JPH0448339Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial application field This invention is a globe-shaped universal joint, more specifically, a globe-shaped universal joint suitable for connecting an input shaft and an output shaft of a vehicle steering mechanism, etc. Regarding.

Conventional technology and its problems As this type of globe-shaped universal joint,
There is known a device that consists of two metal yokes and a synthetic resin spherical joint member that connects them.

By the way, when such a spherical universal joint is used in a vehicle steering mechanism, it may be necessary to conduct electricity between the two yokes. However, in the conventional globe-shaped universal joint as described above, the two yokes do not come into direct contact with each other, and power is transmitted through a synthetic resin spherical joint member. It is impossible to energize.

The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a globe-shaped universal joint that can conduct electricity between two yokes even though the spherical joint member is made of synthetic resin.

Means to Solve the Problem The globe-shaped universal joint according to this invention has four protrusions formed on the outer surface of one spherical part in an assembled state, and four guide grooves between these protrusions. two yokes each having two protruding arm parts formed in a bifurcated shape at the end thereof, and two guides having two arm parts of one yoke located at symmetrical positions of the spherical joint member. In a spherical universal joint in which the two arms of the other yoke are fitted into the two guide grooves in the remaining symmetrical positions of the spherical joint member, the spherical joint member is fitted into one half of the yoke side. The body is divided into a half body and a half body on the other yoke side, and a metal intermediate member is sandwiched between these halves, and this intermediate member has a spring portion that biases the two halves in a direction away from each other. and a current-carrying portion that protrudes from between the two halves into the guide groove and presses against the arm portions of the two yokes.

Operation Electricity is transmitted from one yoke to the intermediate member through the current-carrying part, and further to the other yoke through the current-carrying part. The two halves of the spherical joint member are biased away from each other by the spring portion of the intermediate member and press against the yoke, thereby providing a preload.

Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of this invention.

This spherical universal joint is composed of two metal yokes 10 and 11 and a synthetic resin spherical joint member 12 that connects them.

At the tip of each yoke 10, 11, a bifurcated protruding arm portion 10a, 11a is formed, respectively. two arm portions 10a of each yoke 10, 11;
11a has a trapezoidal cross section and a U-shape with a partially cut out circle, and has two arm portions 10a and 11.
The inward facing surface of a has a partially spherical shape. Furthermore, recesses 13 and 14 are formed between the two arm portions 10a and 11a of each yoke 10 and 11, respectively, through which the arm portions 11a and 10a of the other yokes 11 and 10 pass during assembly.

In the spherical joint member 12, four protrusions 16 are formed on the outer surface of one spherical part 15 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in the assembled state, and four protrusions 16 are formed between these protrusions 16. A guide groove 17 is formed.

The entire joint member 12 is connected to the first yoke 10 side.
It is divided into a joint member half 12a and a second joint member half 12b on the second yoke 11 side. 1st
In the joint member half 12a, first halves 16a of four protrusions 16 are integrally formed on the outer surface of a first spherical half 15a obtained by dividing the spherical part 15 into two. The second joint member half 12b has a spherical portion 1
The second halves 16b of the four protrusions 16 are integrally formed on the outer surface of the second half spherical part 15b obtained by dividing 5 into two equal parts. The joint member 12 is
The two halves 12a and 12b are combined with their substantially cross-shaped mating surfaces 18a and 18b facing each other to form a substantially spherical shape.

Combination surface 1 of each joint member half 12a, 12b
Circular recesses 19a and 19b are formed in 8a and 18b, respectively, and these combined surfaces 18a and 18b
A metal intermediate member 20 is sandwiched between them. The intermediate member 20 is composed of a substantially circular metal plate, and coil-shaped spring portions 21a and 21b protruding from both sides are integrally formed at the center thereof.
The first spring portion 21a is in pressure contact with the bottom of the recess 19a of the first joint member half 12a, and the second spring portion 21b is in pressure contact with the recess 19a of the second joint member half 12b.
9b is in pressure contact with the bottom thereof. and,
These two spring portions 21a, 22b bias the two joint member halves 12a, 12b in a direction away from each other. Current-carrying portions 22a and 22b protruding into four guide grooves 17 are integrally formed at positions that equally divide the outer periphery of the intermediate member 20 into four.
The first two current-carrying parts 22a located at symmetrical positions are the first
is curved toward the joint member half body 12a side, and the remaining two second current-carrying portions 22b located at symmetrical positions are curved toward the second joint member half body 12b side.

