Claims
- 1. A constant-speed tripod joint comprising:
- a bell element provided internally with three pairs of tracks, each said track having a configuration such that a center line thereof is curved;
- a tripod element axially fixed within said bell element and having an axis of rotation, said tripod element having three arms extending radially outward therefrom, each said arm having a pivot axis parallel to said axis of rotation;
- each said arm having rotatably and slidably mounted thereon a roller engaging a respective said pair of tracks;
- each arm having means for mounting each said roller for pivotal movement about only a respective single axis which extends substantially parallel to said axis of rotation of said tripod element and which comprises said pivot axis of the respective said arm; and
- said tripod element being axially retained in said bell element by said rollers bearing along edge portions of the respective said tracks and by contact of each said roller with a respective point of an inner spherical surface of said bell element.
- 2. A joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said roller is rotatably mounted on the respective said arm by a bearing bush and a pivot pin extending through a diametrical bore in said bush and through a bore in said respective arm, each said pivot pin having a longitudinal axis colinear with the respective said single axis.
- 3. A joint as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bearing bush has an axial aperture having a constant rectangular section, the respective said arm has a cylindrical shape which is defined by a cylindrical surface about the respective said pivot axis extending parallel to said axis of rotation of said tripod element and which is adapted to said aperture, and said respective arm extends through said aperture.
- 4. A joint as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bearing bush has recesses on two surfaces thereof.
- 5. A joint as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said roller is rotatably mounted on said bearing bush by means of needle bearings, and said pivot pin has spherical opposite ends which are centered on said longitudinal axis of said pin.
- 6. A joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said roller is rotatably mounted on a bearing bush which has a diametrical cylindrical aperture which cooperates with a corresponding cylindrical surface on the respective said arm of said tripod element, said cylindrical surface being formed about the respective said pivot axis extending parallel to said axis of rotation of said tripod element.
- 7. A joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said rollers has toric rolling surface, and each said track has a matching toric surface which is bordered on the outer edge of said track by a spherical region centered on the center of said ball element.
- 8. A joint as claimed in claim 7, wherein said toric surface of each said roller is extended by two frusto-conical surfaces.
- 9. A joint as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said track surrounds the corresponding said roller to an angular extent of substantially 120.degree..
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
82 04318 |
Mar 1982 |
FRX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of now abandoned application Ser. No. 473,434 filed Mar. 9, 1983.
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2670614 |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
473434 |
Mar 1983 |
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