FR2793288A1 - BALL JOINT FOR TRANSMITTING A TORQUE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a torque-transmitting ball joint, comprising a sphere (6) mounted at one end of a first shaft (2) and mounted pivoting in a housing (7) provided at the end of a second shaft (4) opposite the first shaft, and a link pin (15) between the sphere and the housing, the sphere (6) comprising an axial passage (14) extending perpendicular to the first shaft (2) and having opposite support surfaces (22a), parallel to said first shaft (2) and said link pin (15) extending through said passage (14) and can slide on one of said support surfaces, the ends of said link pin (15) being borne by said housing (7).

Description

Ball joint allowing the transmission of a torque
The present invention relates to a ball joint allowing the transmission of a torque.

 To transmit a torque between two opposite shafts capable of occupying variable angular positions, one with respect to the other, universal joints are commonly used. Such joints include a star, the opposite branches of which are respectively rotatably mounted on the branches of U carried by the shafts. When the maximum angle of inclination between the two shafts is small, it is also possible to place between two plates carried by the ends of the shafts an intermediate piece made of a material capable of absorbing variations in angular position.

 The object of the present invention is to propose a ball joint of different structure.

The ball allowing the transmission of a torque, comprises according to the invention a sphere provided at the end of a first shaft and pivotally mounted in a housing provided at the end of a second shaft opposite the first shaft and passing through the wall of this housing, as well as a connecting axis between the sphere and the housing,
According to the invention, the sphere has an axial passage extending perpendicular to said first shaft and having opposite bearing faces parallel to said first shaft and said connecting axis extends through said passage and can slide on said faces. support, the ends of said connecting axis being carried by, housing.

 According to the invention, said connecting axis preferably has opposite flats bearing against said opposite bearing faces.

 According to the invention, the sphere may advantageously have recesses opening laterally to said axis and in which are preferably wedging elements which have end surfaces constituting said bearing faces.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sphere has a peripheral recess in the form of an annular groove, the bottom of which determines a cylinder coaxial with said first shaft and in which wedging elements are fixed which have end surfaces constituting said faces support.

 According to the invention, two wedging elements resting on one side of said connecting axis are preferably separated by a spacer.

 According to the invention, said wedging elements are preferably in the form of cylinder sectors.

 According to the invention, said spacer is preferably in the form of a cylinder sector.

 According to the invention, said wedging elements and said spacer are preferably fixed to the sphere by radial screws.

 According to another variant of the invention, said sphere has peripheral recesses in which are fixed four wedging elements having end surfaces constituting said bearing surfaces and arranged in pairs opposite each other on either side of said connecting axis and at the ends of said axial passage.

 According to the invention, the wedging elements two to two opposite are preferably fixed by screws bearing against the bottom of recesses resulting from a transverse groove whose bottom is perpendicular to said passage.

 According to the invention, said wedging elements can advantageously be respectively subjected to load springs acting in the direction of their support on said connecting axis.

 According to the invention, said sphere may advantageously have two annular peripheral recesses formed coaxially with said first shaft and on either side of said axial passage, in which are arranged annular pads bearing against the inner wall of said housing.

 According to the invention, said housing can advantageously comprise two parts axially coupled to said second shaft and between which said sphere is taken respectively by half, a first part being traversed by said first shaft and a second part being integral with said second shaft.

 According to the invention, said parts of said housing are connected by elastic means acting in the direction of compression of said sphere.

 According to the invention, said parts of said housing are preferably screwed into one another coaxially with said second shaft.

 According to the invention, said parts of said housing can advantageously be connected by a torsion spring acting in the direction of screwing.

 According to a variant of the invention, said first part of said housing comprises an extension in which its second part is screwed, the ends of said connecting pin being carried by said first part.

 According to another variant of the invention, said second part of said housing comprises an extension in which its first part is screwed, the ends of said connecting pin being carried by said second part.

 According to the invention, the ends of said connecting axis are preferably mounted on said housing by means of bearings.

 According to a variant of the invention, the ball joint can advantageously comprise a ring mounted on said first shaft and carrying a seal bearing on a spherical outer surface of said housing.

 According to another variant of the invention, the ball joint can advantageously comprise a ring mounted on said first shaft and having a spherical front surface, said housing carrying an annular seal bearing on this spherical front surface.

