Patent ID: 7112140

Claim:
A constant velocity joint in the form of a counter track joint comprising: an outer joint part ( 12 ) comprising a first longitudinal axis (La), an attaching end and an aperture end which are positioned axially opposite one another, as well as first outer ball tracks ( 22 ) and second outer ball tracks ( 24 ); an inner joint part comprising a second longitudinal axis (Li), an attaching mechanism for a shaft pointing towards the aperture end of the outer joint part ( 12 ), as well as first inner ball tracks ( 23 ) and second inner ball tracks ( 25 ), the first outer ball tracks ( 22 ) and the first inner ball tracks ( 23 ) form first pairs of tracks with one another, the second outer ball tracks ( 24 ) and the second inner ball tracks ( 25 ) form second pairs of tracks with one another, and the first and second pairs of tracks each accommodate a torque transmitting ball ( 14 ); and a ball cage ( 15 ) positioned between the outer joint part ( 12 ) and the inner joint part ( 13 ) including circumferentially distributed cage windows ( 18 ) which each receive at least one of the torque transmitting balls ( 14 ); wherein the centers of the balls ( 14 ) are held by the cage ( 15 ) in a central ball plane (EK), and the travel of the centers of the balls ( 14 ) in the ball tracks is defined as the center line (M 22 , M 23 , M 24 , M 25 ) of the respective ball tracks; when the joint is in the aligned condition, an opening angle (α) of the first pairs of tracks ( 22 , 23 ) opens from the aperture end to the attaching end; when the joint is in the aligned condition, an opening angle (β) of the second pairs of tracks ( 24 , 25 ) opens from the attaching end to the aperture end; and wherein the first pairs of tracks ( 22 , 23 ) are configured such that, when the joint is articulated, the opening angle (α) of the first pairs of tracks, at a ball ( 14 ) entering the outer joint part ( 12 ) beyond the central plane (EM), initially becomes zero and then opens towards the aperture end.