Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint comprises an outer joint member with a hollow interior and grooves formed in the interior surface thereof. An inner joint member is within the outer joint member and has a plurality of grooves in its outer surface such that a groove of the outer member and a groove of the inner member jointly receive a ball which contacts a surface of each groove at one point under a torque load. A cage is disposed between the joint members and has a plurality of radial openings to retain the balls therein. Each of the grooves is constructed with a surface to provide a further point of contact by the balls under all bending angles of the joint and under torque load.

Abstract: A constant velocity torque transmitting joint comprises an outer joint member having a bore therethrough and an inner joint member positioned within the bore. A plurality of torque transmitting elements, such as balls, are positioned within pairs of opposed grooves formed in the opposing surfaces of the inner and outer joint members. A cage is disposed between the joint members and has a plurality of openings in which the balls are retained. The cage has an inner concave surface guided upon a separate alignment control device supported upon the inner joint member. The cage also has an outer spherical surface which is guided within the bore. The alignment control device comprises at least three control elements in the shape of balls, cylindrical rollers or barrel-shaped rollers supported in recesses provided between pairs of adjacent track grooves in the inner joint member. The centers of the control elements and of the cage inner concave surface are positioned in a common plane.

Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint has an outer joint member with a bore therethrough and an inner joint member within the bore. A plurality of torque transmitting elements, such as balls, are positioned within opposed grooves formed in the facing surfaces of the inner and outer joint elements. The balls are retained in a ball plane by means of a cage which has an inner concave surface guided upon a convex spherical surface of the inner joint member and an outer spherical surface guided within the bore. The outer spherical face of the cage has at least three circumferentially spaced guide ridges which are guided within a plurality of grooves formed within the bore of the outer joint member and between the ball grooves.

Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint comprises an outer joint member having a plurality of grooves in the surface of a cylindrical bore therethrough. An inner joint member within the bore has grooves on its outer surface opposing the outer member grooves and a ball is positioned in each pair of opposed grooves. A cage between the joint members has a plurality of openings spaced to position the centers of the balls in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cage. The inner spherical surface of the cage is guided upon the outer spherical surface of the inner joint member and the cage also has an outer spherical surface. The centers of the spherical surfaces of the cage are equidistant on opposite sides of the ball plane. One or more axially extending second grooves in the surface of the outer joint member bore are so disposed that each of said second grooves is between two adjacent ball grooves in the bore.

Abstract: The outer member of a joint is drivingly connected by torque transmitting elements to an inner joint member and has a circumference with a polygonal configuration. A sleeve of a corresponding polygonal configuration is positioned over the outer joint member and is connected to a flange of similar polygonal configuration or to a shaft. The sleeve is retained on the outer joint member against axial displacement by a shoulder or collar on one end of the sleeve and by a detachable ring at the other end of the sleeve.

Abstract: A constant velocity or homo-kinetic universal joint transferring torque through at least three ball members between inner and outer coupling members and held by a cage in a common plane bisecting the angle between the axes of thecoupling members. The radial dimension of the joint is kept at a minimum and the cage rides on spherical walls of the inner and outer coupling members and has circumferentially spaced, radial lugs increasing the guide surfaces of the cage windows. The cage is positioned normal to the open face of the outer coupling member, pushed into the coupling member, rotated circumferentially to align the lugs to fit into the grooves of the coupling member, and then rotated axially into the plane of the coupling member to hold the coupling members in fixed axial relation.