Abstract:
This slidable constant velocity universal joint comprises an outer joint member  1 , and a tripod member  4  having a plurality of axially extending leg shafts  5  and outer rings  3  which are rotatably fitted on the leg shafts  5  and whose outer peripheries  3   b  are spherical. The tripod member  4  is received inside the outer joint member  1 , and the outer rings  3  of the tripod member  4  are fitted in track grooves  2  in the outer joint member  1  so that they are slidable axially of the outer joint member. A sliding contact region S where relative sliding between the outer ring  3  and the leg shaft  5  in the leg shaft direction occurs is defined between the outer ring  3  and the leg shaft  5 , and the outer ring  3  is allowed to swing around the axis of the leg shaft  5 . The center of curvature O of the outer periphery of the outer ring  3  coincides with the sliding contact region S, thereby preventing the outer ring  3  from exhibiting unstable behavior before and after specific phases (0°, 180°).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a constant velocity universal joint which is used in the power transmission systems of automobiles and various industrial machines, and more particularly it relates to a slidable constant velocity universal joint which is capable of transmitting rotary motion at constant velocity even when driving and driven shafts to be joined together form an angle (operating angle) and which allows a relative axial movement between the driving and driven shafts. 
     As for slidable constant velocity universal joints used in the transmission systems of automobiles, for example, there are some known forms of the so-called tripod type. One form, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, comprises an outer joint member  21  having three track grooves  22  formed in its inner peripheral surface and extending axially of the outer joint member, and a tripod member  24  having three radially extending leg shafts  25  with rollers  20  rotatably fitted on the cylindrical outer peripheral surfaces thereof through rolling elements  26 , said tripod member  24  being inserted in the outer joint member  21  with said rollers  20  fitted in the track grooves  22 . Each roller  20  is received in the associated track groove  22  such that it is engaged with the roller guide surfaces  22   a  of the associated track groove  22  opposed to each other circumferentially of the outer joint member, said roller  20  being capable of moving axially of the outer joint member while rotating around the axis of the leg shaft  25 . 
     When the outer joint member  21  and the tripod member  24  form a operating angle θ as shown in FIG. 11 during torque transmission, the roller  20  and the roller guide surface  22   a  of the track groove  22  are in mutually slanting relation as shown in FIG.  12 . In this case, the roller  20  tends to move by rolling in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 11, and since the track groove  22  has a cylindrical form extending parallel to the axis of the outer joint member, the roller  20  moves while being constrained by the track groove  22 . As a result, slippage occurs between the roller guide surface  22   a  of the track groove  22  and the roller  20  to produce heat, and such slippage induces an axial thrust force. Such induced thrust causes vibrations of the car body and noise and therefore should desirably be minimized. 
     There is known a tripod type constant velocity universal joint designed to reduce induced thrust and having rollers each constructed of a combination of inner and outer rings to make the joint oscillatable (Japanese Patent Publication 1991-1529). This joint, for example, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, includes inner rings  27  rotatably fitted on the cylindrical outer peripheral surfaces of the leg shafts  25  of the tripod member  24  through rolling elements  26 , and outer rings  23  rotatably fitted on said inner rings  27 . Each inner ring  27  has a truly spherical outer peripheral surface  27   b  around the axis of the leg shaft  25 , and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  23   a  of the outer ring  23  is rotatably fitted on said spherical outer peripheral surface  27   b , whereby the outer ring  23  is made swingable with respect to the axis of the leg shaft  25 . The outer rings  23  are received in the track grooves  22  of the outer joint member  21  and are capable of moving axially of the outer joint member while rolling on the roller guide surfaces  22   a.    
     In this oscillating or swing type, when the outer joint member  21  and the tripod member  24  form a operating angle during torque transmission as shown in FIG. 15, the outer ring  23  is inclined with respect to the axis of the leg shaft  25 , when the spherical outer peripheral surface  27   b  of the inner ring  27  relatively slides on the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  23   a  of the outer ring  23 . This relative movement between the inner and outer rings  27  and  23  causes the outer ring  23  to be guided parallel to the axis of the outer joint member  21  by the roller guide surfaces  22   a  of the outer joint member  21 , so that the outer ring  23  correctly rolls on the roller guide surfaces  22   a ; thus, the sliding resistance on the roller guide surfaces  22   a  is reduced and the generation of the induced thrust force is suppressed. 
