Patent ID: 8540581

Claim:
A sliding type tripod constant velocity joint comprising: an outer ring of a tubular form having three raceway grooves which are formed on an inner peripheral surface and which extend in a direction of a rotation axis of the outer ring; a tripod including a boss part connected to a shaft and three tripod shaft parts which are provided upright so as to extend outward in a radial direction of the boss part from an outer peripheral surface of the boss part and which are inserted into the raceway grooves, respectively; a pair of intermediate members which are arranged so as to sandwich a corresponding one of the tripod shaft parts from both sides of side surfaces of the raceway grooves and which are provided so as to be oscillated relative to the corresponding one of the tripod shaft parts; a plurality of rolling elements provided between the side surfaces of a corresponding one of the raceway grooves and power transmission surfaces of the pair of intermediate members opposing the side surfaces to the corresponding one of the raceway grooves so as to roll along the side surfaces of the corresponding one of the raceway grooves; and a cage that supports the rolling elements such that the rolling elements circulate on outer peripheries of the pair of intermediate members, wherein the cage regulates a relative operation of the intermediate members in an axial direction of the outer ring, wherein a gap is formed between the pair of intermediate members, and wherein the cage is disposed so as to circulate the rolling elements from one intermediate member of the pair of intermediate members to another intermediate member of the pair of intermediate members across the gap formed between the pair of intermediate members, the rolling elements being circulated so as to not contact either of the pair of intermediate members while being circulated across a portion of the gap.