Patent ID: 7785205

Claim:
A cross groove constant velocity universal joint for use in association with a drive shaft of an automotive vehicle, the joint comprising: an inner ring having an outer peripheral surface formed with ball grooves that are alternately slanted in respective directions opposite to each other relative to an axis of the inner ring while alternating with each other in a direction circumferentially of the inner ring; an outer ring having an inner peripheral surface formed with ball grooves that are alternately slanted in respective directions opposite to each other relative to an axis of the outer ring while alternating with each other in a direction circumferentially of the outer ring; ten torque transmission balls each received in part within the corresponding ball groove in the inner ring and in part within the associated ball groove in the outer ring and positioned at a crossing area where each of the ball grooves in the inner ring and the associated ball groove in the outer ring are crossed with each other; and a cage intervening between the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring to retain the torque transmission balls in circumferentially equally spaced relation to each other, wherein the crossing angle defined between each of the ball grooves in the inner ring, which is slanted in one direction relative to the axis of the inner ring, and a respective ball groove in the outer ring, which is slanted relative to the axis of the outer ring in a direction opposite to such ball groove in the inner ring, is within the range of 10 to 15°.