High speed, high performance cross universal joint

CN224414175UActive Publication Date: 2026-06-26GSP AUTOMOTIVE GRP WENZHOU

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
GSP AUTOMOTIVE GRP WENZHOU
Filing Date
2025-07-09
Publication Date
2026-06-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The needle rollers of traditional universal joints are prone to wear under high load or high speed operation, resulting in increased friction, increased clearance, increased noise, and poor durability and reliability in harsh environments.

Method used

It employs ball bearings, using spherical contact instead of line contact, combined with a nylon cage and improved sealing structure, to increase lubrication convenience and protection.

Benefits of technology

It reduces the coefficient of friction, decreases vibration and noise, extends service life, improves stability and durability, and reduces maintenance frequency and costs.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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    Figure CN224414175U_ABST
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Abstract

The utility model provides a high speed, high performance cross universal joint, mainly solves the problem of poor durability of the current cross universal joint, characterized by: further including the axle sleeve (3) that is established in the axle journal outside, the retainer (4) that is established between the axle sleeve and the axle journal, is equipped with a plurality of pockets (41) on the retiner, the rolling element (42) is established in the pocket, and the rolling element (42) is rolling matched with the inner wall of the axle sleeve and the outer wall of the axle journal, the utility model provides a high speed, high performance cross universal joint, adopts the ball cooperation, and the contact area is larger, and the durability is stronger.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automotive parts, specifically to a high-speed, high-performance universal joint. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional universal joints mainly consist of several core components, including a cross shaft, bushings, needle rollers, and oil seals. Their working principle relies on the rotation and rolling of the needle rollers to transmit power at different angles. In long-term operation, the bushing portion of traditional universal joints uses a needle roller arrangement design. While the needle roller structure is simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, it has some significant drawbacks in practical applications.

[0003] First, during repeated rolling, the coefficient of friction of the needle rollers gradually increases, especially under high load or high speed conditions, which intensifies the friction and wear between the needle rollers and the bushing. Over time, microscopic wear occurs on the surface of the needle rollers, and even cracks and deformations appear, leading to a decrease in the free rotation of the needle rollers and ultimately affecting the normal operation of the universal joint.

[0004] Secondly, wear of the needle rollers increases the clearance of the entire universal joint, causing unstable movement, increased vibration and noise, and may even lead to premature component failure. This not only shortens the service life of the universal joint but also increases subsequent maintenance and replacement costs.

[0005] Furthermore, wear and breakage of the needle rollers can lead to debris entering the lubrication system, contaminating the lubricating oil, causing further mechanical wear and insufficient lubrication, creating a vicious cycle. Especially in harsh environments, such as those with dust, moisture, and corrosive substances, the needle rollers are more susceptible to erosion and wear, significantly reducing the durability and reliability of the universal joint. Utility Model Content

[0006] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, this utility model provides a high-speed, high-performance universal joint, which mainly solves the problem of poor durability of the needle rollers used in current universal joints.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model is as follows:

[0008] A high-speed, high-performance universal joint includes a cross shaft, the cross shaft including a journal, and further comprising...

[0009] A bushing is provided on the outside of the journal;

[0010] A retainer is disposed between the bushing and the journal, and the retainer is provided with a plurality of pockets;

[0011] A rolling element is disposed within the pocket and rolls in contact with the inner wall of the bushing and the outer wall of the journal.

[0012] It also includes a seal that is connected to a section of the outer wall of the bushing, and the seal is in a sealing fit with the outer wall of the journal.

[0013] The seal is provided with a mounting groove, and the bottom of the outer wall of the bushing extends into the mounting groove and connects with the mounting groove.

[0014] The cross shaft is equipped with an oil nozzle, and the cross shaft is equipped with an oil passage. The oil nozzle is connected to the oil passage, and the axial end face of the journal is equipped with an oil outlet that is connected to the oil passage.

[0015] A support ring is installed on the journal, and a washer is provided on the inner wall of the support ring. The outer end face of the washer is in contact with the seal.

[0016] The cage is made of nylon.

[0017] The rolling element is a steel ball.