     In this connection, in said oscillating constant velocity universal joint, during torque transmission at a operating angle, the relative sliding movement between the outer and inner rings  23  and  27  results in a sliding friction component in the direction of the axis of the leg shaft  25  acting on the outer ring  23 . This frictional force changes its direction of action through 180° at the ends of the stroke of said relative movement (when the phase angle is 0° and 180°, respectively). That is, immediately before the outer ring  23  reaches the stroke end shown in FIG. 16 (the direction of rotation of the tripod member  24  being taken as clockwise), said frictional force F acts radially inward. Immediately after it has reached the stroke end shown in FIG. 17, however, the frictional force F is reversed to act radially outward. In the conventional article, since the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  23   b  of the outer ring  23  is located more inward than the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  23   a , a clockwise moment M F  around the sphere center O due to said frictional force F acts on the outer ring  23  immediately before the latter reaches the stroke end (see FIG.  16 ), while a counterclockwise moment M F  around the center of curvature O acts on the outer ring  23  immediately after the latter has reached the stroke end (see FIG.  17 ). 
     Further, not only does the frictional force F act on the outer ring  23  but also a turning force P attending the torque transmission acts perpendicular to the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  23   a . This turning force P acts always in a fixed direction, without changing the direction as does said frictional force F, with the result that a counterclockwise moment M P  around the sphere center O always acts on the outer ring  23 . 
     As is apparent from the foregoing description, the two moments M F  and M P  acting on the outer ring  23  act in opposite directions to cancel out each other immediately before the outer ring  23  reaches the stroke end (FIG. 16) but in the same direction immediately after it has passed by the stroke end (FIG.  17 ). Thus, the combined moment acting on the outer ring  23  suddenly changes before and after the stroke end, so that immediately after passing by the stroke end, the outer ring  23  inclines as shown in broken line in FIG. 17, a situation which could form a cause of generating an induced thrust or a sliding resistance. 
     There are various forms of said oscillating constant velocity universal joint as shown in FIGS. 18 through 21, and in each form, the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  23   b  of the outer ring  23  is deviated from the region S where a sliding movement in the direction of the leg shaft occurs; therefore, as in FIGS. 16 and 17, the outer ring  23  tends to exhibit unstable behavior at the stroke ends. 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent the outer ring from exhibiting such unstable behavior in specific phases. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To achieve the above object, the invention provide a slidable constant velocity universal joint comprising an outer joint member having a plurality of axial track grooves formed in the inner periphery thereof, a tripod member having a plurality of radially extending leg shafts and torque transmitting members which are rotatable about said leg shafts and whose outer peripheries are spherical, said tripod member being received in the inner periphery of said outer joint member, with the torque transmitting members of the tripod member being fitted in the track grooves of the outer joint member for sliding movement axially of the outer joint member, a sliding contact region defined between each torque transmitting member and each leg shaft where relative sliding occurs in the leg shaft direction, thereby allowing the torque transmitting members to swing around the axis of the leg shafts, 
     wherein the center of curvature of the outer periphery of the torque transmitting member is positioned to coincide with said sliding contact region. 
     In this case, as a phase change takes place, sliding friction having a component directed in the leg shaft direction acts in the sliding contact region, and since its line of action coincides with the center of curvature of the outer peripheral surface of the torque transmitting member, there is no moment produced by the sliding frictional force to act on the torque transmitting member as there is with a conventional article. Therefore, a sudden change in the moment load is avoided and the behavior of the torque transmitting member at the stroke ends can be stabilized. 
     In addition, the term “leg shaft direction” means the direction of the axis of the leg shaft. 
     In the above joint, {circle around (1)} it is possible to dispose the inner ring inside the torque transmitting member and interpose the rolling elements between the inner ring and the leg shaft. 
