Patent ID: 9664236
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: F16D

Claim:
1. A constant velocity joint comprising: an outer member defining an interior and a plurality of outer member ball tracks within said interior extending along a longitudinal axis with said plurality of outer member ball tracks including a first group of outer member ball tracks and a second group of outer member ball tracks; an inner member disposed within said interior and defining a plurality of inner member ball tracks extending along said longitudinal axis with said plurality of inner member ball tracks including a first group of inner member ball tracks and a second group of inner member ball tracks; said first group of inner member ball tracks opposing said first group of outer member ball tracks to define a first group of funnels and said second group of inner member ball tracks opposing said second group of outer member ball tracks to define a second group of funnels; a plurality of drive balls with one of said plurality of drive balls disposed within each of said first group of funnels and within each of said second group of funnels; a cage disposed between said outer member and said inner member and defining a plurality of windows with one of said plurality of drive balls disposed within each of said plurality of windows; said first group of inner member ball tracks and said first group of outer member ball tracks of said first group of funnels spaced from each other in parallel relationship relative to each other to define a uniform width between said first group of inner member ball tracks and said first group of outer member ball tracks along said longitudinal axis to define a plurality of uniform funnels and said second group of inner member ball tracks and said second group of outer member ball tracks of said second group of funnels spaced from each other in non-parallel relationship to define a diverging width between said second group of inner member ball tracks and said second group of outer member ball tracks along said longitudinal axis to define a plurality of diverging funnels, said plurality of uniform funnels located radially opposite one another about the longitudinal axis in radially opposing pairs and said plurality of diverging funnels located radially opposite one another about the longitudinal axis in radially opposing pairs.