The present invention will be better understood from the study of ball joints allowing the transmission of a torque between two shafts, described by way of nonlimiting examples and illustrated by the drawing in which:
FIG. 1 represents a longitudinal section of a first ball joint according to the present invention, the shafts being coaxial;
FIG. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the ball joint of FIG. 1, perpendicular to that of this figure, the shafts being coaxial;
FIG. 3 represents a median radial section of the patella of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 represents a view corresponding to that of FIG. 1, in which the trees are inclined one to the other;
FIG. 5 represents a view corresponding to FIG. 2, in which the shafts are inclined relative to each other;
FIG. 6 represents a longitudinal section of a second ball joint according to the present invention, the shafts being coaxial;
FIG. 7 represents a longitudinal section of this second ball joint, in a plane perpendicular to that of FIG. 6, the shafts being coaxial;
FIG. 8 represents a median radial section of the patella of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 represents a top view of the interior part of the ball joint of FIG. 6;
-and Figure 10 shows an end view of the ball joint of Figure 6, the front elements are removed.

 The ball joint 1 shown in Figures 1 to 5 is intended to transmit a torque between a first shaft 2 having a geometric axis 3 and a second shaft 4 having a geometric axis 5, which are normally aligned.

 The shaft 2 carries at its end a sphere 6 and the shaft 4 carries at its end a housing 7 which envelops the sphere 6 and which has, opposite the shaft 4, a large opening 8 for the passage of tree 2.

 The housing 7 comprises a first cylindrical part 9 carried by the shaft 4 and having at the end a front spherical recess 10 matching the half of the sphere 6 and a second part 11 having the opening 8 and a front spherical recess 12 covering the other half of the sphere 6, in its part surrounding this opening 8. This second part 11 also has a cylindrical extension 13 surrounding the first part 9 and screwed onto the latter.

 The sphere 6 has a radial passage 14 which extends perpendicular to the axis 3 of the shaft 2 and through which is disposed, with play, a connecting axis 15.

 The ends of the connecting axis 15, located on either side of the sphere 6, have a reduced diameter and are mounted to rotate in opposite openings 16 and 17 of the part 11 of the housing 7 by means of bearings with balls 18 and 19, so that the connecting axis 15 extends radially to the spherical recess of the housing 7 and perpendicular to the axis 5 of the shaft 4.

 Between its ends, the axis 15 has opposite and parallel flats 15a and 15b.

 The sphere 6 has a peripheral recess 20 with radial sides, which divides it into two parts and the bottom of which determines a cylinder 21 coaxial with the shaft 2.

 In this recess 20 are arranged, on either side of the connecting axis 15, on the one hand wedging elements 22 and 23 and on the other hand wedging elements 24 and 25, as well as spacers 26 and 27 placed respectively between the wedging elements 22 and 24 and the wedging elements 23 and 25.

 The wedging elements 22-25 and the spacers 26 and 27 are in the form of cylinder sectors.

 The wedging elements 22 and 24 have flat ends 22a and 24a which are in abutment against the flat 15a of the connecting axis 15 and, symmetrically, the wedging elements 23 and 25 have flat ends 23b and 25b which are in support against the flat 15b of the connecting axis 15.

 The wedging elements 22-25 are in abutment against the cylinder 21 and are capable of being fixed on the latter by means of radial screws 28 respectively.

 The spacers 26 and 27 are held on the cylinder 21 respectively by radial screws 29.

 The part 11 of the housing 7 has a multiplicity of radial openings 30 giving respectively access to the screws 28 and 29 when the shafts 2 and 4 are aligned.

 To mount and adjust the ball joint 1, you can proceed as follows.

 The wedging elements 22-25 and the spacers 26 and 27 are installed in the peripheral recess 20 of the sphere 6 and they are maintained by mounting the screws 28 and 29.

 The shaft 2 is engaged through the passage 8 of the part 11 of the housing 7 until its spherical recess 12 comes into contact against the sphere 6.

 The connecting pin 15 is installed through the openings 16 and 17 of the part 11 of the housing 7 and through the radial passage 14 of the sphere 6.

 The bearings 18 and 19 are mounted in the openings 16 and 17 of the part 11 of the housing 7 and around the ends of the connecting axis 15.

 The part 9 of the housing 7 is mounted by screwing it into the extension 13 of the part 11 of this housing until its spherical recess 10 comes into contact with the sphere 6. A blind radial hole is then drilled in the extension 13 and in part 9 and we insert a pawn 7a.

 Then, by passing a suitable key through the passages 30 of the part 11 of the housing 7, the radial position of the spacers 26 and 27 is adjusted by acting on the screws 29, so as to peripherally move the wedging elements 22-25 and the latter are fixed by acting on the screws 28, until the desired clearance or contact pressure of the wedging elements 22-25 on the flats 15a and 15b of the connecting axis 15.

