Viscodrive Gmbh

Gkn Automotive Ag

Gkn Automotive Gmbh

Uni-cardan Aktiengesellschaft

Gkn Viscodrive Gmbh

Herbert Taureg

Werner Krude

Peter Harz

Helmut Wiese

Thomas Weckerling

Stephan Maucher

Miloslav Petrzelka

Anna Gremmelmaier

Paul-Erich Schonenbrucher

Georg Kwoka

Christian Gasch

Heinz Klein

Paul E Schonenbrucher

A driveshaft having at least one counter-track joint, the joint having an outer joint part (), an inner joint part (), torque-transmitting balls () accommodated in pairs of tracks, and a ball cage with cage windows in which the balls are held in a common plane. First outer tracks and first inner tracks form first pairs of tracks which diverge from one another when viewed in a first axial direction towards the connection end of the inner joint part () and hold first balls. Second outer tracks and second inner tracks form second pairs of tracks which diverge from one another when viewed in a second axial direction towards the connection end of the outer joint partand hold second balls. The first pairs of tracks are positioned radially opposite each other and the second pairs of tracks are positioned radially opposite each other.

Driveshaft with counter-track joint

A constant velocity fixed ball joint in the form of a counter-track joint comprising an outer joint part with outer tracks, an inner joint part with inner tracks, torque-transmitting balls accommodated in pairs of tracks, and a ball cage with cage windows in which the balls are held in a common plane. First outer tracks and first inner tracks form first pairs of tracks which diverge from one another running in a first axial direction towards the connection end of the inner joint part and hold first balls. Second outer tracks and second inner tracks form second pairs of tracks which diverge from one another running in a second axial direction towards the connection end of the outer joint part and hold second balls. First pairs of tracks are positioned radially opposite other first pairs of tracks, and second pairs of tracks are positioned radially opposite other second pairs of tracks.

Counter-track joint having identically orientated opposed pairs of tracks

An axial setting device for loading the friction plates of a coupling or for fixing the viscous plates of a coupling having two parts which are co-axially supported on a fixed housing and which are rotatable relative to one another. A pump assembly has housing parts that are connected to the one of the coupling parts and whose conveying elements are connected to the other one of the coupling parts in such a way that, when the parts rotate relative to one another, fluid is conveyed in the pump assembly. A reservoir is provided for fluid with a variable volume and a pressure chamber is delimited by an axial piston. A fluid connection is made from the reservoir to the chamber via the pump assembly and a fluid connection is made from the chamber to the reservoir via a bypass line with a solenoid valve.

Axial setting device

A constant velocity fixed joint having an outer joint part, an inner joint part, a cage and torque transmitting balls has the cumulative clearance errors of the joint minimized via the fixing method of supporting inserts. This is achieved in that a ring is provided with at least two fingers pointing axially and radially inward into the cavity of the outer joint part and arranged between two outer running grooves so as to abut the spherical contact face of the cage. While the clearances between the internal joint components are positioned at a predetermined relationship, the ring is positioned at an axial distance from a reference face located at the open end of the outer joint part and that the ring, while observing a predetermined axial play, is connected to the outer joint part. The inner faces of the outer joint part arranged between the outer running grooves thus being held at a predetermined position relative to the spherical outer face of the cage. A method is provided which substantially facilitates handling while individual supporting inserts are attached and which allows the joint play to be set in the specified way. This is achieved in that the outer joint part is provided with recesses arranged between the outer running grooves. Wedge-shaped inserts serving to axially secure the cage and being connected to one another by an annular strip are inserted into the recesses. The wedge-shaped inserts are welded to the recesses and after the welding operation the annular strip between the wedge-shaped supporting inserts is removed.

Constant velocity fixed joint

Method of assembling constant velocity fixed joint

Constant velocity fixed joint with supporting inserts

A viscous coupling having outer plates which are provided with index recesses which serve to assemble the outer plates in a specific way relative to each other, depending on the respective application. If the outer plates have to be assembled in the housing with the apertures being aligned inphase relative to each other, the torque transmitting capacity of the coupling is lower than in those cases where the slots are circumferentially offset relative to each other in the housing, thereby forming a kind of labyrinth, in which case the viscous coupling achieves a 100% torque transmission because it may be transferred into the hump mode.

Viscous coupling having plates with index recesses

The invention relates to a fluid friction coupling in which the plates to be spaced are fixed via spacing strips which extend along the entire axial length of the package of plate to be spaced. This measure facilitates assembly and the plate package may be pre-assembled and spacer rings to be inserted separately are eliminated.

