An assembled ball cage retainer

Abstract

This application discloses an assembled ball cage cage, employing a modular, split-type architecture. It includes multiple cage units and two sets of retaining rings. Each cage unit is circumferentially assembled to form a cage body with concentric inner and outer spherical surfaces. The cage body has circumferentially distributed openings. The retaining rings achieve axial positioning and locking of the cage body. After connecting to the cage body, the end face of the retaining ring is parallel to the long side of the opening. Through the combination of multiple cage units and two sets of retaining rings, the modular design allows for the replacement of only damaged cage units, reducing maintenance costs. The cage units can be mass-produced, further reducing manufacturing costs. The assembled units form precise concentric spherical surfaces, ensuring the stability of the steel ball's trajectory and reducing vibration and noise. The parallel design of the retaining rings to the end face of the cage body ensures uniform force distribution on the long side of the opening, avoiding increased friction due to axial misalignment. By replacing individual units, the overall service life of the cage is extended.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of ball cage cages, and particularly relates to an assembled ball cage cage. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component of automotive transmission systems, the ball-cage constant velocity joint (CV joint) plays a crucial role in transmitting driving torque stably and efficiently under complex and varied driving conditions. This joint is composed of multiple precision parts, including a sliding sleeve, a three-way shaft, a drive shaft, a star-shaped sleeve, a cage, and a bell-shaped housing, each playing an indispensable role.

[0003] In the actual operation of a ball cage constant velocity universal joint, the ball cage cage plays a crucial role in supporting and positioning the steel balls, and its working condition directly affects the overall performance and lifespan of the universal joint. However, a significant problem exists with currently designed ball cage cages: friction between the steel balls and the cage pockets. During continuous operation of the universal joint, the steel balls roll continuously within the cage pockets, inevitably leading to friction. Particularly in the contact area between the steel balls and the long side of the pocket, due to the small gap, insufficient lubrication further exacerbates the friction, potentially even causing collisions. This friction not only accelerates the wear process of the cage material, shortening its service life, but also generates unpleasant noise during vehicle operation, thus reducing driving comfort. Furthermore, most existing ball cage cages employ a one-piece structural design. This means that the cage, as an inseparable component, cannot be disassembled or replaced individually if any part is damaged, undoubtedly increasing the complexity and cost of maintenance. Therefore, existing technology needs further improvement and enhancement. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention provides an assembled ball cage retainer to at least solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art, or at least provide a beneficial alternative.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] An assembled ball cage cage adopts a split modular architecture, including multiple cage units and two sets of retaining rings. Each cage unit is spliced ​​circumferentially to form a cage body with concentric inner and outer spherical surfaces. The cage body has windows evenly distributed circumferentially. The cage body is axially positioned and locked by retaining rings. After the retaining rings are connected to the cage body, their end faces are parallel to the long side of the windows.

[0007] This application presents an assembled ball cage cage, which, through the combination of multiple cage units and two sets of retaining rings, features a modular design that allows for the replacement of only damaged cage units, reducing maintenance costs. The cage units can be mass-produced, further reducing manufacturing costs. The assembled units form a precise concentric spherical surface, ensuring the stability of the steel ball's trajectory and reducing vibration and noise. The retaining rings are designed to be parallel to the end face of the cage body, ensuring uniform force distribution on the long side of the opening and preventing increased friction due to axial misalignment. By replacing individual units, the overall service life of the cage is extended.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the retainer unit includes two symmetrical arc-shaped segments and a window beam connecting the two. A window opening with one side is formed between the two arc-shaped segments and the window beam. An opening groove is provided on the splicing side of the arc-shaped segments. After splicing, the opening grooves of adjacent arc-shaped segments form an oil storage channel.

[0009] The lubricating oil in the oil reservoir can directly penetrate to the contact area between the ball and the window, achieving precise lubrication, thereby effectively reducing friction and extending cage life. In addition, the open slot design simplifies the manufacturing process. By splicing together to enclose the oil reservoir, the complex process of directly drilling holes in the pre-formed spherical cage unit is avoided, significantly reducing manufacturing difficulty and cost.

[0010] In a preferred implementation, the oil storage channel is located in the center of the window opening, with one end open to the window opening and the other end open on the end face of the cage body.

[0011] In a preferred implementation, the radial cross-section of the oil storage channel is rectangular or circular.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, a positioning hole is provided on the fixed side of the arc segment, and a fixing screw is provided on the fixing ring. The fixing screw connects to the positioning hole to press the fixing ring tightly on the fixed side of the arc segment.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the positioning hole is located in the middle of the arc segment and is inclined.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the fixing ring has a through hole, the position of which corresponds to the oil storage channel.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the upper and lower sides of the cage unit are provided with grooves, and the cage body after the cage units are spliced ​​together circumferentially forms an annular embedding groove, and the fixing ring is interference-fitted with the embedding groove.

