CONSTANT-VELOCITY TRIPOD JOINT

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A constant-velocity tripod joint comprising:

an outer joint part having a central cavity and three recesses extending out from the central cavity and uniformly distributed around the inner periphery, each having two axially parallel slideways disposed in mutual parallel opposition around the inner periphery;

an inner joint part within the central cavity having three trunnions having a spherical outer contour uniformly distributed around the inner periphery, each extending radially into one of the recesses of the outer joint part;

three tripod rollers, each having an inner roller ring, an outer roller ring, and a plurality of cylindrical rolling bodies disposed annularly between the inner and outer roller rings; the respective inner roller rings being disposed, in each case by the inner wall thereof, in sliding contact with the outer contour of the associated trunnion; and the respective outer roller rings being disposed, in each case by the outer wall thereof, in sliding contact with the slideways of the associated recess, and

a surface treatment on the outer contour, the inner wall, the slideways and the outer wall to improve frictional and wear properties of the constant-velocity joint.

12 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 11 wherein at least one of the inner roller rings, the outer roller rings and retaining rings for axially securing the inner or outer roller rings are provided with an anti-friction coating, the anti-friction coating defining the surface treatment.

13 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 12 wherein the anti-friction coating is applied by a coating-forming phosphating treatment.

14 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 13 wherein the anti-friction coating is in the form of a manganese phosphate coating having a thickness of 2 to 6 μm.

15 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 11 wherein the inner roller rings, at least at the inner and end-face walls thereof, and/or the outer roller rings, at least at the outer walls thereof, and/or the retaining rings at least at the inner walls thereof facing the end-face walls of the inner roller rings, undergo slide grinding.

16 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 15 wherein a surface roughness of the inner and end-face walls of the inner roller rings and/or of the inner walls of retaining rings is reduced to a value of approximately Ra=0.2 μm.

17 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 15 wherein a surface roughness of the outer walls of the outer roller rings is reduced to a value of approximately Ra=0.45 μm.

18 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 11 wherein a rolling resistance between the roller rings and the rolling bodies of the tripod rollers is reduced in each case by providing a finish-ground surface for an outer raceway of the inner roller ring, for an inner raceway of the outer roller ring, and for the outer wall of the rolling bodies, as well as by reducing radial play between the roller rings and the rolling bodies.

19 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 18 wherein a surface roughness of the outer raceway of the inner roller ring, of the inner raceway of the outer roller ring, and of the outer wall of the rolling bodies is reduced in each case to a value within the range of between Ra=0.2 μm and Ra=0.45 μm.

20 . The constant-velocity tripod joint as recited in claim 18 wherein the radial play between the roller rings and the rolling bodies is reduced in each case to a value within the range of between s R =0.008 mm and s R =0.030 mm.