Rzeppa joint socket plate torque restraint assembly for a variable

Abstract

An assembly for providing socket plate torque restraint for a variable displacement wobble plate compressor includes a non-rotary Rzeppa joint. The joint has an outer race, an inner race, grooves in the races, a plurality of torque receiving balls and a cage for properly maintaining and positioning the balls in the grooves for operation. The joint is connected to an anti-rotational shaft. The shaft is mounted by the drive hub of the compressor to allow for translational axial and relative rotational motion. At least one key is received in a keyway in the anti-rotational shaft and a companion socket in the cylinder block fixed to the compressor housing. The Rzeppa joint provides the ideal kinematic restraint motion of the socket plate; the profile of the grooves on the inner and outer races and the cage having a curvature to effectively maintain the balls situated substantially in a single torque transmitting plane that bisects the joint angle. The joint effectively transmits the restraining torque to the anti-rotational shaft without vibration. The key on the shaft in turn efficiently transmits the socket plate restraining torque from the shaft to the compressor housing.