[0018] The column of rolling elements has at least four.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: This utility model provides a high-speed, high-performance universal joint, which adopts ball bearing engagement, resulting in a larger contact area and stronger durability. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged diagram of point A in the middle.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a retainer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an explosion using existing technology. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint includes a cross shaft 1, which includes a journal 2 and a bushing 3 disposed on the outside of the journal; a retainer 4 disposed between the bushing and the journal, and the retainer has several pockets 41; and rolling elements 42 disposed in the pockets and rollingly engaging with the inner wall of the bushing and the outer wall of the journal. Due to the different contact methods of the balls and needle rollers, the balls use spherical contact, while the needle rollers mostly use line contact. The advantage of spherical contact is that the contact area is larger than that of line contact, which can effectively distribute the load and reduce local stress points. This contact method reduces the coefficient of friction, making the universal joint run more smoothly during operation and reducing vibration and noise during movement. Axial positioning is achieved by clamps. When installed on the drive rod, the inner wall of the drive rod has clamps to limit the axial movement of the bushing. This part is the same as the prior art, which can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 4 Furthermore, the use of a ball cage assembly structure greatly simplifies the installation and replacement process. Simply place the ball cage in its corresponding position, making the entire assembly process faster and more convenient, eliminating the need for tedious individual disassembly and reassembly.

[0025] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, a sealing element 5 is also included, which is connected to a section of the outer wall of the bushing, and the sealing element is in sealing fit with the outer wall of the journal.

[0026] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the seal is provided with a mounting groove 51, and the bottom of the outer wall of the bushing extends into the mounting groove and connects with the mounting groove. An interference fit can be used.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the cross shaft is provided with an oil nozzle 11, and the cross shaft is provided with an oil passage 12. The oil nozzle communicates with the oil passage, and the axial end face of the journal is provided with an oil outlet 21 communicating with the oil passage. Adding a professionally designed oil nozzle makes lubrication more convenient and faster. This design not only significantly simplifies daily maintenance procedures and effectively reduces friction and metal-to-metal wear, but also extends the service life of the universal joint, reduces the equipment failure rate, and improves the overall stability and operating efficiency of the machinery.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, a support ring 6 is installed on the journal, and a washer 61 is provided on the inner wall of the support ring. The outer end face of the washer contacts the seal. The support ring can effectively support the oil seal when the shaft is subjected to axial load, prevent the oil seal from deforming, and ensure stable sealing performance. This design improvement significantly improves the waterproof and dustproof capabilities, prevents external impurities from entering the universal joint, reduces lubricant loss and contaminant intrusion, thereby extending the overall life of the universal joint. At the same time, it also enhances the universal joint's resistance to contamination in harsh working environments, reducing maintenance frequency and costs.

[0029] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the cage is made of nylon. The nylon material used for the cage has good wear resistance and impact resistance, enabling it to maintain stability and service life during high-frequency operation.

[0030] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the rolling element is a steel ball.

[0031] In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, a row of the rolling elements has at least four.

[0032] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0034] The embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. The embodiments should not be considered as limitations on the present invention, but any improvements made based on the spirit of the present invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint, comprising a cross shaft (1), the cross shaft including a journal (2), characterized in that: Also includes Bushing (3) is provided on the outside of the journal; A retainer (4) is provided between the bushing and the journal, and the retainer is provided with a plurality of pockets (41). The rolling element (42) is located in the pocket and rolls with the inner wall of the bushing and the outer wall of the journal.

2. The high-speed, high-performance universal joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a seal (5) that is connected to a section of the outer wall of the bushing, and the seal is in sealing fit with the outer wall of the journal.

3. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: The seal is provided with a mounting groove (51), and the bottom of the outer wall of the bushing extends into the mounting groove and connects with the mounting groove.

4. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The cross shaft is provided with an oil nozzle (11), the cross shaft is provided with an oil passage (12), the oil nozzle is connected to the oil passage, and the axial end face of the journal is provided with an oil outlet (21) connected to the oil passage.

5. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint according to claim 3, characterized in that: A support ring (6) is installed on the journal, and a washer (61) is provided on the inner wall of the support ring. The outer end face of the washer is in contact with the seal.

6. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The cage is made of nylon.

7. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The rolling element is a steel ball.

8. A high-speed, high-performance universal joint according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The column of rolling elements has at least four.