Settable plunging unit

• US 6,705,948 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GKN Lobro GmbH
• Original Assignee: GKN Lobro GmbH
• Inventors: Cermak, Herbert, Zierz, Michael, Schamper, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, KENNETH L
• Application Number:
  US10/140,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 464/139, 464/141, 464/143, 464/145, 464/146, 464/162, 464/167, 464/183, 464/178, 464/906, 384/49
• US Class Current: 464/167
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/04 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 3/035 with built-in bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 464/906 Torque transmitted via radially spaced balls

Abstract

An axial plunging unit for transmitting torque within a driveline, includes a profiled sleeve (11) with circumferentially distributed longitudinally extending first ball grooves (12), a profiled journal (13) with circumferentially distributed longitudinally extending second ball grooves (14), and balls (15) which are arranged in pairs of first and second ball grooves (12, 14) in groups (k) of balls, wherein the number of first ball grooves (11) corresponds to m times the number k of the groups of balls and wherein the longitudinal axes of the first, second, etc. to the m^th of the first ball grooves 12, as counted circumferentially, are positioned on different pitch circle diameters.

Claims

1. An axial plunging unit for transmitting torque within a driveline, comprising:

a profiled sleeve (11) with circumferentially distributed, longitudinally extending first ball grooves (12), a profiled journal (13) with circumferentially distributed, longitudinally extending second ball grooves (14), balls (15) which are arranged in pairs of the first and second ball grooves (12, 14) in k groups of balls, wherein the number of first ball grooves (12) corresponds to at least m times the number k of the groups of balls, wherein longitudinal axes of the first through m^th first ball grooves (12), as referenced circumferentially, are positioned on different outer pitch circle diameters (PCDa), and wherein (m−

1)k first ball grooves are free of balls, and all groups of balls are held in a cage (16) in a fixed position with respect to one another.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the number of second ball grooves (14) corresponds to n times the number k of the groups of balls, wherein longitudinal axes of the first through n^th second ball grooves (12), as referenced circumferentially, are positioned on different inner pitch circle diameters (PCDi), and wherein, (n−

1)k second ball grooves are free of balls.

5. A unit according to claim 1, wherein m equals 2 to 6.

7. A unit according to claim 2, wherein n=2.

9. A unit according to claim 1, wherein track cross-section radii (Ra, Ri) of all the first ball grooves (11) are identical relative to one another and all of the second ball grooves (12) are identical relative to one another.

11. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the groups of balls (15) are held in the cage (16) so as to be uniformly circumferentially distributed relative to one another.

13. A unit according to claim 11, wherein the balls (15) in all groups of balls are held by the cage (16) so as to be equally distributed in the longitudinal direction.

15. A unit according to claim 1, wherein all of the balls (15) are of identical size relative to one another.

17. A unit according to claim 11, wherein all of the balls (15) engage windows (17) of the cage (16) captively.

19. A unit according to claim 13, wherein all of the balls (15) engage windows (17) of the cage (16) captively.

3. An axial plunging unit for transmitting torque within a driveline, comprising:

a profiled sleeve (11) with circumferentially distributed, longitudinally extending first ball grooves (12);

a profiled journal (13) with circumferentially distributed, longitudinally extending second ball grooves (14);

balls (15) which are arranged in pairs of first and second ball grooves (12, 14) in k groups of balls, wherein the number of first ball grooves (11) corresponds to at least m times the number k of the groups of balls, wherein longitudinal axes of the first through m^th first ball grooves (12), as referenced circumferentially, comprise different outer track circle radii (Ra), and wherein (m−

1)k first ball grooves are free of balls, and all groups of balls are held in a cage (16) in a fixed position with respect to one another.

4. A unit according to claim 3, wherein the number of second ball grooves (12) corresponds to n times the number k of the groups of balls, wherein the first through n^th second ball grooves (12), as referenced circumferentlally, comprise different inner track circle radii (Ri), and wherein, (n−

1)k second ball grooves are free of balls.

6. A unit according to claim 3 wherein m equals 2 to 6.

8. A unit according to claim 4, wherein n=2.

10. A unit according to claim 3, wherein the pitch circle diameters (PCD) of all the first ball grooves (11) are identical relative to one another and all of the second ball grooves (12) are identical relative to one another, with reference to their respective center lines.

12. A unit according to claim 3, wherein the groups of balls (15) are held in the cage (16) so as to be uniformly circumferentially distributed relative to one another.

14. A unit according to claim 12, wherein the balls (15) in all groups of balls are held by the cage (16) so as to be equally distributed in the longitudinal direction.

16. A unit according to claim 3, wherein all of the balls (15) are of identical size relative to one another.

18. A unit according to claim 12, wherein all of the balls (15) engage windows (17) of the cage (16) captively.

20. A unit according to claim 14, wherein all of the balls (15) engage windows (17) of the cage (16) captively.