Center-fixed ball cage type universal joint with crossed fairways
Through the inner and outer restriction surfaces and inclined fairway design of the center fixed cage universal joint of the intersection fairway, the problem of axial slip in the drive shaft assembly is solved, the stable transmission and long life of the transmission shaft are achieved, and the driving stability and service life of the vehicle are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422746264.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-12
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-05
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-12
AI Technical Summary
When telescopic constant-speed universal joints are used at both ends of the drive shaft assembly, the inner sleeve, cage and steel ball may cause axial slip during movement, resulting in problems such as concentrated sheath stress, fatigue damage, large axial slip resistance and vehicle shaking, which will affect driving stability and service life.
The center fixed cage-type universal joint of the cross fairway is adopted. By setting the inner and outer limiting surfaces and inclined fairway design on the inner wall of the outer jacket, the axial movement of the cage and inner sleeve is limited, ensuring that the balls smoothly transmit torque in the fairway, and enhancing self-locking and lubrication performance.
It effectively limits the axial movement of the drive shaft, reduces wear and vibration, improves the overall performance and service life of the drive shaft assembly, and ensures stable operation under complex working conditions.
Smart Images
Figure CN223190869U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to a universal joint, and in particular to a cross-ballway center fixed ball cage type universal joint. Background Art
[0002] In a vehicle's transmission system, the driveshaft assembly is a key component for transmitting power. Its performance and structure are directly related to the vehicle's power transmission efficiency, driving stability, and service life. Constant velocity joints (CVJs) are widely used in driveshaft assemblies because they can maintain a constant transmission speed at different angles.
[0003] LJ type cross-channel constant velocity joint is a structure in constant velocity joint. When it is applied to the outer cage end, its inner sleeve, retainer and steel balls can achieve smooth sliding and rotation in the inner cavity of the outer sleeve, thereby effectively transmitting power.
[0004] However, in actual applications, if both ends of the drive shaft assembly are constructed with telescopic constant velocity joints (e.g., an LJ-type telescopic constant velocity joint on the outer ball cage end and an LJ-type or other telescopic constant velocity joint on the inner ball cage end), a series of problems may arise. Telescopic constant velocity joints are originally designed to vary the working angle and provide telescopic and sliding motion to accommodate the complex operating conditions of a vehicle. However, when this structure is used on both ends of the drive shaft assembly, the inner sleeve, retainer, and steel balls at each end may slip axially during movement.
[0005] Specifically, the inner sleeve, retainer, and steel balls on the outer cage end may slide toward the bottom or mouth of the outer cage inner cavity ball channel, while the inner sleeve, retainer, and steel balls on the inner cage end may slide in the opposite direction. This slippage phenomenon not only causes the outer cage end and inner cage sleeve on the drive shaft assembly to be in a compressed or stretched state for a long time, increasing stress concentration and fatigue damage to the sleeve, which can easily cause premature fracture and failure of the sleeve and shorten the service life of the drive shaft assembly; it also generates excessive axial sliding resistance during movement, causing the drive shaft assembly to experience vibration, abnormal noise, and other fault phenomena, seriously affecting the vehicle's driving stability and ride comfort.
[0006] Therefore, how to alleviate the axial movement in the cross-slope constant velocity joint has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently in the field of automotive transmission systems. Utility Model Content
[0007] The purpose of this application is to provide a cross-ball center fixed ball cage type universal joint to improve the service life of the transmission shaft assembly.
[0008] The present application provides a cross-channel center fixed ball cage universal joint, which adopts the following technical solutions:
[0009] A cross-channel center fixed ball cage universal joint comprises an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve, a retaining frame and balls, the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve are provided with ball channels for accommodating balls, the centers of the ball channels are inclined at the same angle relative to the universal joint axis, and the inclination directions of adjacent ball channels are opposite; the inner wall of the outer sleeve is provided with a limiting surface for limiting the axial movement of the retaining frame, the limiting surface comprises an inner limiting surface for limiting the movement of the retaining frame toward the circular bottom of the outer sleeve, an outer limiting surface for limiting the movement of the retaining frame toward the circular mouth of the outer sleeve, and a concave surface located between the inner limiting surface and the outer limiting surface.
[0010] By employing this technical solution, the inner and outer limiting surfaces constrain the axial movement of the retainer relative to the outer sleeve, thereby limiting the synchronous and coaxial movement of all balls. Furthermore, because the ball paths utilize an inclined path, the balls can constrain the axial movement of the inner sleeve, thereby limiting the axial position of the inner and outer sleeves. When installed in a drive shaft assembly, this ball cage universal joint effectively limits axial movement of the drive shaft, significantly reducing wear and vibration caused by axial movement. This not only improves the overall performance of the drive shaft assembly but also significantly extends its service life.
