joint part forms a second stop-and-guiding face for the spherical outer face of the ball cage. The inner face of the outer joint is undercut-free if viewed in the second axial direction.