Patent ID: 7641559
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
1. A tripod constant velocity universal joint comprising: an outer joint member having an inner surface forming axially extending track grooves at three circumferentially equispaced positions, a tripod member having a trunnion barrel adapted to be fitted to a shaft for torque transmission and trunnion journals radially projecting from three circumferentially equispaced positions in said trunnion barrel, and rollers respectively attached to said trunnion journals for rotation through a plurality of needle rollers which directly contact an outer peripheral surface of the respective trunnion journal and received in the track grooves, each roller directly contacting and being guided at an outer peripheral surface by roller guide surfaces formed in opposite lateral walls of said track groove and at an inner peripheral surface by the outer peripheral surface of a respective needle roller, wherein relief portions extend from both ends of the roller guide surfaces toward a contact ellipse length where the rollers contact the roller guide surfaces, the relief portions define corners that are disposed intermediate of both ends of the roller guide surfaces and both ends of the contact ellipse length, and a skew angle of said needle rollers is controlled so that it is within a predetermined specified value.