Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation

Scott Jay Perrow

Steven Mark Thomas

Jon N Miller

Thomas G Beyer

David H Ritter

Christopher Mark Charlebois

David Hamilton Ritter

A ball assembly () for a tripot-style joint includes an annular outer ball () having a central axis (L) extending therethrough and a depression () formed therein. A plurality of needle rollers () is positioned along an interior of the outer ball (). A needle roller retainer () is provided for retaining the needle rollers () within the outer ball () during operation of the ball assembly (). The retainer () has a base portion () axially opposed to an end portion () of the needle roller (), and a flange portion () extending from the base portion () into the depression (), the flange portion () of the retainer () being resiliently pivotable within the depression () in response to application of an axial load to the retainer (). In a particular embodiment, an inner ball () is positioned in the interior of the outer ball (), and a series of resilient tabs () extends from the base portion () of the retainer (). The tabs () are axially opposed to a portion of the inner ball () and are resiliently deflectable in response to application of an axial load thereto by the inner ball (), thereby permitting at least a portion of the inner ball () to move out of the interior of the outer ball ().

Needle roller retainer for tripot joint

A telescopic tripot universal joint comprises an outer drive member having three longitudinal drive channels which include two opposing concave side surfaces, an inner drive member having three radial trunnions having a radially outward facing semi-spherical surface for tiltably mounting a drive ball assembly which has a bearing train disposed radially between an inner ball tiltably engaged to the trunnion and an outer ball having a tread face which directly opposes the concave side surfaces of the drive channels. The ball assembly being free to wobble about a Z-axis wherein the assembly pivots about an X-axis disposed laterally to the outer drive member and pivots about a Y-axis disposed longitudinally to the outer drive member. The channel carries a guide rail which extends longitudinally lengthwise to the channel and projects radially inward in order to contact the outer ball when the ball assembly pivots about the X-axis, i.e., tilts relative to the axis of the outer drive member.

Tripot universal joint

A tripot universal joint has a plurality of roller assemblies mounted on trunnions of a drive shaft and run in longitudinal tracks of a housing. Each roller assembly includes a roller and a needle roller bearing for rotatably mounting the roller on a roller carrier. Each needle bearing includes a plurality of needle rollers and a cage. The cage has spaced end rings that are connected by a plurality of cross bars to retain the needle rollers with respect to the roller in the axial direction, and conformations that cooperate with the roller to retain the cage with respect to the roller in the axial direction.

Universal joint roller assembly

A needle roller retainer for insertion into an outer ball of a tripot style joint includes a cylindrical portion having an inner end and an outer end, a rib portion extending from the inner end of the cylindrical portion, and a flange portion extending from the outer end of the cylindrical portion. The outer ball includes a groove for receiving the rib portion.

Needle roller retention design for tripot joint

A tripot joint ( ) includes a tripot housing ( ) having three guide channels ( ) receiving three corresponding trunnions ( ) of a tripot spider ( ). A ball assembly ( ) is mounted on each of the trunnions ( ) and received in the guide channels ( ). The ball assembly includes an inner ball ( ), and outer ball ( ), and a complement of roller elements ( ). The inner balls ( ) are slidable axially on the roller elements ( ) relative to the outer balls ( ). Each ball assembly ( ) includes at least one yieldable retainer ( ) mounted on the outer ball ( ) and projecting into the axial sliding path of the inner ball ( ) in at least partial overlapping relation to the inner ball ( ). The yieldable retainers secure the inner and outer balls ( ) against axial separation prior to joining the ball assemblies ( ) with the trunnions ( ) and guide channels ( ). During operation of the joint ( ), the yieldable retainers ( ) are displaced out of the axial sliding path through normal axial forces exerted by the inner ball against the retainers ( ), allowing for full functional axial sliding movement of the inner balls ( ) relative to the outer balls ( ) during transmission of torque through an angle of the joint ( ).

Tripot joint

A telescopic tripot universal joint comprises an outer drive member having three longitudinal drive channels which include two opposing concave side surfaces having a parabolic profile, an inner drive member having three radial trunnions having a radially outward facing semi-spherical surface for tiltably mounting a drive ball assembly which has a bearing train disposed radially between an inner ball tiltably engaged to the trunnion and an outer ball having a tread face which directly opposes the concave side surfaces of the drive channels. The parabolic side surface has a radially outward portion having a smaller radius of curvature than a radial inward portion of the parabolic side surface. Moreover, the radius of the inward portion is equal to or greater than the maximum radius of the outer ball thereby assuring the tread face of the outer ball does not bind against the inward portion of the parabolic side surface on the unloaded side. This reduces universal joint studder as a result of ball assembly tilting about a Y-axis extending longitudinally with respect to the outer drive member.

A constant velocity stroking joint includes a housing having an inner cylindrical surface formed with axial guide channels aligned with guide channels of an inner race to provide axial ball tracks for a set of spherical balls. A double offset outer cage has a part-spherical outer diameter surface and a spherical inner diameter surface with centers of curvature axially offset from a center plane of the balls on opposite side thereof to provide constant velocity. An intermediate cage is provided between the inner race and outer cage having a spherical outer diameter surface with a radius of curvature matching that of the mating surface of the outer cage for maintaining constant velocity. The intermediate cage has a cylindrical inner diameter surface mating with a cylindrical outer diameter surface of the inner race, enabling the inner race to stroke axially of the outer cage with low friction, low load rolling action of the balls along the ball tracks while maintaining a constant velocity characteristic for all axial stroke conditions.

