Fixed-type constant velocity universal joint

摘要

A fixed type constant velocity universal joint has pairs of track grooves, each pair forming a wedge angle (α). The wedge angle (α) includes a wedge angle (α0) formed, when an operating angle is 0°, with respect to each of torque transmitting balls arranged in a joint center plane, and opening to the same side in an axial direction for all pairs of track grooves. Further, the pairs of track grooves are mirror-image symmetrical with each other when the operating angle is 0°.

主权项

1. A fixed type constant velocity universal joint, comprising:
an outer joint member having an inner spherical surface provided with a plurality of track grooves extending in an axial direction, and having an opening side and an inner-end side spaced apart from the opening side in the axial direction; an inner joint member having an outer spherical surface provided with a plurality of track grooves extending in the axial direction; torque transmitting balls each arranged between a respective pair of one of the plurality of track grooves of the outer joint member and one of the plurality of track grooves of the inner joint member; and a cage for holding the torque transmitting balls, the cage spherically fitting to both the inner spherical surface of the outer joint member and the outer spherical surface of the inner joint member, wherein, for each of the torque transmitting balls, a wedge angle is formed between a plane tangent to a portion of a corresponding one of the track grooves of the inner joint member at a position where a respective one of the torque transmitting balls is located on the corresponding one of the track grooves of the inner joint member and a plane tangent to a portion of a corresponding one of the track grooves of the outer joint member at a position where the respective one of the torque transmitting balls is located on the corresponding one of the track grooves of the outer joint member, wherein, when the fixed type constant velocity universal joint has an operating angle of 0°, a joint center plane of the fixed type constant velocity universal joint passes through a center of each of the torque transmitting balls, and the wedge angles of all of the torque transmitting balls open towards a same side of the fixed type constant velocity universal joint in the axial direction, wherein the one of the plurality of track grooves of the outer joint member and the one of the plurality of track grooves of the inner joint member of each respective pair have shapes that are mirror-image symmetrical with each other with respect to a joint center plane of the fixed type constant velocity universal joint, wherein the shapes, in the axial direction, of the one of the plurality of track grooves of the outer joint member and the one of the plurality of track grooves of the inner joint member of each respective pair are such that, for each of the torque transmitting balls, the wedge angle of a respective torque transmitting ball is 0° at an operating angle of the fixed type constant velocity universal joint where the respective torque transmitting ball is at a position toward the opening side of the outer joint member and at an operating angle of the fixed type constant velocity universal joint where the respective torque transmitting ball is at a position toward the inner-end side of the outer joint member, and wherein all of the plurality of track grooves of each of the outer joint member and the inner joint member have the same shape.