The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 17, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 30, 2002
Scott Jay Perrow, Freeland, MI (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
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 ( ).