Constant velocity stroking joint

A constant velocity stroking joint includes an inner race mounted to a shaft and accommodated for angular pivotal movement within an intermediate race to provide angulation to the joint assembly. The intermediate race is disposed within an outer race and a plurality of recirculating ball spline tracks is formed therebetween and accommodated in a plurality of spline balls. The endless tracks support the spline balls for free rolling, recirculating movement during axial stroking of the intermediate race within the outer race through its full range of axial stroke.

Constant velocity stroking joint having recirculating spline balls

A tripot joint includes a tripot housing having a plurality of longitudinally extending ball channels for receiving a corresponding plurality of trunnions projecting from a shaft. Each trunnion is fitted with a ball module formed as a separate sub-assembly from the trunnions. Each ball module includes a roller ball having a bore in which a plurality of needle bearings is disposed. A bearing cage is received with a snap-fit connection within the bore to retain the needle bearing within the roller ball independently of the trunnions.

Tripot constant velocity joint having ball modules

A Rzeppa-type ball spline constant velocity joint includes an outer race, an inner race, and an intermediate race disposed between the inner and outer races and supporting the inner race for angular pivotal movement. The intermediate race and outer race are formed with aligned axial ball channels. A plurality of rows of spline balls are supported by a ball spline cage between the intermediate race and the outer race and extend beyond the ends of the intermediate race to provide free rolling support of the intermediate race along the full limits of the axial stroke of the intermediate race within the outer race.

A retainer assembly is provided for attaching a splined shaft with a splined hub. The retainer assembly is particularly useful in a constant velocity joint to attach the halfshaft with an inner hub (either an inner race or spider assembly). The retainer comprises specifically designed grooves at the outboard end of the splined shaft and splined bore of the hub. The grooves are located outside of the splined area. A retaining ring is also provided. The retaining ring has a specific geometry that includes a pair of opposing legs that are integrally connected to provide a v-shaped cross section and are flexible with respect to one another. The first of the legs of the retaining ring engages the groove on the shaft and the second of the legs engages the groove on the hub to prevent relative axial movement between the shaft and the hub when in the retained position. A method of assembling the retainer is also provided.

Retainer assembly

A retainer system for use in a tripot type universal joint is provided. The universal joint includes a spider having a plurality of rollers thereon. The rollers travel in drive channels within a housing of the joint. The retainer system comprises a retaining ring, having generally planar small diameter segments and generally planar and axially offset large diameter segments. The small diameter and large diameter segments are connected by blocking segments. The retainer system also comprises an annular groove having a retaining ring movement portion. The retaining ring movement portion allows for movement of the small diameter segments and blocking segments between an uncompressed state and a compressed state. In the compressed state, the spider can be inserted into the housing, because the blocking segments move out of the drive channels. In the uncompressed state, the blocking segments obstruct the drive channels to prevent movement of the rollers therepast outwardly of the housing to thereby maintain the spider in the housing. A method of assembling a universal joint is also provided.

Retainer assembly for tripot joint

A tripod universal joint including a cup-shaped outer joint member having three inward facing longitudinal roller channels with opposite planar side walls, an inner joint member inside of the outer joint member having three radial trunnions in the three roller channels, three spherical inner rollers supported on the radial trunnions for rotation and for radial linear translation, and three outer rollers between the planar side walls of the roller channels supported on corresponding ones of the inner rollers for relative rotation and for relative universal articulation. The outer rollers are prevented from tipping in the roller channels by a cylindrical cage between the inner and outer joint members. The cylindrical cage consists of three arc-shaped cage segments supported on the outer joint member for independent linear translation each having a window therein for a corresponding one of the outer rollers. The window in each cage segment is defined by a pair of longitudinal runners and a pair of lateral retainers. The runners slide against the runners of adjacent cage segments and cooperate to prevent the cage segments from tipping. The lateral retainers bear against opposite sides of the outer rollers to prevent the outer rollers from tipping.

Constant velocity universal joint

A stroking constant velocity universal joint including a tulip housing having three longitudinal drive channels therein and a spider having three radial trunnions reaching into the drive channels. A cylindrical drive roller is disposed in each drive channel and has a radial bore therein with an inner convex surface around a cylindrical bearing race on the corresponding radial trunnion. A full complement of needle bearings is disposed in the clearance between each cylindrical bearing race and the corresponding inner convex surface. A pair of annular washers are mounted on each radial trunnion at opposite ends of the bearing race thereon. A counterbore in a side of each washer facing the corresponding drive roller has a diameter less than the minimum diameter of the inner convex surface in the drive roller and overlaps an end of the full complement of needle bearings to hold the needle bearings closer to the cylindrical bearing race than the inner convex surface of the drive roller.

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Freeland, MI, United States of America

Scott Jay Perrow