The two arm portions 10a of the first yoke 10 are arranged in two guide grooves 17 at symmetrical positions in the joint member 12.
The two arm portions 11a of the second yoke 11 are respectively fitted into the remaining two guide grooves 17 at symmetrical positions of the joint member 10. Further, the first current-carrying portion 22a of the intermediate member 20 is connected to the first yoke 10.
The second current-carrying portion 22b is in pressure contact with the inner surface of the arm portion 10a of the second yoke 11 by elastic force. The rotation of the first yoke 10 is then transmitted to the second yoke 11 via the joint member 12. At this time, the two joint member halves 1 are connected by the spring parts 21a and 21b of the intermediate member 20.
2a and 12b are urged in the direction away from each other, so that these and the arm portions 10 of the yokes 10 and 11
An axial preload is applied between a and 11a to prevent backlash from occurring. Furthermore, electricity is transmitted from the arm portion 10a of the first yoke 10 to the intermediate member 20 through the first current-carrying portion 22a, and further to the second yoke 11 through the second current-carrying portion 22b.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

The first joint member half 12a of this spherical universal joint has two protrusions located symmetrically on the outer surface of the first spherical half pair 15a and extending to the outer surface of the second spherical half pair 15b. 16 are integrally formed, and the second joint member half 12b is
The remaining two protrusions 16 are integrally formed on the outer surface of the second spherical half 15b at symmetrical positions and extending to the outer surface of the first spherical half 15a. In the combination surface 18 of each joint member half body 12a, 12b, recesses 19a, 19b of the first embodiment are provided.
A recess 19 similar to the above is formed. Intermediate member 2
0, in place of the coiled spring parts 21a and 21b of the first embodiment, a plurality of first plate-shaped spring parts 23a protruding to one side and a plurality of second plate-shaped spring parts 23a protruding to the opposite side. The plate-shaped spring portions 23b are formed integrally and alternately.

The two joint member halves 12a and 12b are combined with the intermediate member 20 sandwiched between their mating surfaces 18 by utilizing elastic deformation of the synthetic resin protrusion 16. Each spring portion 23a, 23b of the intermediate member 20 is connected to the two joint member halves 12a,
The recessed portion 19 of the joint member 12b is pressed against the bottom thereof, and the two joint member halves 12a, 12b are urged away from each other.

The rest is the same as in the first embodiment, and the same parts are given the same reference numerals.

The combination of the joint member halves 12a, 12b and the intermediate member 20 is not limited to that of the above embodiments, for example, the combination of the joint member halves 12a, 1 as in the first embodiment.
2b and the intermediate member 20 as in the second embodiment, or the joint member halves 12a, 12b as in the second embodiment and the intermediate member 2 as in the first embodiment.
May be combined with 0. In addition, yoke 10,1
1. The configuration of the joint member 12 and the intermediate member 20 also includes:
The invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

Effects of the invention According to the globe-shaped universal joint of this invention, as mentioned above, it is possible to conduct electricity between the two yokes by means of the intermediate member, and also between the two joint member halves and the arms of the two yokes. By applying an axial preload between the two, it is possible to prevent backlash from occurring.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a globe-shaped universal joint showing the first embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is an assembled vertical sectional view, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line of Fig. 2,
FIG. 4 is a drawing corresponding to FIG. 1 showing the second embodiment. 10, 11... Yoke, 10a, 10b... Arm portion, 12... Spherical joint member, 12a, 12b...
Joint member half, 15... Spherical part, 16... Projection, 17... Guide groove, 20... Intermediate member, 2
1a, 21b, 23a, 23b... Spring portion, 22
a, 22b... Current carrying part.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] One spherical joint member in which four protrusions and four guide grooves between these protrusions are formed on the outer surface of one spherical part in an assembled state, and a bifurcated joint member at the end. two yokes respectively formed with two protruding arms, the two arms of one yoke being fitted into two guide grooves at symmetrical positions in the spherical joint member, and the two arms of the other yoke being fitted into two guide grooves at symmetrical positions in the spherical joint member; In a spherical universal joint in which the two arms are fitted into two guide grooves in the remaining symmetrical positions of the spherical joint member, the spherical joint member is fitted into one yoke-side half and the other yoke-side half. A metal intermediate member is sandwiched between these halves, and this intermediate member includes a spring portion that biases the two halves in a direction away from each other, and a guide from between the two halves. A globe-shaped universal joint characterized in that a current-carrying part is formed that protrudes into the groove and comes into pressure contact with the arm parts of two yokes.