Patent ID: 8568244

Claim:
A constant velocity joint for a drive system having a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, the constant velocity joint comprising: a tripod housing coupled to the first rotating shaft, the tripod housing having a plurality of guide grooves therein, the guide grooves extending in an axial direction of the tripod housing and spaced equally apart in a circumferential direction of the tripod housing; a spider coupled to the second rotating shaft, the spider having a plurality of trunnions, each trunnion positioned in a corresponding one of the guide grooves of the tripod housing; and a spherical roller disposed between each trunnion and its corresponding guide groove of the tripod housing for transmitting a torque between the first and second rotating shafts, and a plurality of needle rollers disposed between each trunnion and each spherical roller; wherein each spherical roller is in angular contact with its corresponding guide groove of the tripod housing with two contact points displaced symmetrically relative to a pitch circle diameter line of the tripod housing; wherein a ratio of a length (CL) between two contact points of tripod housing groove to a length (SL) between two edges of spherical roller is in a range from 0.5 to 0.85; wherein a ratio of a radius (TGR 2 ) of the guide groove of the tripod housing to a radius (SRR) of the spherical roller is in a range from 1.1 to 1.4; wherein a ratio of a length (NL) of the needle roller to a trunnion diameter (STD) of the spider is in a range from 0.5 to 0.6.