[0011] Optionally, the outer circle of the retaining frame is spherical.
[0012] Optionally, the outer limiting surface and / or the inner limiting surface are spherical in shape, and the radius of the outer spherical surface of the retaining frame is the same as the radius of the outer limiting surface and / or the inner limiting surface.
[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, the spherical shapes of the outer limiting surface and the inner limiting surface can better adapt to the curvature change of the outer wall of the retainer, so the retainer can maintain a stable operating state even when subjected to large loads or experiencing complex working conditions.
[0014] Optionally, a boss is provided near the circular opening of the outer sleeve, and the surface of the boss is connected to the concave surface to form an outer limiting surface.
[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the outer limiting surface has a simple structure and is easy to process.
[0016] Optionally, the concave surface provides space for axial movement of the retaining bracket.
[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, a certain amount of moving space is provided for the retaining frame, which makes it easier to install the balls while limiting the axial position.
[0018] Optionally, the ball track includes an outer ball track opened on the inner wall of the outer sleeve and an inner ball track opened on the outer wall of the inner sleeve. The inclination directions of two adjacent outer ball tracks are opposite, and the inclination directions of two adjacent inner ball tracks are opposite. The inner ball track and the outer ball track that restrict the same ball are in opposite directions.
[0019] By employing this technical solution, the inner and outer ball tracks contacted by the same ball are always tilted in opposite directions. This design cleverly utilizes the rolling characteristics of the ball in the tilted ball track, allowing the ball to transmit torque more smoothly during transmission. Furthermore, the design of the oppositely tilted ball tracks also helps improve the self-locking performance of the universal joint. Under certain operating conditions, such as when the drive shaft is subjected to a large axial force, the oppositely tilted ball tracks can effectively prevent axial movement of the ball, thereby enhancing the axial retaining capability of the universal joint.
[0020] Optionally, the inner ring of the retainer is spherical.
[0021] By adopting this technical solution, the spherical surface of the cage inner ring enhances the cage's structural stability during transmission. The spherical inner ring also helps improve the lubrication performance of the universal joint. During transmission, lubricant or grease can more easily penetrate the contact surface between the cage inner ring and the outer wall of the inner sleeve, forming an effective lubricating layer. This not only reduces frictional resistance but also slows wear, further extending the service life of the universal joint.
[0022] Optionally, side annular surfaces are provided at both axial ends of the inner ring of the retainer.
[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, openings are added at both axial ends of the inner ring of the cage, which facilitates installation.
[0024] Optionally, the outer wall of the inner sleeve includes two conical surfaces and a central annular surface, the two conical surfaces are respectively located at two ends of the annular surface in the axial direction, and the two conical surfaces are arranged in a plane symmetrical manner.
[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, compared with the spherical surface, the conical surface and the toroidal surface are easier to process and have lower processing costs. In addition, after rotating to the extreme angle, the conical surface contacts the side toroidal surface, increasing the force-bearing area and reducing stress concentration.
[0026] Optionally, a spline is coaxially provided at one end of the circular bottom of the outer sleeve, and a threaded hole is coaxially opened on the spline.
[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, it is easy to install the universal joint.
[0028] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:
[0029] 1. By limiting the axial movement of the cage relative to the outer sleeve via inner and outer limiting surfaces, the synchronous and coaxial movement of all balls can be restricted. The inclined ball paths and balls then limit the axial movement of the inner sleeve, thereby limiting the axial position of the inner and outer sleeves. When this ball cage universal joint is installed in a drive shaft assembly, it effectively limits the axial movement of the drive shaft, significantly reducing the wear and vibration caused by axial movement. This not only improves the overall performance of the drive shaft assembly but also significantly extends its service life.
[0030] 2. The spherical shapes of the outer and inner limiting surfaces can better adapt to the curvature changes of the outer wall of the cage, so the cage can maintain a stable operating state even when subjected to large loads or experiencing complex working conditions;
[0031] 3. A boss is provided near the circular opening of the outer sleeve, and the boss surface is connected to the concave surface to form an outer limiting surface. The outer limiting surface has a simple structure and is easy to process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present application (cross-section of the ball);
[0033] Figure 2 This is an axonometric view of an embodiment of the present application for illustrating the structure of the jacket;
[0034] Figure 3 This is an axonometric view of an embodiment of the present application for illustrating the inner sleeve structure;
[0035] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present application (without cutting the ball);
[0036] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of part A.
