Hub member and shaft journal assembly and method

• US 6,877,350 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GKN Automotive GmbH (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: GKN Automotive GmbH (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Frielingsdorf, Herbert, Hainz, Volker, Fuhrmann, Peter, Spolmayeur, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, KENNETH L
• Application Number:
  US10/304,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 723/542, 723/532, 723/554, 723/52, 723/546, 723/58, 723/59, 723/99, 295/58, 298/980.59, 298/981.3
• US Class Current: 72/354.2
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 1/762 Coupling members for conveying mechanical motion, e.g. universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/00 Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/11 Joints, e.g. ball joints, universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2003/22313 Details of the inner part of the core or means for attachment of the core on the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2250/00 Manufacturing; Assembly
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2300/12 Mounting or assembling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7035 Specific angle or shape of rib, key, groove, or shoulder

Abstract

A production method involving forming an inner joint part of a constant velocity universal ball joint in the form of a hub member (11) which comprises a central through-aperture (14) with inner toothing (16) for receiving a shaft journal (12), and ball tracks (15) for receiving torque transmitting balls on the outer circumference, wherein a blank with largely finish-formed ball tracks is produced by non-chip-forming deformation; wherein, at the blank, outer surfaces and a smooth through-aperture (14) are finish-turned; and wherein, during simultaneous working stages, the ball tracks (15) are calibrated by non-chip-forming deformation and the inner toothing (16) in the through-aperture (14) is produced by pressing in a non-chip-forming way.

Claims

1. A method of producing an inner joint part of a constant velocity universal ball joint in the form of a hub member (11) which comprises a central through-aperture (14) with inner toothing (16) for receiving a shaft journal (12), and ball tracks (15) for receiving torque transmitting balls on the outer circumference, the method comprising:

producing by non-chip-forming deformation a blank with substantially finish-formed ball tracks;

finish turning at the blank, outer surfaces (26, 27, 28) and a smooth through-aperture (14); and

simultaneously both calibrating the ball tracks (15) by non-chip-forming deformation, and producing by pressing or profile slotting in a non-chip-forming way the inner toothing (16) in the through-aperture (14).

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising compressing or profile slotting the inner toothing (16) in a predetermined limited length as far as a toothing run-out (17) inside the through-aperture (14).

3. A method according to claim 2, comprising, during calibrating and slotting, providing a workpiece holding device (49) for the hub member (11) serving as an axial stop for a tool (44) used for profile slotting.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the blank with the largely finish-formed ball tracks (15) is forged.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising, after finish turning the blank, deburring the blank.

6. A method according to claim 2, comprising, after finish turning the blank, deburring the blank.

7. A method according to claim 3, comprising, after finish turning the blank, deburring the blank.

8. A method according to claim 1, comprising, after calibrating the ball tracks (15), induction-hardening the ball tracks (15).

9. A method according to claim 2, comprising, after calibrating the ball tracks (15), induction-hardening the ball tracks (15).

10. A method according to claim 3, comprising, after calibrating the ball tracks (15), induction-hardening the ball tracks (15).

11. A method according to claim 5, comprising, after calibrating the ball tracks (15), induction-hardening the ball tracks (15).