WO1993002296A1

WO1993002296A1 - A telescopic tripod universal joint

Info

Publication number: WO1993002296A1
Application number: PCT/US1992/005868
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dean J. Schneider
Original assignee: GKN Automotive Inc
Current assignee: GKN Driveline North America Inc
Priority date: 1991-07-23
Filing date: 1992-07-14
Publication date: 1993-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1994-01-23
Also published as: CA2113415C; MX9204285A; JP3250805B2; EP0595923B1; DE69209839T2; EP0595923A1; CA2113415A1; EP0595923A4; JPH06511535A; DE69209839D1; US5171185A

Abstract

A plunging tripod constant velocity universal joint (10) is provided which consists of an outer joint member (20) with a cavity having three longitudinal chambers (26). An inner joint member (22) is displaced within this cavity (26). The inner joint member (22) consists of a spider member (32) and three sets of roller assemblies (66). The roller assemblies (66) have an annular inner roller (44), an annular outer roller (54) and a plurality of needle rollers (64). The inner (44) and outer rollers (54) are provided with flanges (50, 60) which form a pocket to retain the plurality of needles (64) without the use of snap rings.

Description

A TELESCOPIC TRIPOD UNIVERSAL JOINT

Background of the Invention

The invention relates to universal joints and, more particularly, to a telescopic tripod universal joint.

Tripod constant velocity universal joints have been used by the transportation industry for numerous years. A typical tripod joint is shown in U.S. Patent 4,773,890 issued to Iwasaki et al. on September 27, 1988.

This joint consists of an outer race formed with three longitudinal chambers. A spider assembly is disposed within each chamber. Journaled on each of the spider trunnions is a roller. Interposed between each roller and the respective trunnion is a plurality of needle roller bearings.

While this joint has proven to be an effective design, it has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is during operation of the tripod joint at an angle, the joint produces a third order axial cyclic vibration known as "shudder". This shudder phenomenon often times is felt by the driver and passengers of the vehicle.

Shudder is caused by sliding rather than rolling of the rollers when the joint is rotating at an angle. While at an angle, the plane of rotation of each roller is skewed relative to its respective outer race track. This causes a combination of rolling and sliding of the roller on its respective track as the spider moves axially relative to the outer race. This sliding action is the main component producing the third order axial cyclic vibration or shudder. As the angle of the joint increases, there is more sliding and therefore a higher axial load is induced.

There are numerous designs which attempt to minimize the axially induced force. Iwasaki et al. patent attempts to reduce this induced load by using angular contact on the tracks. This has the effect of lowering the surface area of contact between the roller and the track. While some reduction in load is possible with this joint, it does not significantly reduce the shudder phenomenon.

U.S. Patent No. 4,619,628 issued to Orain on October 28, 1986 illustrates a triplan joint which separates the components within the joint which are responsible for angular and translational movement While this device is able to significantly reduce or even eliminate the axially induced forces in the joint, the design of the joint is complicated and expensive.

Various other patents have approached the problem by going to multiple piece roller assemblies in an attempt to reduce the "shudder" phenomenon.

U.S. Patent 4,954,119 issued to Sasaki et aL on September 4, 1990; U.S. patent 4,891,035 issued to Sasaki et al. on January 2, 1990; U.S. Patent 4,854,917 issued to

Mizukoshi on August 8, 1989; U.S. Patent 4,786,270 issued to Iwasaki on November 22, 1988;

U.S. Patent 4,747,803 issued to Kimata et aL on May 31, 1988; U.S. Patent 4,578,048 issued to Hirai et aL on March 25, 1986 and U.S. Patent 4,379,706 issued to Otsuka et al. on April

12, 1983 all illustrate different designs of multi-component roller design. The capability of the above enumerated tripod joints to reduce the axially induced load lies somewhere between a typical tripod as shown in Iwasaki et aL and a triplan joint as shown in Orain. While these joints all reduce the axially induced load, they all are relatively expensive due to the design of their complicated multi-component roller assembly.

