Integrated Gear Constant Velocity Joint for All-Wheel Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing all-wheel-drive systems face challenges in integrating a constant velocity propeller shaft joint efficiently, particularly in accommodating misalignment and motion between rotating parts while maintaining manufacturing economies and performance.
Innovation Solution
A constant velocity joint design that integrates the outer race into a gear, featuring a driven gear with an axially extending cylindrical central bore, a yoke with splines, and balls seated in grooves to transmit rotary torque and accommodate movement during high-speed rotation, ensuring alignment and power transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the outer race is integrated into a gear, then manufacturing efficiency and economies are improved, but the complexity of integrating multiple functions into a single component increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer race is merged with the driven gear to form a single integrated component. The gear body serves as the outer race, eliminating the need for a separate outer race component. This integration reduces part count, simplifies manufacturing, and improves economies of production while maintaining the constant velocity joint's functional requirements.
2Reliability
If balls are used to transmit torque and accommodate movement, then constant velocity and misalignment accommodation are achieved, but the number of components and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Spherical balls serve as intermediary elements between the inner race and the integrated gear-outer race. These balls transmit torque while accommodating misalignment and movement through their spherical geometry, enabling constant velocity operation. The balls are contained within the integrated structure, maintaining reliability without requiring separate housing components.
3Power
If splines are provided on the yoke and inner race, then torque transmission and rotational coupling are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The torque transmission interface is segmented into splined surfaces on both the yoke and inner race. These segmented splines engage to transmit torque while accommodating minor misalignments through their stepped geometry. The segmentation allows for tolerance buildup that is more forgiving than continuous cylindrical interfaces, reducing manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining effective power transmission.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances manufacturing efficiency and performance by allowing the joint to maintain constant velocity and accommodate misalignment and motion, ensuring reliable power transmission to the front differential.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of balls are located between the outer surface of the inner race and the central bore of the driven gear, each of the balls is seated within a longitudinally extending first groove provided on the outer surface of the inner race and a longitudinally extending second groove provided on the central bore of the driven gear. The balls transmit rotary torque between the driven gear and the inner race and roll axially within the first and second grooves
Implementation Method 2
The balls transmit rotary torque between the driven gear and the inner race and roll axially within the first and second grooves to permit movement of the yoke within the central bore during high speed rotation of the driven gear and prop shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A drive arrangement connects a drive gear of a vehicle transmission/transfer to a prop shaft that drives a set of wheels, and includes a driven gear journaled for rotation on a housing and having teeth meshing with teeth provided on the drive gear. The driven gear has an axially extending cylindrical central bore. A yoke attached to the prop shaft has a shaft extending into the central bore of the driven gear. An annular inner race has a central bore encircling the yoke and an outer surface. Matching splines provided on the central bore of the inner race and the yoke couple the inner race and the yoke for rotation. A plurality of balls are located between the outer surface of the inner race and the central bore of the driven gear, each of the balls is seated within a longitudinally extending first groove provided on the outer surface of the inner race and a longitudinally extending second groove provided on the central bore of the driven gear. The balls transmit rotary torque between the driven gear and the inner race and roll axially within the first and second grooves to permit movement of the yoke within the central bore during high speed rotation of the driven gear and prop shaft.