 With the ball joint 1 thus mounted, the sphere 6 and the housing 7 are linked in rotation, without play, by means of the connecting pin 15, but are capable of being oriented relative to each other. , without play, thanks to the fact that the connecting pin 15 can slide between the wedging elements 22 and 23 respectively and the opposite wedging elements 24 and 25.

 Thus, the ball joint 1 can transmit a torque between the shafts 2 and 4 even if the latter take orientations relative to each other, the sphere 6 sliding in the housing 7 and the axis 15 sliding alternately between said elements wedging 22-25, without wedging effect because the pairs of wedging elements 22-23 and 24-25 are in lateral abutment against the connecting axis 15, far from the center of the sphere 6 and are close to the ends of this connecting axis carried by the housing 7.

 Furthermore, the ball joint 1 comprises a ring 31 which is fixed to the shaft 2 and which carries an annular seal 32 which is in contact with a spherical front surface 33 of the part 11 of the housing 7 surrounding its passage 8, the bearings 18 and 19 are covered externally by sealing washers 34 and 35 and the passages 30 of the part 11 of the housing 7 are closed by plugs 36, so that the interior space of the ball joint 1 is completely isolated from the outside.

 Referring to Figures 6 to 10, we will now describe a ball 37 constituting an alternative embodiment of the ball 1 described above.

 As before, the ball joint 37 comprises a first shaft 38 which carries at its end a sphere 39 and a second shaft 40 which carries at its end a housing 41 which envelops the sphere 39.

 The housing 41 comprises a part 42, integral with the shaft 4, which comprises a part 43 which has a front spherical recess 44 and a cylindrical extension 45 which extends around and beyond the sphere 39.

 The housing 41 further comprises a ring-shaped part 46 which is screwed inside the extension 45 of the part 42 and which has a front spherical face 47.

 The ring 46 has an annular extension 48 which extends outside the extension 45 of the part 43, the ring 46 having a large opening 49 through which the shaft 38 extends freely.

 As in the previous example, the sphere 39 has a radial passage 50 through which extends a connecting axis 51 which comprises two opposite flats 51a and 51b.

 The ends of reduced diameter of the connecting axis 51, located on either side of the sphere 39, are mounted in openings 53 and 54 of the part 42 of the housing 41 secured to the shaft 40, by the intermediate ball bearings 55 and 56.

 The sphere 39 has four recesses 57 to 60 which open laterally to the connecting axis 51 and in which wedging elements 61 to 64 are fixed respectively.

 The recesses 57 and 58 and the recesses 59 and 60 result from two grooves made in the sphere 39 respectively at the ends of its passage 50, perpendicular to the axis of the latter, so that the wedging elements 61 and 62 are arranged on either side of the connecting axis 51 and on the side of one of its ends of this axis and that the wedging elements 63 and 64 are arranged on either side of the connecting axis 51 and on the side of its other end.

 In corresponding recesses formed in the bottom of the recesses 57 to 60 and wedging elements 61 to 64 are arranged helical springs 65 to 68, useful during assembly, which act respectively between suitable surfaces of the sphere 39 and suitable surfaces wedging elements 61 to 64, so as to exert a thrust on these wedging elements in the direction which moves them towards the connecting axis 51. Thus, the wedging elements 61 to 64 exert determined bearing forces on respectively the flats 51a and 51b of the connecting axis 51.

 The wedging elements 61 to 64 being thus arranged, screws 69 not projecting, which pass respectively through the wedging elements 61 to 64, make it possible to fix them in abutment against the bottom of the corresponding recesses 57 to 60.

 The wedging elements 61 to 64 carry, at their ends, intermediate support pads 70 to 73 which come into contact with the flats 51a and 51b of the connecting axis 51.

 On either side of its passage 50, the sphere 39 has two opposite annular grooves 74 and 75 coaxial with the shaft 38, of V-shaped section of which one of the sides is cylindrical and the other extends perpendicular to the shaft 38. In these opposite annular grooves 74 and 75 are arranged annular pads 76 and 77 whose spherical outer surfaces are respectively in abutment against the spherical surfaces 44 and 47 of the housing 41.

 Around the extension 48 of the part 46 of the housing 41 is arranged a torsion spring 78, one curved end 78a of which comes into peripheral abutment against a radial pin 79 carried by the extension 48 and of which another curved end 78b comes into peripheral abutment against a longitudinal pin 80 carried by the radial front face 45a of the extension 45 of the part 42 of the housing 41.

 The torsion spring 78 is installed so as to exert a force in the direction of screwing of the part 46 of the housing 41 in the extension 45 of its part 42, so as to maintain a permanent force and to take up play between the spherical surfaces 44 and 47 of the housing 41 and the spherical surfaces of the annular support pads 76 and 77 carried by the sphere 39.