Accordingly, it is desirous to have a multi-component roller assembly which reduces the axially induced loads and is relatively inexpensive and reliable.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention discloses an improved tripod telescopic joint The present invention discloses a multi-component roller assembly for a tripod telescopic joint The roller assembly journals the plurality of needle rollers between the inner and outer roller without the use of snap rings. This not only eliminates the snap rings, but also eliminates the costly machining of the snap ring grooves. From the following detailed description of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation view partially in cross section of a tripod joint assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along line 2-2 thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing an alternate orientation of the internal components. Figure 4 is a side elevation view like that of Figure 1 of a tripod joint assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of Figure 4 along line 5-5 thereof.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a tripod spider assembly in accordance with the present invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

A telescopic universal joint in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6 and is designated by the reference numeral 10. The telescopic tripod universal joint 10 has an outer member 20 and an inner member 22.

The outer joint member 20 is a bell shaped housing and is rotatable about an axis 24. The bell shaped housing 20 has three longitudinal chambers 26 formed in its interior wall.

The chambers 26 are generally parallel to the axis 24. Each of the longitudinal chambers 26 are defined by opposing longitudinal sidewalk 28 which are generally parallel to the axis 24.

Each of the longitudinal sidewalk 28 includes a longitudinal guideway 30.

The inner joint assembly 22 includes spider member 32, shaft 34 and roller assembly 66. The spider 32 may be integral with or separate from the shaft 34. When the spider 32 is separate from the shaft 34, it is secured by spline means 36 and snap ring 38. The spider 32 has three equally circumferentially spaced and radially extending trunnions 40. Each trunnion is adapted to extend into one of the chambers 26 as shown in Figure 2. The trunnions 40 have a partially spherical exterior surface portion 42.

The roller assembly 66 is positioned in sliding engagement with the partially spherical exterior surface portion 42 of the trunnion 40. The roller assembly 66 has an annular inner roller 44, an annular outer roller 54 and a plurality of needle rollers 64.

The inner roller 44 has a pair of lateral ends 43 and 45 with an inner cylindrical surface 46 between the ends. The surface 46 k in sliding contact with the partially spherical exterior surface portion 42 of the trunnion 40. The inner roller 44 has an outer cylindrical surface 48 between ends 43 and 45 which acts as a bearing surface. The inner roller 44 ako has an outwardly extending flange 50 at end 45. The flange 50 extends radially outward and terminates with a partially spherical or cylindrical exterior surface portion 52.

The outer roller 54 has a pair of lateral ends 53 and 55 with an inner cylindrical surface 56 and an outer partially spherical or cylindrical surface 58 between the ends 53 and 55. The inner cylindrical surface 56 provides a bearing surface for needle rollers 64. The outer surface 58 k in rolling contact with the longitudinal side walk 28 of the outer joint member 20. The shape of the longitudinal sidewall 28 k complimentary to the partial spherical or cylindrical surface 58. The outer roller 54 also has an inwardly extending flange

60 located at end 55. The longitudinal guideway 30 traps the roller assembly in the chamber 26 and allows only movement of the roller assembly 66 along a path which k generally parallel to the axk

34. Skewing of the roller assembly 66 relative to the longitudinal sidewall 28 k thus minimized.

When the inner roller 44 and the outer roller 54 are positioned as shown in Figure 2, a pocket 62 k formed between the inner cylindrical surface 56 of the outer roller 54 and the outer cylindrical surface 48 of the inner roller 44. A plurality of needle rollers 64 are journaled in the pocket 62 and are in rolling contact with the inner cylindrical surface 56 and the outer cylindrical surface 48.

While Figure 2 shows the outwardly extending flange 50 of the inner roller 44 located towards the inside of the outer member 20, it k within the scope of thk invention to rotate the roller assembly 66 180° and have the flange 50 located towards the outside of the outer member 20 as shown in Figure 3.

Figures 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the present invention. It k designated by the number 100. In the dkcussion of Figures 4 and 5, the elements which are the same as those shown in Figures 1 and 2 are designated with the same reference numerak. The outer member 20, the spider member 32 and the shaft 34 are the same for both embodiments of the invention. The above description of these components ako applies to thk embodiment

A roller assembly 166 k positioned in sliding engagement with the partially spherical exterior surface portion 42 of the trunnion 40. The roller assembly 166 has an annular roller 144, an outer annular roller 154 and a plurality of needle rollers 64.

The inner roller 144 has a pair of lateral ends 143 and 145 with an inner cylindrical surface 146 between ends 143 and 145. The surface 146 k in sliding contact with the partially spherical exterior surface portion 42 of the trunnion 40. The inner roller 144 ako includes an outer cylindrical surface 148 between ends 143 and 145. The inner roller 144 has a pair of outwardly extending flanges 150 at both of its ends 143 and 145 as seen in Figure

5.