[0016] The upper and lower grooves of the cage unit are spliced ​​together to form an annular embedded groove, which forms an interference fit with the outer diameter of the fixing ring. The interference fit provides initial friction force, and the screw tightening applies additional axial preload. The interference fit and screw tightening form a double anti-loosening mechanism, reducing the probability of connection failure under vibration conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates an assembly structure of one embodiment of the assembled ball cage cage of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the cage unit of this application is shown;

[0020] Label Explanation:

[0021] 1. Cage unit; 10. Window opening; 11. Arc segment; 110. Opening slot; 111. Positioning hole; 12. Window beam; 13. Oil storage channel; 14. Groove; 2. Retaining ring; 20. Through hole; 21. Fixing hole; 3. Fixing screw. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. In this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the first feature being "upper" or "lower" than the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium.

[0024] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral unit; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. However, specifying a direct connection indicates that the two main bodies at the connection point are not connected by an intermediate structure, but are simply connected to form a whole through a connecting structure. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] In this utility model, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature.

[0026] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] The specific solution adopted is as follows:

[0028] like Figure 1-2 As shown, this utility model provides an assembled ball cage cage, which adopts a split modular architecture, including multiple cage units 1 and two sets of fixing rings 2. Each cage unit 1 is spliced ​​along the circumference to form a cage body with concentric inner and outer spherical surfaces. The cage body has windows 10 evenly distributed along the circumference. The cage body is axially positioned and locked by the fixing rings 2. After the fixing rings 2 are connected to the cage body, their end faces are parallel to the long side of the window 10.

[0029] Traditional integrated cages require complete replacement if any pocket is damaged. This application's modular ball cage cage, through the combination of multiple cage units 1 and two sets of retaining rings 2, allows for the replacement of only the damaged cage unit 1, reducing maintenance costs. The cage units 1 can be mass-produced, further reducing manufacturing costs. The assembled units form a precise concentric spherical surface, ensuring the stability of the steel ball's trajectory and reducing vibration and noise. The retaining rings 2 are designed parallel to the end face of the cage body, ensuring uniform force distribution on the long side of the opening 10 and preventing increased friction due to axial misalignment. By replacing individual units, the overall service life of the cage is extended.

[0030] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the retainer unit 1 includes two symmetrical arc-shaped segments 11 and a window beam 12 connecting the two. A window hole 10 with an opening on one side is formed between the two arc-shaped segments 11 and the window beam 12. An opening groove 110 is provided on the splicing side of the arc-shaped segments 11. After splicing, the opening grooves 110 of adjacent arc-shaped segments 11 form an oil storage channel 13.

[0031] Each cage unit 1 consists of two symmetrical arc-shaped segments 11 and a connecting beam 12, which together form a window opening 10 structure with one side open. An opening groove 110 is designed on the splicing side of the arc-shaped segments 11. When multiple cage units 1 are spliced ​​circumferentially, the opening grooves 110 of adjacent units interlock to form an oil storage channel 13. Simultaneously, the spliced ​​openings 10 of each unit form a complete closed window opening 10, allowing the lubricating oil in the oil storage channel 13 to directly penetrate the contact area between the ball and the window opening 10, achieving precise lubrication and effectively reducing friction and extending cage life. Furthermore, the opening groove 110 design simplifies the manufacturing process. By splicing together to enclose the oil storage channel 13, the complex process of directly drilling holes in the pre-formed spherical cage unit 1 is avoided, significantly reducing manufacturing difficulty and cost.

[0032] Furthermore, the oil storage channel 13 is located in the center of the window 10, with one end open to the window 10 and the other end open to the end face of the cage body.

[0033] The oil reservoir 13 is located in the center of the window 10, ensuring that the lubricating oil acts directly on the contact area between the ball and the window 10, distributing evenly and forming a stable oil film to reduce friction loss. One end of the oil reservoir 13 is open on the end face of the cage body, which can make full use of the axial space of the cage and increase the oil reservoir volume. The end face opening design facilitates the direct injection of lubricating oil into the oil reservoir 13 from the outside, reducing the resistance of the oil replenishment path. For example, during regular maintenance, lubricating oil can be injected through the end face opening to quickly fill the oil reservoir 13.

[0034] Furthermore, the radial cross-section of the oil storage channel 13 is rectangular or circular. The rectangular cross-section can be formed by simple stamping or injection molding, reducing mold development costs. The smooth inner wall of the circular cross-section can reduce the resistance to lubricating oil flow, promote oil circulation, and avoid local sludge accumulation.