[0037] In the figure, 110, outer sleeve; 113, spline shaft; 114, threaded hole; 115, outer ball track; 116, inner limiting surface; 117, outer limiting surface; 118, concave surface; 119, boss; 120, inner sleeve; 121, spline hole; 122, inner ball track; 123, tapered surface; 124, center annulus; 130, retaining frame; 131, side annulus; 140, ball. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] The following is combined with Figure 1 -Attached Figure 5 , further details of this application are given.
[0039] A cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint, referring to Figure 1The universal joint includes an outer sleeve 110, an inner sleeve 120, a retaining frame 130 and balls 140. A coaxially arranged spline shaft 113 is integrally formed at one end of the round bottom of the outer sleeve 110, and the spline shaft 113 is coaxially provided with a threaded hole 114. The round mouth of the outer sleeve 110 is used to accommodate the inner sleeve 120. The inner sleeve 120 is coaxially provided with a spline hole 121. There are multiple balls 140 distributed circumferentially between the outer sleeve 110 and the inner sleeve 120, and are used to transmit the torque between the outer sleeve 110 and the inner sleeve 120, while reducing the friction when the outer sleeve 110 and the inner sleeve 120 are deflected. The retaining frame 130 is also located between the outer sleeve 110 and the inner sleeve 120, and is used to limit the position of the balls 140.
[0040] The outer sleeve 110 and the inner sleeve 120 define ball paths for accommodating the balls 140 , and the centers of the ball paths are inclined at the same angle relative to the universal joint axis.
[0041] Reference Figure 2 Specifically, the ball lanes include outer ball lanes 115 opened on the inner wall of the outer shell 110, and the inclination directions of two adjacent outer ball lanes 115 are opposite, that is, the two adjacent outer ball lanes 115 are arranged in a "V" shape.
[0042] Reference Figure 3 The ball lanes further include inner ball lanes 122 opened on the outer wall of the inner sleeve 120. The inclination directions of two adjacent inner ball lanes 122 are opposite, that is, the two adjacent inner ball lanes 122 are also arranged in a "V" shape.
[0043] Reference Figure 1 , one part of each ball 140 is located in the inner ball track 122, and the other part is located in the outer ball track 115, and the inner ball track 122 and the outer ball track 115 of the same ball 140 are restricted to be tilted in opposite directions. That is, the inner ball track 122 and the outer ball track 115 of the same ball 140 are restricted to be arranged in an "X" shape. The rolling characteristics of the ball 140 in the inclined ball track enable the ball 140 to transmit torque more smoothly during the transmission process. In addition, when the outer sleeve 110 forms an angle with the axis of the inner sleeve 120, the ball 140 can only be at the intersection of the inner ball track 122 and the outer ball track 115, so that the ball is always on the angle bisector, thereby ensuring uniform and constant angular velocity transmission.
[0044] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 The inner wall of the outer sleeve 110 is provided with a limiting surface for limiting the axial movement of the retainer 130. The limiting surface includes:
[0045] The inner limiting surface 116 is close to the bottom of the outer sleeve 110 and is used to limit the movement of the retainer 130 toward the bottom of the outer sleeve 110;
[0046] The outer limiting surface 117 is close to the circular opening of the outer sleeve 110 and is used to limit the movement of the retainer 130 toward the circular opening of the outer sleeve 110;
[0047] The concave surface 118 is located between the inner limiting surface 116 and the outer limiting surface 117 and connects the two.
[0048] The inner limiting surface 116 and the outer limiting surface 117 are used to limit the axial movement of the retaining frame 130 relative to the outer sleeve 110, thereby limiting the synchronous and coaxial movement of all the balls 140. That is, under the action of the inner limiting surface 116 and the outer limiting surface 117, the balls 140 cannot move axially synchronously. Because the ball track adopts an inclined ball track, the balls 140 can limit the axial movement of the inner sleeve 120, thereby achieving the limitation of the axial position of the inner sleeve 120 and the outer sleeve 110. When the above-mentioned ball cage universal joint is installed in the drive shaft assembly, it can effectively limit the axial movement of the drive shaft, thereby greatly reducing the wear and vibration caused by axial movement. This not only improves the overall performance of the drive shaft assembly, but also significantly extends its service life.