The outer roller 154 has a pair of lateral ends 153 and 155 with an inner cylindrical surface 156 and an outer partially spherical or cylindrical surface 158 between ends 153 and

155. The outer surface 158 k in rolling contact with the longitudinal sidewalk 28 of the outer joint member 20. The shape of the longitudinal sidewall 28 k complimentary to the partial spherical or cylindrical surface 158. The longitudinal guideway 30 traps the roller assembly in the chamber 26 and allows only movement of the roller assembly 166 along a path which k generally parallel to the axk 34. Skewing of the roller assembly 166 relative to the longitudinal sidewall 28 k thus minimized. When the inner roller 144 and the outer roller 154 are positioned as shown in Figure

5, a pocket 162 k formed between the inner cylindrical surface 148 of the inner roller 144. A plurality of needle rollers 64 are joumaled in the pocket 162 and are in rolling contact with the inner cylindrical surface 156 and the outer cylindrical surface 148.

While the above detailed description describes the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention k susceptible to modification, variation and alteration without deviating from the scope and fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

Claims

What k claimed k: 1. A homokinetic universal joint comprising: an outer joint member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending chambers, each chamber having a pair of oppositely dkposed longitudinal sidewalk; an inner joint member dkposed within said outer joint member, said inner joint member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending trunnions equal in number to said plurality of chambers, each trunnion radially extending into a respective chamber between said oppositely dkposed longitudinal sidewalk, each of said plurality of trunnions having at least a partial spherical surface facing each of said longitudinal sidewalk provided in said respective chamber into which said trunnion extends; a plurality of annular inner rollers, each annular inner roller having a cylindrical inner wall and an outer wall between a first end and a second end, said cylindrical inner wall slidingly engaged with said partial spherical surface of said trunnion, said outer wall having a first cylindrical bearing surface and an outwardly extending flange at said first end of said inner roller; a plurality of annular outer rollers, each annular outer roller having an inner wall, an outer wall, a first end and a second end, said outer wall rollingly engaged with said longitudinal sidewall of said outer member, said inner wall having a second cylindrical bearing surface and an inwardly extending flange at said first end of said inner roller, said annular outer roller positioned such that said inwardly extending flange at said first end of said outer roller k adjacent to said second end of said annular inner roller and said outwardly extending flange of said annular inner roller k adjacent to said second end of said annular outer roller forming a pocket between said first and second cylindrical bearing surfaces; and a plurality of needle rollers located in said pocket between said first and second cylindrical bearing surfaces, said plurality of needle rollers in rolling contact with both said first and second cylindrical bearing surfaces.

2. The homokinetic universal joint of Claim 1 wherein said outer wall of each of said annular outer rollers k cylindrical.

3. The homokinetic universal joint of Claim 1 wherein said outer wall of each of said annular outer rollers k spherical.

4. A homokinetic universal joint comprising: an outer joint member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending chambers, each chamber having a pair of oppositely dkposed longitudinal sidewalk; an inner joint member dkposed within said outer joint member, said inner joint member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending trunnions equal in number to said plurality of chambers, each trunnion radially extending into a respective chamber between said oppositely dkposed longitudinal sidewalk, each of said plurality of trunnions having at least a partial spherical surface facing each of said longitudinal sidewalk provided in said respective chamber into which said trunnion extends; a plurality of annular inner rollers, each inner roller having a cylindrical inner wall and an outer wall between a first end and a second end, said cylindrical inner wall slidingly engaged with said partial spherical surface of said trunnion, said outer wall having a first cylindrical bearing surface, an outwardly extending first flange at said first end of said inner roller, and an outwardly extending second flange at said second end of said inner roller; a plurality of needle rollers in rolling contact with said first cylindrical bearing surface; and a plurality of annular outer rollers, each outer roller having an inner wall and an outer wall, said outer wall rollingly engaged with said longitudinal sidewall of said outer member, said inner wall having a second cylindrical bearing surface, said second cylindrical bearing surface in rolling contact with said needle rollers.

5. The homokinetic universal joint of Claim 6 wherein said outer wall surface of each of said annular outer rollers k cylindrical.

6. The homokinetic universal joint of Gaim 6 wherein said outer wall surface of each of said annular rollers k spherical.