IP Library Granted Patent US 12710074
Granted Patent B2
US 12710074 · App. 18/067,160 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Constant velocity ball joint

Inventor: Peter Müller (Wächtersbach, DE)
Assignee: GKN Driveline Deutschland GmbH
F16D3/223F16D3/227F16D2003/22309Y10S464/906
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12710074
App. No.
18/067,160
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Constant-velocity ball joint, having at least a joint outer part with an axis of rotation and with outer ball tracks and with outer center lines, a joint inner part with inner ball tracks and inner center lines, and a large number of torque-transmitting balls which are each guided in mutually associated outer ball tracks and inner ball tracks.

Claims (27)

1 . A constant-velocity ball joint, comprising:

a joint outer part with an axis of rotation and with outer ball tracks and with outer center lines;

a joint inner part with inner ball tracks and inner center lines, and

a plurality of torque-transmitting balls which are respectively guided in mutually associated outer ball tracks and inner ball tracks;

wherein, in a straight arrangement of the constant-velocity ball joint, the outer center lines run at a constant spacing from the axis of rotation;

wherein the joint inner part and the inner center lines extend along the axis of rotation between a first front side and a second front side, and at least one of the inner center lines extends between a first end present at the first front side and a second end present at the second front side and runs at a varying second spacing from the axis of rotation;

wherein a maximum value of the second spacing is arranged at a distance from the first end and the second end, and wherein the constant-velocity ball joint is a plunging joint with the joint inner part being displaceable along the axis of rotation and relative to the joint outer part by at least 5 millimeters.

2 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inner center line is curved.

3 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inner center line is formed by multiple part-shapes, wherein at least one part-shape comprises a straight line.

4 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein the second spacing at each end is smaller than the maximum value.

5 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inner center line runs between the maximum value and the respective end in a monotonically decreasing fashion.

6 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein the second spacings present at the ends differ from each other.

7 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein the maximum value is arranged at a first distance from the first end and at a second distance from the second end, wherein the distances are the same or differ from each other.

8 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein a largest radius of the at least one inner center line corresponds to at least 1.0 times a pitch circle diameter of the balls.

9 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein a largest radius of the at least one inner center line corresponds to no more than fifty times a pitch circle diameter of the balls.

10 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , further comprising:

a cage which is provided with a large number of cage windows which each accommodate one or more of the balls;

wherein the cage is guided with a spherical inner circumferential surface over a spherical outer circumferential surface of the joint inner part.

11 . The constant-velocity ball joint of claim 1 , wherein, in the straight arrangement of the constant-velocity ball joint, the inner center lines and the outer center lines run exclusively parallel to a plane comprising the axis of rotation.

12 . A constant-velocity ball joint, comprising:

a joint outer part with an axis of rotation and with outer ball tracks and with outer center lines;

a joint inner part with inner ball tracks and inner center lines, a plurality of torque-transmitting balls which are respectively guided in mutually associated outer ball tracks and inner ball tracks; and

a cage which is provided with a large number of cage windows which each accommodate one or more of the balls;

wherein, in a straight arrangement of the constant-velocity ball joint, the outer center lines run at a constant spacing from the axis of rotation;

wherein the joint inner part and the inner center lines extend along the axis of rotation between a first front side and a second front side, and at least one of the inner center lines extends between a first end present at the first front side and a second end present at the second front side and runs at a varying second spacing from the axis of rotation;

wherein a maximum value of the second spacing is arranged at a distance from the first end and the second end, and wherein the constant-velocity ball joint is a plunging joint with the joint inner part being displaceable along the axis of rotation and relative to the joint outer part, and

wherein the cage is guided with a spherical inner circumferential surface over a spherical outer circumferential surface of the joint inner part.