[0049] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 The outer circumference of retainer 130 is spherical, and the outer limiting surface 117 and / or the inner limiting surface 116 are also spherical. The radius of the outer spherical surface of retainer 130 is the same as the radius of the outer limiting surface 117 and / or the inner limiting surface 116. The spherical shapes of outer limiting surface 117 and inner limiting surface 116 can better adapt to the curvature changes of the outer wall of retainer 130, so retainer 130 can maintain a stable operating state even when subjected to large loads or experiencing complex operating conditions.
[0050] In addition, the outer limiting surface 117 or the inner limiting surface 116 can also adopt other forms, such as a boss 119 is provided near the circular opening of the outer sleeve 110, and the surface of the boss 119 is connected to the concave surface 118 to form the outer limiting surface 117. The outer limiting surface 117 has a simple structure and is easy to process.
[0051] If the retainer 130 needs to have a certain amount of movement space, the axial dimension of the concave surface 118 can be increased to provide space for the retainer 130 to move axially.
[0052] The inner ring of the retainer 130 is also spherical, with side annular surfaces 131 located at either axial end. The outer wall of the inner sleeve 120 includes two tapered surfaces 123 and a central annular surface 124. The two tapered surfaces 123 are located at either axial end of the central annular surface 124 and are arranged symmetrically in a planar pattern. When the outer sleeve 110 and inner sleeve 120 are rotated to their maximum angle, the tapered surfaces 123 come into contact with the side annular surfaces 131, increasing the load-bearing area and reducing stress concentration.
[0053] The working principle of the embodiment of this application is as follows: The inner and outer limiting surfaces limit the axial movement of the retainer 130 relative to the outer sleeve 110, thereby limiting the synchronous and coaxial movement of all balls 140. The inclined ball paths and balls 140 then limit the axial movement of the inner sleeve 120, thereby limiting the axial position of the inner sleeve 120 and the outer sleeve 110. When the above-mentioned ball cage universal joint is installed in the drive shaft assembly, it can effectively limit the axial movement of the drive shaft, thereby greatly reducing the wear and vibration caused by axial movement. This not only improves the overall performance of the drive shaft assembly, but also significantly extends its service life.
[0054] The examples of this specific embodiment are all preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Identical components are represented by the same reference numerals. Therefore, any equivalent changes made based on the structure, shape, and principle of this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A cross-ballway center-fixed ball cage universal joint, comprising an outer sleeve (110), an inner sleeve (120), a retainer (130), and balls (140), wherein the outer sleeve (110) and the inner sleeve (120) are provided with ballways for accommodating the balls (140), wherein the centers of the ballways are inclined at the same angle relative to the universal joint axis, and adjacent ballways have opposite inclination directions; and wherein: The inner wall of the outer sleeve (110) is provided with a limiting surface for limiting the axial movement of the retaining frame (130), and the limiting surface includes an inner limiting surface (116) for limiting the movement of the retaining frame (130) toward the circular bottom of the outer sleeve (110), an outer limiting surface (117) for limiting the movement of the retaining frame (130) toward the circular mouth of the outer sleeve (110), and a concave surface (118) located between the inner limiting surface (116) and the outer limiting surface (117).
2. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer circle of the retaining frame (130) is in a spherical shape.
3. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: The outer limiting surface (117) and / or the inner limiting surface (116) are spherical in shape, and the radius of the outer spherical surface of the retaining frame (130) is the same as the radius of the outer limiting surface (117) and / or the inner limiting surface (116).
4. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: A boss (119) is provided at a position close to the circular opening of the outer sleeve (110), and the surface of the boss (119) is connected to the concave surface (118) to form an outer limiting surface (117).
5. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The concave surface (118) provides space for the retainer (130) to move axially.
6. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ball track comprises an outer ball track (115) opened on the inner wall of the outer sleeve (110) and an inner ball track (122) opened on the outer wall of the inner sleeve (120). The inclination directions of two adjacent outer ball tracks (115) are opposite, and the inclination directions of two adjacent inner ball tracks (122) are opposite. The inner ball track (122) and the outer ball track (115) of the same ball (140) are restricted to have opposite inclination directions.
7. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner ring of the retainer (130) is spherical.
8. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 7, characterized in that: Side ring surfaces (131) are provided at both axial ends of the inner ring of the retainer (130).
9. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 8, characterized in that: The outer wall of the inner sleeve (120) includes two conical surfaces (123) and a central annular surface (124). The two conical surfaces (123) are respectively located at two ends of the annular surface in the axial direction, and the two conical surfaces (123) are arranged in a plane symmetrical manner.
10. The cross-ballway center fixed ball cage universal joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: A spline is coaxially provided at one end of the circular bottom of the outer sleeve (110), and a threaded hole (114) is coaxially provided on the spline.