     More particularly, it is possible to prevent the inner ring and the rolling elements from moving relative to the leg shaft in the leg shaft direction, the contact region between the inner peripheral surface of the torque transmitting member and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring serving as said sliding contact region (see FIGS.  1  and  2 ), 
     to prevent the inner ring from moving relative to the torque transmitting member in the leg shaft direction, and the rolling element from moving relative to the leg shaft in the leg shaft direction, the contact region between the rolling element and the inner peripheral surface of the inner ring serving as the sliding contact region (see FIG.  6 ), or 
     to prevent the inner ring and the rolling element from moving relative to the torque transmitting member in the leg shaft direction, the contact region between the rolling element and the outer peripheral surface of the leg shaft serving as said sliding contact region (see FIG.  7 ). 
     Further, in the above joint, {circle around (2)} it is possible to dispose the rolling element inside the torque transmitting member and interpose the inner ring between the rolling element and the leg shaft. 
     More particularly, it is possible to prevent the inner ring and the rolling element from moving relative to the torque transmitting member in the leg shaft direction, the contact region between the inner peripheral surface of the inner ring and the outer peripheral surface of the leg shaft serving as said sliding contact region (see FIGS.  4  and  5 ), or 
     to prevent the inner ring from moving relative to the leg shaft in the leg shaft direction, and the rolling element from moving relative to the torque transmitting member in the leg shaft direction, the contact region between the rolling element and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring serving as said sliding contact region (see FIG.  8 ). 
     Further, in the above joint, {circle around (3)} it is possible to interpose the rolling element between the torque transmitting member and the leg shaft, and prevent the rolling element from moving relative to the torque transmitting member in the leg shaft direction, the contact region between the outer peripheral surface of the leg shaft and the outer peripheral surface of the rolling element serving as said sliding contact region (FIG.  3 ). 
     Thus, according to the present invention, since the center of curvature of the spherical outer peripheral surface of the torque transmitting member is positioned to coincide with the point of action of a sliding frictional force produced between the outer joint member and the leg shaft during torque transmission when a operating angle is formed, no moment based on a sliding frictional force acts on the torque transmitting member. Therefore, there is no sudden change in the direction of a moment acting on the torque transmitting member before and after the stroke ends, and it is possible to prevent the torque transmitting member from changing its attitude and reduce the induced thrust and sliding resistance. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an enlarged radial sectional view of a slidable constant velocity universal joint according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a radial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a radial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a radial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a radial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a radial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a radial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a radial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is an axial sectional view of a conventional slidable constant velocity universal joint; 
     FIG. 10 is a radial sectional view of a conventional slidable constant velocity universal joint; 
     FIG. 11 is an axial sectional view of a conventional slidable constant velocity universal joint; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the relation between a ring and a guide surface when they form a operating angle; 
     FIG. 13 is an axial sectional view of a conventional swing type slidable constant velocity universal joint; 
     FIG. 14 is a radial sectional view of a conventional swing type slidable constant velocity universal joint; 
     FIG. 15 is an axial sectional view of said joint when forming a operating angle; 
     FIG. 16 is a radial plan view showing the outline of the structure of the swing type immediately before the phase angle assumes 0° and 180°, respectively; 
     FIG. 17 is a radial plan view showing the outline of the structure of the swing type immediately after the phase angle has assumed 0° and 180°, respectively; 
     FIG. 18 is a radial sectional view showing an example of a conventional slidable constant velocity universal joint; 
     FIG. 19 is a radial sectional view showing an example of a conventional slidable constant velocity universal joint; 
     FIG. 20 is a radial sectional view showing an example of a conventional slidable constant velocity universal joint; and 
     FIG. 21 is a radial sectional view showing an example of a conventional slidable constant velocity universal joint. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 8 and FIGS. 18 through 21. 
