Articulated transmission joint of the sliding type

• US 5,505,660 A
• Filed: 03/18/1993
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GKN Automotive AG (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: GKN Automotive AG (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Van Dest, Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LILLIS, EILEEN DUNN
• Application Number:
  US08/032,999
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 464/111, 464/905, 464/167, 464/132, 464/122, 384/57
• US Class Current: 464/111
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2003/2023 with linear rolling bearings between raceway and trunnion mounted shoes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/2055 having three pins, i.e. true tripod joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 464/905 Torque transmitted via radially extending pin

Abstract

A transmission joint of the sliding type has a joint body (12) and a tripode (14) having three arms (16) each of which is capable of sliding between two parallel and plane surface portions (36) by means of an articulation element (18) which is carried by the arm (16) of the tripode (14) and which comprises two parallel and opposite plane faces (20) each of which interacts with one of the plane surface portions (36) with interposition of a row of bearing needles (32), wherein the joint body (12) comprises three bearing races each comprising two tracks (38) each of which consists of a component comprising a plane surface portion (36) and a convex cylindrical surface portion (40) which interacts with a complementary concave cylindrical bearing surface (42) formed in the joint body (12) with respect to which it is capable of pivoting, and in that each arm (16) of the tripode comprises a journal on which the intermediate articulation element (18) is mounted to revolve about an axis (Y-Y) parallel to its opposite plane surfaces (20).

Claims

1. An articulated transmission joint of the sliding type comprising:

a transmission joint body, said joint body comprising three bearing races each having two tracks, each of said tracks having a plane surface portion and a convex cylindrical surface portion whose axis is parallel to said plane surface portion and which convex surface portion interacts with a complementary concave cylindrical bearing surface formed in the joint body, said convex cylindrical surface portion being capable of pivoting with respect to said concave cylindrical bearing surface;

a tripod comprising three radial arms evenly distributed about the axis of rotation of the tripod, each of said radial arms being capable of sliding between two parallel said plane surface portions of the joint body;

an articulation element journaled on each radial arm of the tripod, each articulation element having two parallel and opposite plane faces each of which interacts with one of the said plane surface portions, said articulation element rotatable about an axis parallel to said opposite plane faces; and

a row of bearing needles held in a cage interposed each of said plane surface portions and said articulation elements such that said plane surface portion interacts with the bearing needles of one of the rows of needles.

2. The transmission joint according to claim 1 wherein each intermediate articulation element is axially immobilised with respect to the associated radial arm.

3. The transmission joint according to claim 2 wherein each track is axially immobilised with respect to the joint body.

4. The transmission joint according to claim 1 wherein each intermediate articulation element is a cylinder section whose end faces are perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder and which is pierced through its middle with a hole whose axis is concurrent with and perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder and which receives the radial arm.

5. The transmission joint according to claim 1 wherein each of the cages comprises at least one longitudinal guidance and holding flange which extends in a direction perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the needles and which interacts with at least one complementary guidance surface of the associated track.

6. The transmission joint according to claim 5 wherein each cage comprises two parallel guidance and holding flanks between which there are received two parallel and opposite flanks of the associated track.

7. The transmission joint according to claim 1 wherein each track is axially immobilised with respect to the joint body.