 In order to seal the interior space of the housing 41 containing the sphere 39, the shaft 38 carries a screwed ring 81 which has a spherical front surface 82 against which abuts an annular seal 83 carried by the end of the extension 48 of part 46 of housing 41.

 Furthermore, the shaft 40 has an axial channel 84 and the sphere 39 has a channel 85, which make it possible to bring a lubricating oil or grease into the region of the bearing pads 76 and 77 and into the region of the elements. setting 61 to 64.

 The ball joint 37 which has just been described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 operates in the same way as the ball joint 1 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

 The present invention is not limited to the examples described above. Many alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims (20)

 1. Ball joint allowing the transmission of a torque, comprising a sphere (6) provided at the end of a first shaft (2) and pivotally mounted in a housing (7) provided at the end of a second shaft ( 4) opposite the first shaft and passing through the wall of this housing, as well as a connecting pin (15) between the sphere and the housing, characterized in that the sphere (6) has an axial passage (14) s' extending perpendicular to said first shaft (2) and having opposite bearing faces (22a, 23b-24a, 25b), parallel to said first shaft (2) and that said connecting axis (15) extends through said passage ( 14) and can slide on said bearing faces, the ends of said connecting pin (15) being carried by said housing (7).  2. Ball joint according to claim 1, characterized in that said connecting pin (15) has opposite flats (15a, 15b) bearing against said opposite bearing faces (22a, 23b-24a, 25b).  3. Ball joint according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the sphere (6) has recesses (20) opening laterally to said axis (2) and in which are fixed wedging elements (22-25) which have end surfaces (22a, 23b-24a, 25b) constituting said bearing faces.  4. Ball joint according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sphere (6) has a peripheral recess (20) in the form of an annular groove, the bottom of which determines a cylinder (21) coaxial with said first shaft (2 ) and in which are fixed wedging elements (22-25) which have end surfaces (22a, 23b-24a, 25b) constituting said bearing faces.  5. Ball joint according to claim 4, characterized in that two wedging elements (22,23) bearing on one side of said connecting axis (15) are separated by a spacer (26).  6. Ball joint according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said wedging elements (22-25) said spacer (26) are in the form of cylinder sectors.  7. Ball joint according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said wedging elements (22-25) and said spacer (26) are fixed to said sphere (6) by radial screws.  8. Ball joint according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said sphere (39) has peripheral recesses (57-60) in which are fixed four wedging elements (61-64) having surfaces d end constituting said bearing surfaces and arranged in pairs opposite each other on either side of said connecting axis (51) and at the ends of said axial passage (50).  9. Ball joint according to claim 8, characterized in that the wedging elements two to two opposite are fixed by screws (69) bearing against the bottom of recesses resulting from transverse grooves whose bottom is perpendicular to said passage.  10. Ball joint according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said wedging elements (6164) are respectively subjected to load springs (65-68) acting in the direction of their support on the said connecting axis ( 51).  11. Ball joint according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said sphere (39) has two annular peripheral recesses (74,75) formed coaxially with the said first shaft (38) and on either side of the said axial passage , in which are arranged annular pads (76,77) bearing against the inner wall of said housing (41).  12. Ball joint according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said housing (7) comprises two parts (11,12) axially coupled to said second shaft (4) and between which said sphere is taken respectively by half, a first part being crossed by said first shaft and a second part being integral with said second shaft.  13. Ball joint according to claim 12, characterized in that said parts (42,46) of said housing (41) are connected by elastic means (78) acting in the direction of compression of said sphere (39).  14. Ball joint according to one of claims 12 and 13, characterized in that said parts (42,46) of said housing (41) are screwed into each other coaxially with said second shaft (38).  15. Ball joint according to claim 14, characterized in that said parts of said housing are connected by a torsion spring (78) acting in the direction of screwing.  16. Ball joint according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that said first part (11) of said housing comprises an extension (13) in which its second part (9) is screwed, the ends of said connecting axis (15) being carried by said first part (11).  17. Ball joint according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that said second part (42) of said housing comprises an extension (45) in which its first part (46) is screwed, the ends of said connecting axis (51) being carried by said second part (42).  18. Ball joint according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ends of said connecting pin (15) are mounted on said housing (7) by means of bearings (18,19).  19. Ball joint according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a ring (31) mounted on said first shaft (2) and carrying an annular seal (32) bearing on a front surface spherical (33) of said housing (7).  20. Ball joint according to any one of claims to 18, characterized in that it comprises a ring (81) mounted on said first shaft (38) and having a spherical front surface (82), said housing (48) bearing an annular seal (83) bearing on this spherical front surface (82).