     In FIG. 1, a tripod joint has an outer joint member  1  to be connected to one of two shafts to be joined together, and a tripod member  4  to be connected to the other shaft. The outer joint member  1  has a roughly cup-shaped external appearance and has three axially extending track grooves  2  formed in the inner peripheral surface thereof at equal circumferential intervals. The tripod member  4  has three radially extending leg shafts  5  at equal circumferential intervals, with an inner ring  7  rotatably fitted on each leg shaft  5  through a plurality of rolling elements, e.g., needle rollers  6 . The inner ring  7  is held in position at one end by a slip-off preventive ring  8  and a snap ring  9  mounted on the front end of the leg shaft  5  and at the other end by a washer  10  disposed on the shoulder of the tripod member  4 , thus, movement of the inner ring relative to the leg shaft  5  in the direction of the axis of the leg shaft  5  (hereinafter referred to as the leg shaft direction) is prevented. The inner peripheral surface  7   a  of the inner ring  7  is a cylindrical surface, while the outer peripheral surface  7   b  thereof is an outwardly spherical surface. In this embodiment, the generatrix of the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b  is an arc with its center located at P 2  which is offset radially outward by a predetermined amount from the radial center P 1  of the inner ring  7 . 
     The outer ring  3 , which serves as a torque transmitting member for transmitting torque to the outer joint member  1 , is rotatably fitted in the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b  of the inner ring  7 . In this embodiment, the inner peripheral surface  3   a  of the outer ring  3  is a cylindrical surface, so that the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  3   a  and the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b  of the inner roller  7  come into linear contact, whereby relative swing displacement between them around the axis Y—Y of the leg shaft  5  is allowed. The outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  is outwardly spherical, and its center of curvature O coincides with the contact region S between the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  3   a  of the outer roller  3  and the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b  of the inner ring  7 . 
     Each track groove  2  has guide surfaces  2   a  at circumferentially opposed positions. The guide surface  2   a  is composed of two cylindrical surfaces whose curvatures are greater than the radius of curvature R of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3 , and the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  is in angular contact with the guide surface  2   a  at two points. This angular contact allows the outer ring  3  to be guided axially of the outer joint member  1 . The shape of the guide surface  2   a  of the track groove  2  may, besides the Gothic arch consisting of two cylindrical surfaces as described above, be a V-shape. 
     The radial center P 1  of the inner ring  7 , the center of curvature P 2  of the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b , and the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  are all located on the centerline X—X of the guide surface  2   a  of the track groove  2  when the operating angle is 0°, which centerline extends radially of the leg shaft through the center of the distance between the regions of contact with the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b.    
     As described above, in the present invention, the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  is positioned to coincide with the contact region S between the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  3   a  of the outer roller  3  and the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b  of the inner ring  7 . In the contact region S between the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  3   a  and the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b , a sliding frictional force (F: see FIGS. 16 and 17) having a component in the direction of the axis of the leg shaft  5  is produced during torque transmission at a operating angle, the point of action (the sliding contact region S) of this sliding frictional force coincides with the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3 ; therefore, there is no moment M, due to the sliding frictional force F acting on the outer ring  3  as in the conventional arrangement. Therefore, there is no sudden change in the direction of the moment acting on the outer ring  3  before and after the stroke end. Thus, it is possible to prevent the outer ring  3  from changing its attitude and to reduce the induced thrust and sliding resistance. 
     In the above description, the inner peripheral surface  3   a  of the outer ring  3  has been taken to be a cylindrical surface; however, said inner peripheral surface  3   a  may be a conical taper surface decreasing in diameter toward the front end of the leg shaft  5 , in which case a load component is produced in the slide contact region S to urge the outer roller  3  toward the front end of the leg shaft, thereby making it possible to further reduce the axial sliding resistance and induced thrust. 
     FIG. 2 shows the present invention applied to the conventional joint shown in FIG.  18 . The difference between this joint and the joint of FIG. 1 is that the flange  1   a  (see FIG. 1) adjacent the guide surface  2   a  of the outer joint member  1  is omitted, thereby reducing the number of regions of contact between the outer ring  3  and the outer joint member  1 , further reducing the induced thrust and sliding resistance. In this arrangement, it is in the contact region S between the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  3   a  of the outer ring  3  and the spherical outer peripheral surface  7   b  of the inner ring  7  that sliding between the outer joint member  1  and the leg shaft  5  in the leg shaft direction occurs, as in FIG. 1; thus, the behavior of the outer ring  3  at the stroke ends can be stabilized by positioning the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  to coincide with the sliding contact region S. 
