Patent ID: 7607985
Filing Date: 2009-10-27
Classification: F16D,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A constant velocity fixed joint comprising: an outer joint part comprising a first longitudinal axis, an attaching part and an axially opposed aperture, and outer ball tracks; an inner joint part comprising a second longitudinal axis and inner ball tracks; and a ball cage positioned between the outer joint part and the inner joint part and comprising circumferentially distributed cage windows which each receive a torque transmitting ball; the outer ball tracks comprise center lines and track base lines which extend at equal distances therefrom, which are curved and extend in planes through the first longitudinal axis; the inner ball tracks comprise center lines and track base lines which extend at equal distances therefrom, which are curved and extend in planes through the second longitudinal axis; the outer ball tracks and the inner ball tracks form pairs of tracks with one another which each receive a torque transmitting ball; the centers of the balls are held by the cage in a central plane when the joint is in an aligned condition and in an angle-bisecting plane when the joint is in an articulated condition; when the joint is in an aligned condition, the center lines of the pairs of tracks are mirror-symmetrical relative to one another with reference to the central plane when the joint is articulated; they are mirror-symmetrical relative to one another with reference to the angle-bisecting plane; the track base lines of the pairs of tracks diverge from one another running in one direction; one part of the pairs of tracks forming first pairs of tracks and another part of the pairs of tracks forming second pairs of tracks; the track base lines of said first pairs of tracks diverge from one another running from the attaching part to the aperture; the track base lines of said second pairs of tracks diverge from one another running from the aperture to the attaching part; the track base lines of the outer ball tracks of said second pairs of tracks, continuously, comprise a first radius whose center is positioned radially beyond the first longitudinal axis and axially offset by a first axial offset from the central plane of the outer joint part towards the attaching part; and the track base lines of the inner ball tracks of said second pairs of tracks, continuously, comprise a second radius whose center is positioned radially beyond the second longitudinal axis and axially offset by a second axial offset from the central plane of the inner joint part towards the aperture.