JP2008128331A - Constant velocity universal joint - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a constant velocity universal joint usable for an ABS mounted automobile, achieving lower cost in an improved productive manner by reducing the number of components. <P>SOLUTION: The constant velocity universal joint comprises an outside joint member 1, an inside joint member incorporated in the outside joint member 1, and rolling elements laid between the outside joint member and the inside joint member. Plastic working is applied to the outer diameter face of the outside joint member 1 to form a unevenly tooth-shaped sensor ring part 2 which detects a rotating speed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a constant velocity universal joint, and more particularly to a constant velocity universal joint used in an automobile or the like equipped with an ABS (anti-lock brake system).

  ABS is a system that avoids tire locking by automatically pumping brakes based on the judgment of the ABS control unit even when the tires are usually locked due to sudden braking or the like. For this reason, it was necessary to detect the rotation speed of the wheel. Until now, the sensor ring was mounted on the constant velocity universal joint outer joint member (Patent Document 1).

  The principle of the rotational speed sensor equipped with a sensor ring is that if the sensor ring rotates with the rotation of the wheel, the gap between the sensor ring and the sensor (including a magnet, a core, and a coil wound around the core) The density of the generated magnetic flux changes and an induced voltage is generated. This voltage value increases in proportion to the rotational speed of the sensor ring, which makes it possible to detect the rotational speed.

The sensor ring described in Patent Document 1 is mounted by being externally fitted to an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint. That is, it is necessary to form a sensor ring separately from the outer joint member and to attach the sensor ring to the outer joint member.
JP-A-6-247267

  Thus, conventionally, after forming a metal sensor ring having concave and convex teeth on the outer peripheral surface, it was necessary to perform an operation of mounting the sensor ring on the outer joint member. As a result, the number of parts and the number of assembly man-hours are increased, resulting in poor productivity and high cost.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a constant velocity universal joint that can be used for an automobile or the like equipped with an ABS, reduces the number of parts, has excellent productivity, and achieves cost reduction.

  The constant velocity universal joint according to the present invention includes an outer joint member, an inner joint member incorporated in the outer joint member, and a rolling element interposed between the outer joint member and the inner joint member. In the universal joint, the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member is plastically processed to form an uneven tooth-shaped sensor ring portion for detecting the rotational speed.

  According to the constant velocity universal joint of the present invention, since the sensor ring portion is formed by plastic working on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member, a sensor ring for detecting the rotational speed is separately manufactured and assembled to the outer joint member. There is no need.

  By forming recesses on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction, a sensor ring portion can be formed, or on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member, a convex pitch can be formed along the circumferential direction. A sensor ring part can be comprised by forming a part.

  In the constant velocity universal joint of the present invention, it is not necessary to separately manufacture a sensor ring for detecting the number of rotations and assemble it to the outer joint member, so that the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced. That is, it can be used for an automobile or the like equipped with ABS, and further, assembly workability (productivity) improvement and cost reduction of a constant velocity universal joint can be achieved.

  In addition, the sensor ring portion may be formed with protrusions at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member, or with a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member. By forming, it can be provided easily and reliably.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  1 and 2 show an outer joint member 1 of a constant velocity universal joint according to the present invention. The constant velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member, an inner joint member incorporated in the outer joint member, and a rolling element interposed between the outer joint member and the inner joint member. Constant velocity universal joints can be broadly classified into fixed types that allow only angular displacement between two axes and sliding types that allow angular displacement and axial displacement. Is selected. Typical examples of the fixed type include a Rzeppa type constant velocity universal joint, and examples of the sliding type include a double offset type constant velocity universal joint and a tripod type constant velocity universal joint. For this reason, the constant velocity universal joint in the present invention may be a fixed type or a sliding type.

  An uneven tooth-shaped sensor ring portion 2 for detecting the rotational speed is formed on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member 1, in this case, the outer diameter surface of the medium diameter portion 1b. The sensor ring portion 2 is configured by forming convex portions 3 disposed at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the outer diameter surface of the medium diameter portion 1b. That is, the concave portion 4 is formed between the convex portions adjacent in the circumferential direction, and the sensor ring portion 2 is configured in which the convex portions 3 and the concave portions 4 are alternately arranged along the circumferential direction. The outer joint member 1 is provided with a boot 6 as indicated by a virtual line.

