Sliding articulation

1. A sliding articulation having an axis comprising:

(a) an outer hub that encloses a cavity and comprising an inner surface and a plurality of outer hub raceways in said inner surface, said outer hub raceways extending parallel to said axis;

(b) an inner hub accommodated in the cavity and comprising an outer surface and a plurality of inner hub raceways on said outer surface, said inner hub raceways extending parallel to said axis and lying opposite said outer hub raceways, with the inner hub being pivotable with respect to the outer hub;

(c) a plurality of balls, each ball accommodated in a respective pair of an outer hub raceway and an inner hub raceway, with each pair of an outer hub raceway and an inner hub raceway accommodating only one single ball; and

(d) one single cage disposed between the outer hub and the inner hub guiding the balls in an axial direction;

wherein the inner hub is freely displaceable relative to the outer hub in the axial direction between a first stop and a second stop over a first distance by rolling the balls in the inner and outer hub raceways and is displaceable over a second distance by sliding of the balls in the inner and outer hub raceways; and

wherein the cage is freely displaceable relative to the inner hub and relative to the outer hub, in the axial direction.

2. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cage is a folding cage.

3. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 1 , wherein the outer hub is a shaped sheet-metal part in which the raceways are made without cutting.

4. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner hub has a central bore having a plug-in tooth system.

5. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 1 , wherein the two stops that delimit the first distance, over which the balls roll in the inner and outer hub raceways, are formed by the ends of the outer hub raceways.

6. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 1 , wherein the two stops that delimit the first distance, over which the balls roll in the inner and outer hub raceways, are formed by at least one split ring inserted into the inner hub raceways.

7. A sliding articulation having an axis comprising:

(a) an outer hub that encloses a cavity and comprising an inner surface and a plurality of outer hub raceways in said inner surface, said outer hub raceways extending parallel to said axis;

(b) an inner hub accommodated in the cavity and comprising an outer surface and a plurality of inner hub raceways on said outer surface, said inner hub raceways extending parallel to said axis and lying opposite said outer hub raceways;

(c) a plurality of balls, each ball accommodated in a respective pair of an outer hub raceway and an inner hub raceway; and

(d) a cage disposed between the outer hub and the inner hub guiding the balls in an axial direction;

wherein the inner hub is freely displaceable relative to the outer hub in the axial direction between a first stop and a second stop over a first distance by rolling the balls in the inner and outer hub raceways and is displaceable over a second distance by sliding of the balls in the inner, and outer hub raceways; and

wherein the cage has cage guide ridges that engage in centering grooves of the inner hub, which are formed in ridges between the raceways.

8. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 7 , wherein the cage is freely displaceable relative to the inner hub and relative to the outer hub, in the axial direction.

9. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 7 , wherein the shape of the inner and outer hub raceways differs from the shape of the centering grooves.

10. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 7 , wherein the size of the cross-section of the centering grooves is smaller than the size of the cross-section of the inner and outer hub raceways.

11. A sliding articulation having an axis comprising:

(a) an outer hub that encloses a cavity and comprising an inner surface and a plurality of outer hub raceways in said inner surface, said outer hub raceways extending parallel to said axis;

(b) an inner hub accommodated in the cavity and comprising an outer surface and a plurality of inner hub raceways on said outer surface, said inner hub raceways extending parallel to said axis and lying opposite said outer hub raceways;

(c) a plurality of balls, each ball accommodated in a respective pair of an outer hub raceway and an inner hub raceway; and

(d) one single cage disposed between the outer hub and the inner hub guiding the balls in an axial direction;

wherein the inner hub is freely displaceable relative to the outer hub in the axial direction between a first stop and a second stop over a first distance by rolling the balls in the inner and outer hub raceways and is displaceable over a second distance by sliding of the balls in the inner and outer hub raceways; and

wherein the cage is pivotable with respect to only one of the outer hub or the inner hub.

12. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 11 , wherein the cage is freely displaceable relative to the inner hub and relative to the outer hub, in the axial direction.

13. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 11 , wherein the shape of the inner and outer hub raceways differs from the shape of centering grooves of the outer hub.

14. The sliding articulation as recited in claim 11 , wherein the size of the cross-section of centering grooves of the outer hub is smaller than the size of the cross-section of the inner and outer hub raceways.