[0035] See Figure 1 A positioning hole 111 is provided on the fixed side of the arc segment 11, and a fixing screw 3 is provided on the fixing ring 2. The fixing screw 3 passes through the fixing hole 21 on the fixing ring 2 and connects to the positioning hole 111 to press the fixing ring 2 on the fixed side of the arc segment 11.

[0036] Furthermore, the positioning hole 111 is located in the middle of the arc-shaped segment 11 and is inclined to adapt to the spherical geometry. The surface of the arc-shaped segment 11 of the spherical retainer body is a spherical surface with continuous curvature. If the positioning hole 111 is opened vertically, its axis will be perpendicular to the normal direction of the spherical surface, resulting in the hole depth being limited by the thickness of the arc-shaped segment 11, making it difficult to process internal threads of sufficient depth. However, the inclined positioning hole 111 can extend radially along the spherical surface, increasing the hole depth to ensure complete engagement between the internal thread and the screw, avoiding the risk of connection failure due to excessively short threads. The middle of the arc-shaped segment 11 is the equilibrium point of stress distribution. The axis of the inclined positioning hole 111 passes through this point, which can uniformly transmit the preload of the fixing screw 3 radially along the spherical surface to the arc-shaped segment 11, avoiding local stress concentration caused by eccentric loading. During disassembly, the screw can be directly unscrewed along the inclined axis, making the operation simple and convenient.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the retaining ring 2 has a through hole 20, the position of which corresponds to the oil storage channel 13. The through hole 20 of the retaining ring 2 is axially aligned with the oil storage channel 13, ensuring that the lubricating oil flows directly from the opening on the end face of the retainer through the oil storage channel 13 to the ball contact area without any obstruction. When installing the retaining ring 2, simply align the position of the through hole 20.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the upper and lower sides of the retainer unit 1 are provided with grooves 14, and the retainer body after the retainer units 1 are spliced ​​together circumferentially forms an annular embedding groove, and the fixing ring 2 is interference-fitted with the embedding groove.

[0039] After the upper and lower grooves 14 of the cage unit 1 are spliced ​​together, they form an annular embedded groove, which forms an interference fit with the outer diameter of the fixing ring 2. The interference fit provides initial friction force, and the screw lock applies additional axial preload. The interference fit and screw lock form a double anti-loosening mechanism, which reduces the probability of connection failure under vibration conditions.

[0040] During assembly, multiple cage units 1 (e.g., 6-8) are spliced ​​together along the circumferential direction. After splicing, the upper and lower side grooves 14 automatically align to form an annular embedding groove. Then, the fixing ring 2 is embedded and the screws are tightened. The installation is simple, convenient and quick.

[0041] For any parts not mentioned in this utility model, existing technologies can be used or referenced.

[0042] The above are merely specific embodiments of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model, and these should all be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An assembled ball cage cage, characterized in that, It adopts a split modular architecture, including multiple cage units and two sets of retaining rings. Each cage unit is spliced ​​along the circumference to form a cage body with concentric inner and outer spherical surfaces. The cage body has windows evenly distributed along the circumference. The cage body is axially positioned and locked by retaining rings. After the retaining rings are connected to the cage body, their end faces are parallel to the long side of the windows.

2. The assembled ball cage retainer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The retainer unit includes two symmetrical arc-shaped segments and a window beam connecting the two. A window opening with one side is formed between the two arc-shaped segments and the window beam. An opening groove is provided on the splicing side of the arc-shaped segments. After splicing, the opening grooves of adjacent arc-shaped segments form an oil storage channel.

3. The assembled ball cage retainer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The oil storage channel is located in the center of the window opening, with one end open to the window opening and the other end open on the end face of the cage body.

4. The assembled ball cage retainer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The radial cross-section of the oil storage channel is rectangular or circular.

5. The assembled ball cage retainer according to claim 2, characterized in that, A positioning hole is provided on the fixed side of the arc segment, and a fixing screw is provided on the fixing ring. The fixing screw connects to the positioning hole to press the fixing ring tightly on the fixed side of the arc segment.

6. The assembled ball cage cage according to claim 5, characterized in that, The positioning hole is located in the middle of the arc segment and is inclined.

7. The assembled ball cage retainer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixing ring has a through hole, and the position of the through hole corresponds to the oil storage channel.

8. The assembled ball cage cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper and lower sides of the cage unit are provided with grooves, and the cage body after the cage units are spliced ​​together circumferentially forms an annular embedding groove, and the fixing ring is interference-fitted with the embedding groove.

9. The assembled ball cage cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-section of the window is composed of a rectangle in the middle and semicircular arcs on both sides of the rectangle.

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