  The sensor ring portion 2 is formed by a rolling process that is a plastic process. Rolling is one type of plastic working that deforms a material by applying a strong force, and is a method of forming with a tool called a rolling die. In the processing procedure, the material is sandwiched between rolling dies, and pressure is applied to the die toward the center of the material while rotating the material. By applying pressure beyond the yield point of the material, the material is plasticized and permanently deformed, creating a shape. In the rolling process, the process is usually performed at a cold temperature (normal temperature).

  Incidentally, a sensor 10 as shown in FIG. 3 is arranged on the outer diameter side of the sensor ring portion 2. Here, the sensor 10 includes a magnet 11, a core 12, and a coil 13 wound around the core 12.

  For this reason, if the outer joint member 1 rotates, the sensor ring part 2 integrally formed on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member 1 rotates. Due to this rotation, a change in magnetic flux generated between the sensor 10 and the sensor ring unit 2 is received by the coil, and the output voltage excited can be detected and the rotation speed can be read.

  In the present invention, since the sensor ring portion 2 is formed by plastic working on the outer diameter surface of the outer joint member 1, it is not necessary to separately manufacture a sensor ring for detecting the rotational speed and assemble it to the outer joint member 1. For this reason, it can be used for an automobile equipped with ABS, and the number of parts and assembly man-hours of the constant velocity universal joint can be reduced.

  Next, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show other embodiments, and in this case, the sensor ring portion 2 forms recesses 15 disposed at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the outer diameter surface of the medium diameter portion 1b. Consists of. That is, the convex part 16 is formed between the recessed parts adjacent to the circumferential direction, and the sensor ring part 2 in which the convex parts 16 and the recessed parts 15 are alternately arranged along the circumferential direction is configured. The other configurations of the constant velocity universal joint shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are the same as those of the constant velocity universal joint shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the same reference numerals as those in FIG. Description is omitted.

  Therefore, even the constant velocity universal joint shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has the same effect as the constant velocity universal joint shown in FIG.

  Further, as the sensor ring portion 2, in the constant velocity universal joint shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the convex portions 3 are formed on the outer diameter surface of the medium diameter portion 1b at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction. In the constant velocity universal joint shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sensor ring portion 2 forms the recesses 15 arranged at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the outer diameter surface of the medium diameter portion 1b. Consists of. For this reason, in any case, the sensor ring part 2 can be provided easily and reliably. In particular, there is an advantage of a constant velocity universal joint that can be processed by rolling and has high processing efficiency.

  As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, the sensor ring portion 2 may be forged (cooled) other than rolling. It may be formed by hot forging or hot forging. Moreover, as a position which provides the sensor ring part 2, although provided in the intermediate diameter part 1b in the example of a figure, another site | part may be sufficient. In short, it is only necessary that the sensor ring unit 2 provided and the sensor shown in FIG. For this reason, the shape of the outer joint member 1 is not limited to the illustrated example. Further, the number of convex portions 3 and 16 of the sensor ring portion 2 and the number of concave portions 4 and 15 corresponding thereto, the length in the axial direction of the sensor ring portion 2, etc. are arbitrarily set as long as the number of rotations can be detected. it can.

It is a side view of the outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint which shows embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the outer joint member of the said FIG. It is principle explanatory drawing of the rotation speed detection which uses a sensor ring part. It is a side view of the outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint which shows other embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a front view of the outer joint member of FIG. 4.

Explanation of symbols

1 outer joint member 2 sensor ring part 3 convex part 15 concave part

Claims (3)

In a constant velocity universal joint comprising an outer joint member, an inner joint member incorporated in the outer joint member, and a rolling element interposed between the outer joint member and the inner joint member,
A constant velocity universal joint characterized in that an outer diameter surface of the outer joint member is plastically processed to form an uneven tooth-shaped sensor ring portion for detecting the rotational speed. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1, wherein the sensor ring portion is configured by forming convex portions at a predetermined pitch along a circumferential direction on an outer diameter surface of the outer joint member. 2. The constant velocity universal joint according to claim 1, wherein the sensor ring portion is formed by forming recesses at a predetermined pitch along a circumferential direction on an outer diameter surface of the outer joint member.

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