BALL CAGE FOR BALL TYPE CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

• US 3,447,341 A
• Filed: 12/19/1966
• Issued: 06/03/1969
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fred F. Miller Jr
• Original Assignee: Fred F. Miller Jr
• Inventors: Miller, Fred F. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US04/602,875
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• US Class Current: 464/144
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3887 Details of individual pockets, e.g. shape or ball retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2003/22303 Details of ball cages
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2003/22306 having counter tracks, i.e. ball track surfaces which diverge in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/223 the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 464/906 Torque transmitted via radially spaced balls

Claims

1. A CONSTANT VELOCITY UNIVERSAL JOINT OF THE TYPE HAVING AN INNER MEMBER WITH BALL RECEIVING GROOVES THEREIN, AN OUTER MEMBER WITH AN AXIAL OPENING IN WHICH THE INNER JOINT MEMBER IS RECEIVED, THE OUTER JOINT MEMBER HAVING BALL RECEIVING GROOVES IN THE SURFACE THEREOF SURROUNDING THE OPENING THEREIN, EACH GROOVE IN THE INNER MEMBER DISPOSED IN A PAIRED MIRROR-IMAGE RELATIONSHIP WITH A GROOVE IN THE OUTER MEMBER, A DRIVE BALL POSITIONED IN EACH PAIR OF GROOVES, AND AN ANNULAR BALL CAGE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS AND HAVING BALL RECEIVING OPENINGS THEREIN FOR HOLDING THE DRIVE BALLS IN A SINGLE PLANE, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES, EACH OF SAID BALL RECEIVING OPENINGS HAVING OPPOSED AXIALLY FACING WALL PORTIONS FORMED ARCUATELY IN THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL DIRECTION, THE AXIAL DISTANCE BETWEEN THE MEDIAL PORTION OF SAID OPPOSED AXIALLY FACING WALL PORTIONS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE BALL RECEIVED THEREIN, EACH OF SAID OPENINGS ALSO HAVING OPPOSED CIRCUMFERENTIAL FACING WALL PORTIONS WHICH ARE SO FORMED AND SUFFICIENTLY SPACED FOR ALLOWING THE BALL RECEIVED IN THE OPENING TO SHIFT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY RELATIVE THERETO AND RELATIVE TO THE AXIALLY FACING WALL PORTIONS.