Spacing means for spacing plates in a fluid friction coupling

The invention relates to a fluid friction coupling having a housing, with outer plates being non-rotatingly associated therewith and further outer plates being associated therewith so as to be non-rotating in one direction only. The outer plates which are designed to be non-rotating in one direction of rotation only, have resilient tongues which are axially deflected from the plane face of the plate and which are laterally supported on faces of the webs with slots inserted into the housing. With their outer circumference, the plates are guided in the slots of the webs. In the direction of torque transmission, the movement of the housing is transferred via the side faces of the webs on to the resilient tongues and thus with the plates. The plates are driven by the housing. In the other direction of rotation, the housing may overtake the plates in that the webs slide with their slots over the resilient tongues. Between two adjoining outer plates and there are arranged inner plates which are driven as a result of the shearing viscous medium between the plates and which service to drive a hub. Thus, in the two possible directions of rotation, the coupling is capable of transmitting different torques or achieves a complete freewheeling effect in one direction of rotation.

Fluid friction coupling

The invention relates to a fluid friction coupling (1) with a housing (2) and a hub (4) rotatably received within the housing. The interior (11) of the housing is divided into a main chamber (22) and a receiving chamber (23). Only the main chamber (22) is occupied by inner plates (8) and outer plates (6) of the coupling. The two chambers (22, 23) are separated by separating plates (18, 19). However, the separating plates (18, 19) comprise closable apertures (24) each of which is associated with a slide (25). The closing slides (25) open the apertures (24), thereby providing a passage between the two chambers (22, 23) when a certain rotational speed is exceeded. As a result, the possibility of a transfer of the coupling (1) into the hump mode is reduced at high rotation speeds.

Fluid friction coupling with closing slide

A viscous shear coupling comprises a housing and a hub rotatable within the housing. Plates are splined to the housing and plates to the hub, there is a pair of plates splined to the hub between each two adjacent plates splined to the housing. The plates in pairs splined to the hub have convergent apertures therein, each aperture converging in a direction away from that radial face of the plate which is adjacent to the other plate of the pair.

Viscous shear couplings

A viscous shear coupling, comprising a first part in the form of a housing (2), a second part (3) disposed within the housing to define an annular closure therebetween, a first set of annular plates (11) in the enclosure secured for rotation with the first coupling part interleaved with the plates (12) of a second set of plates, secured for rotation with the second coupling part (3) and a viscous liquid at least partially filling the enclosure, wherein the plates are provided with through slots (13, 14) which are arranged so that parts of the slots move into and out of area of axial alignment as the sets of plates rotate relative to one another. The slots in one set of plates are inclined to the radii of the plates, while the slots in the other set of plates may be radial such that in one direction of rotation of the first set of plates relative to the second set of plates the axially aligned areas of the slots of two adjacent plates move inwardly towards said axis, and in the opposite direction of rotation of the first set of plates relative to the second of plates the axially aligned areas of the slots of two adjacent plates move outwardly away from said axis. The coupling is able to transmit differing torques according to the direction of relative rotation between the plates, so that it is useful for an inter-axle drive line in a four-wheel drive motor vehicle.

Viscous shear coupling

A limited slip differential comprises a bevel gear differential having side gears and planet gears carried by a planet gear support which is capable of limited rotation relative to the carrier. When the side gears carry unequal torques the support tends to rotate and moves a pressure ring axially due to complementary cam surfaces on the support and the ring and this engages a friction clutch which connects a viscous shear coupling between the side gears.

Limited slip differential assembly

A disconnectable transmission assembly comprising a coupling member within which is rotatably mounted in bearings a viscous coupling having a housing member and a hub which respectively carry interleaved plates. The coupling member and the housing member are connectable and disconnectable by means of a deformable sleeve which closes a chamber formed in the housing member and which can be supplied by fluid under pressure from a cylinder by movement of a piston. Deformation of the sleeve, which is connected to the housing member, engages the bore of the coupling member thus connecting the housing member and the coupling member for rotation. When the chamber is de-pressurized there is a running clearance between the sleeve and the coupling member.

Disconnectable transmission assemblies

The invention relates to a coupling assembly which is controllable to vary the amount of torque transmitted by the assembly. The latter comprises a housing (2, 70) and hub carrying sets (12, 26, 97, 98, 99) of interleaved plates, the housing being filled with a viscous liquid. Means (4, 29; 23, 24, 25, 51) externally of the housing is provided rapidly and repeatedly to increase and decrease pressure applied to the liquid in the housing. Application of such pressure causes the plates of the two sets to come into contact and release of the pressure allows the plates to move apart.

Growing community of inventors

Hennef, Germany

Herbert Taureg