ROTATING JOINT

• US 20080181719A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZF Group North American Operations Incorporated (Zeppelin-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: ZF Group North American Operations Incorporated (Zeppelin-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Buhl, Reinhard, Ryan, William, Gleason, John
• Application Number:
  US11/829,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20080181719A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/76
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0614 the female part of the joint being open on two sides
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0671 allowing operative relative movement of joint parts due to flexing of the sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 23/046 with split outer rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 31/02 Sliding-contact bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32196 Articulate joint is ball and socket

Abstract

Disclosed is a component providing rotational, translational and angular movement to a shaft inserted therein. The component has a housing with a bearing aperture, the bearing aperture having an aperture axis, an inner concave surface and a placement ring surface. A combination joint including a hollow bearing and a placement ring are located at least partially within the bearing aperture. The hollow bearing has an outer convex surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the inner concave surface of the bearing aperture. The hollow bearing also has an aperture with a cylindrical inner surface. The placement ring has an outer surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the placement ring surface of the bearing aperture and has an inner concave bearing race surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the outer convex surface of the hollow bearing aperture. A sleeve with a sleeve axis can be located within the aperture of the hollow bearing and has an outer surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the cylindrical inner surface of the hollow bearing. The sleeve is slidable within the hollow bearing and the hollow bearing with the sleeve therein can rotate about the sleeve axis and tilt about the bearing aperture axis. In this manner, a component is provided that affords rotational, translational and angular movement to a shaft inserted therein. A seal can be included to protect the combination joint from dust, dirt, debris and the like.

Claims

1. A component providing rotational, translational and angular movement to a shaft inserted therein, said component comprising:

a housing having a bearing aperture, said bearing aperture having an aperture axis, a concave bearing race surface and a placement ring surface;

a hollow bearing with an outer convex surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said concave bearing race surface of said bearing aperture, said hollow bearing also having an aperture with a cylindrical inner surface;

a placement ring having an outer surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said placement ring surface of said bearing aperture and a concave bearing race surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said outer convex surface of said hollow bearing;

a sleeve having a sleeve axis and an outer surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said sleeve race surface of said hollow bearing, said sleeve slidable within said hollow bearing, and said hollow bearing with said sleeve therein operable to rotate about said sleeve axis and tilt about said bearing aperture axis, for the purpose of providing rotational, translational and angular movement to a shaft inserted within said sleeve.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said sleeve can slide up to 8 millimeters within said hollow bearing.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said sleeve rotates about said sleeve axis independently of said hollow bearing.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said sleeve and said hollow bearing tilt up to 6 degrees about said aperture axis.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein said housing is made from an alloy.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said alloy is a steel alloy.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein said hollow bearing is made from a plastic.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said plastic is a high strength plastic.

9. The invention of claim 1, wherein said placement ring is made from an alloy.

10. The invention of claim 9, wherein said alloy is a steel alloy.

11. The invention of claim 1, wherein said inner surface and outer surface of said hollow bearing have indentations, said indentations selected from the group consisting of channels, dimples and combinations thereof.

12. A component providing rotational, translational and angular movement to a shaft inserted therein, said component comprising.

a housing having a bearing aperture with an aperture axis, said bearing aperture having a first section and a second section, said first section having a concave spheroidal bearing race surface and said second section having a cylindrical placement ring surface;

a hollow spheroidal bearing having an outer convex spheroidal surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said concave spheroidal bearing race surface of said first section of said bearing aperture, said hollow spheroidal bearing also having a cylindrical inner aperture, said cylindrical inner aperture having a sleeve bearing race surface;

a placement ring located within said second section having an outer cylindrical surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said cylindrical placement ring surface of said bearing aperture, said placement ring also having an inner spheroidal concave bearing race surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said outer spheroidal convex surface of said hollow bearing; and

a sleeve having a sleeve axis and extending through said cylindrical inner aperture of said hollow spheroidal bearing and having an outer sleeve surface adjacent to and at least partially in contact with said sleeve bearing race surface of said hollow spheroidal bearing, said sleeve slidable within said hollow spheroidal bearing along said sleeve axis;

said hollow spheroidal bearing with said sleeve therein operable to rotatable about said sleeve axis and tilt about said bearing aperture axis, for the purpose of providing rotational, translational and angular movement to a shaft inserted within said sleeve bearing.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein said sleeve can slide up to 8 millimeters within said hollow bearing.

14. The invention of claim 12, wherein said sleeve and said hollow bearing tilt up to 6 degrees about said aperture axis.

15. The invention of claim 12, wherein said sleeve rotates about said sleeve axis independently of said hollow bearing.

16. The invention of claim 12, wherein said housing is made from an alloy.

17. The invention of claim 16, wherein said alloy is a steel alloy.

18. The invention of claim 12, wherein said hollow bearing is made from a plastic.

19. The invention of claim 18, wherein said plastic is a high strength plastic.

20. The invention of claim 12, wherein said inner surface and outer surface of said hollow bearing have indentations, said indentations selected from the group consisting of channels, dimples and combinations thereof.