US3660989A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Universal joint
Assignee: FINANCIERE DES CARDANS Cie
•
Filing: 1969-12-08
•
Granted: 1972-05-09
•
Expires: 1989-12-08
Abstract
Abstract Universal joint in which the needle bearing cup surrounding each trunnion of the cross member of the joint has a non-circular cross-sectional shape so that the passage for the needles is smaller in the zones in which the forces are transmitted by the joint than in the rest of the passage for the needles. This is achieved by an interaction between the branch of the material of the yoke surrounding the bore and the cup which deforms the cup in the desired manner. A method is disclosed for achieving this result.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred Pitner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 06:58
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C19/00; F16C19/22; F16C19/44; F16C19/46; F16C19/466; F16C35/00; F16C35/04; F16C35/06; F16C35/067; F16D; F16D3/00; F16D3/16; F16D3/26; F16D3/38; F16D3/382; F16D3/385; F16D3/40; F16D3/41; F16C21/00; F16C21/005; F16C2361/00; F16C2361/41; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49636; Y10T29/49696
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
In a universal joint comprising a cross member having four trunnions, two yokes respectively having an axis of rotation and two branches contained in a plane containing said axis and means defining a bore having a smooth and even face in each branch for receiving a corresponding one of said trunnions; the structure comprising a needle bearing for each of said trunnions, said needle bearing comprising a cup having an initially cylindrical body portion which is of thin flexible metal and is engaged in the corresponding bore and is entirely coextensive with and adjoins the face of the bore said body portion having an inner face constituting a raceway defining an annular passage with the trunnion, and bearing needles disposed in said passage for circulation therein, said face of the bore having a crosssectional shape which deviates from a circular shape in at least a portion of the axial extent of said face of the bore, said body portion engaged in said bore having exactly the same shape as said bore, and said cross-sectional shape being such that in two opposed zones of said passage in which driving forces are transmitted by said universal joint said passage has a radial width which is narrower than the radial width of the rest of said passage, said inner face of said body portion having a flatter curvature in said zones than elsewhere.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
In a universal joint comprising a cross member having four trunnions, two yokes respectively having an axis of rotation and two branches contained in a plane containing said axis and means defining a bore having a smooth and even face in each branch for receiving a corresponding one of said trunnions; the structure comprising a needle bearing for each of said trunnions, said needle bearing comprising a cup having an initially cylindrical body portion which is of thin flexible metal and is engaged in the corresponding bore and is entirely coextensive with and adjoins the face of the bore said body portion having an inner face constituting a raceway defining an annular passage with the trunnion, and bearing needles disposed in said passage for circulation therein, said face of the bore having a crosssectional shape which deviates from a circular shape in at least a portion of the axial extent of said face of the bore, said body portion engaged in said bore having exactly the same shape as said bore, and said cross-sectional shape being such that in two opposed zones of said passage in which driving forces are transmitted by said universal joint said passage has a radial width which is narrower than the radial width of the rest of said passage, said inner face of said body portion having a flatter curvature in said zones than elsewhere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross sections of the bore and cup in at least a portion of the axial extent thereof have substantially the shape of an ellipse having a major axis in said plane and a minor axis perpendicular to said plane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2689468A
Cited
US3009748A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-09 | 1975-11-08 | 1976-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-09 | 1979-11-08 | 1980-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-09 | 1983-11-08 | 1984-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |