Cross groove type constant velocity joint with composite groove patterns

Abstract

A constant velocity joint for a drive system comprises: an outer joint member having a plurality of inwardly facing outer ball grooves, the outer ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves and a second group of grooves with composite or non-linear groove pattern; an inner joint member disposed inside the outer joint member and having a plurality of outwardly facing inner ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves and a second group of grooves with composite or non-linear groove pattern, each inner ball groove of the inner joint member being coupled with a corresponding outer ball groove of the outer joint member generally in crossed pair.

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         18 . A constant velocity joint for a drive system comprising:
 an outer joint member having a plurality of inwardly facing outer ball grooves, the outer ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves, each groove of which having a non-linear groove shape formed with two or more groove segments having different skew angles relative to an axis of rotation of outer joint member, and a second group of grooves, each groove of which having a non-linear groove shape formed with two or more groove segments having different skew angles relative to an axis of rotation of outer joint member;   an inner joint member disposed inside the outer joint member and having a plurality of outwardly facing inner ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves, each groove of which having a non-linear groove shape formed with two or more groove segments having different skew angles relative to an axis of rotation of outer joint member, and a second group of grooves, each groove of which having a non-linear groove shape formed with two or more groove segments having different skew angles relative to an axis of rotation of inner joint member, each inner ball groove of the inner joint member being coupled with a corresponding outer ball groove of the outer joint member generally in crossed pair;   a plurality of torque transfer balls which are guided by the ball groove faces of outer and inner joint member; and   a cage having circumferentially displaced windows to accommodate the balls therein.   
     
     
         19 . The constant velocity joint of  claim 18 , wherein the first group of grooves of the outer and inner joint members, respectively, consist of four ball grooves displaced to one another with a phase angle of 90 degree, and the second group of grooves of the outer and inner joint members, respectively, consist of four ball grooves displaced to one another with a phase angle of 90 degree. 
     
     
         20 . The constant velocity joint of  claim 18 , wherein each groove of the first and second group of grooves of the outer and inner joint members is formed with two groove segments, one with a straight groove segment having no skew angle, which is formed from the center of the groove to one end of the groove, and the other with a skewed groove segment having a skew angle other than zero, which is formed from the center of the groove to the other end of the groove. 
     
     
         21 . The constant velocity joint of  claim 18 , wherein the number of the torque transfer balls is an even number.