     FIG. 3 shows the present invention applied to a joint shown in FIG.  19 . This joint includes rolling elements (for example, cylindrical rollers  6 ) interposed between a ring  3  which serves as a torque transmitting member and a leg shaft  5  (not having an inner ring). The rolling elements  6  are received in a recess  3   c  formed in the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  3   a  of the ring  3  and are thereby prevented from moving relative to the ring  3  in the leg shaft direction. In this joint, the contact region between the outer peripheral surface  5   a , which is made outwardly spherical, of the leg shaft  5  and the outer peripheral surface of rolling element  6  provides said sliding contact region S. Therefore, the same effects as those described above can be obtained by positioning the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the ring  3  to coincide with the sliding contact region S. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 show the present invention applied to joints shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. In these joints, rolling elements (for example, needle rollers  6 ) are disposed on the inner periphery of the outer ring  3  and an inner ring  7  is disposed between the rolling elements  6  and the leg shaft  5 . Thus, the inner ring  7  and the rolling elements  6  are prevented from moving relative to the outer ring  3  in the leg shaft direction. In FIG. 4, the movement of the inner ring  7  relative to the outer ring  3  in the leg shaft direction is prevented by contacting the opposite ends of the inner ring  7  with the track groove  2 , while in FIG. 5, the inner ring  7  and the rolling elements  6  are prevented from moving relative to the outer ring  3  in the leg shaft direction by integrally engaging their opposite ends with the outer ring  3  through locking members  8 . In either construction, the contact region between the cylindrical inner peripheral surface  7   a  of the inner ring  7  and the leg shaft outer peripheral surface  5   a  which is made outwardly spherical serves as said sliding contact region S. The center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  is positioned to coincide with this sliding contact region S. 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 show constructions in which, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, there are rolling elements  6  (for example, needle rollers), an inner ring  7 , and an outer ring  3 , disposed in the order mentioned as seen radially outward of the leg shaft  5 . These constructions differ from those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the outer peripheral surface  7   b  of the inner ring  7  is made outwardly spherical and the inner peripheral surface  3   a  of the outer ring  3  is made inwardly spherical, the two surfaces being in spherical contact. In each of the constructions in FIGS. 6 and 7, the spherical contact prevents the inner ring  7  from moving relative to the outer ring  3  in the leg shaft direction. In FIG. 6, movement of the rolling elements  6  relative to the leg shaft  5  is prevented by pair of locking members  8  and  10 , while in FIG. 7, movement of the rolling elements  6  relative to the inner ring  3  is prevented; therefore, the two construction differ in the position of the sliding contact region S. That is, in the construction of FIG. 6, a sliding contact region S is formed between the inner peripheral surface  7   a  of the inner ring  7  and the rolling element  6 , while in FIG. 7, a sliding contact region S is formed between the rolling element  6  and the outer peripheral surface  5   a  of the leg shaft  5 . In either case, the center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  is positioned to coincide with the sliding contact region S. 
     FIG. 8 shows a construction in which, as in FIGS. 4 and 5, there are an inner ring  7 , rolling elements  6  (for example, needle rollers), and an outer ring  3 , disposed in the order mentioned as seen radially outward of the leg shaft  5 , but which differs from those shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in that the outer peripheral surface  5   a  of the leg shaft  5  is made outwardly spherical and the inner peripheral surface  7   a  of the inner ring  7  is made inwardly spherical, the two surfaces being in spherical contact. In this construction, the spherical contact prevents the inner ring  7  from moving relative to the leg shaft  5  in the leg shaft direction, and movement of the rolling elements  6  relative to the outer ring  3  in the leg shaft direction is prevented by a pair of locking members  8  and  10 ; therefore, the contract region between the rolling element  6  and cylindrical outer peripheral surface  7   b  of the inner ring  7  serves as a sliding contact region S. The center of curvature O of the spherical outer peripheral surface  3   b  of the outer ring  3  is positioned to coincide with this sliding contact region S.