Patent ID: 6168528
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: F16D,Y10S

Abstract:
A tripod type constant velocity joint comprising: a housing formed in a hollow, generally cylindrical shape open at one end thereof in an axial direction and secured to an end of a first rotating shaft; three recesses formed at equal spacing on an inner face of said housing in a circumferential direction; a pair of substantially planar guide surfaces formed at positions opposite to each other in each of the recesses to extend along the axial direction of said housing; a tripod secured to an end of a second rotating shaft and having three trunnions protruding from an outer peripheral face thereof at equal spacing in the circumferential direction and received in said respective recesses; three inner rollers fitted on said trunnions respectively to be freely rotated; and three outer rollers fitted on said inner rollers respectively to freely swing, each of said outer rollers having an outer end face and an inner end face, and further having an outer peripheral face serving as a rolling contact surface placed in rolling contact relationship with said guide surfaces of the corresponding recess, each outer roller being movable along an axial direction of the corresponding trunnion so that a rotational torque can be transmitted at constant velocity between said rotating shafts even with a non-zero joint angle provided between said rotating shafts, said tripod type constant velocity joint being characterized in that: one guide surface of each said pair of guide surfaces defines an anchor side to tightly press the outer peripheral face of the corresponding outer roller when the rotational torque is transmitted in a predetermined direction, said one guide surface being non-parallel to a central axis of the corresponding trunnion under a zero joint angle condition; and there are provided with each said pair of guide surfaces at least one guide portion having a contact surface to contact with one of said outer and inner end faces of the corresponding outer roller, a distance between said guide surface on the anchor side and the central axis of the corresponding trunnion being longer near said one end face than near the other end face.