Abstract: To prevent inverting of a mountain portion of a bellows member when a rotating shaft is angularly displaced, the boot includes a bellows member with large and small diameter mounting members. A first mountain portion nearest the large diameter mounting member rises from the large diameter mounting member. A length (L1) between a top of the first mountain portion and a bottom at the large diameter mounting member side is not more than a length (L2) between the inner peripheral position of the bottom and an end portion of an outer ring at the rotating shaft side. A first valley portion adjacent to the first mountain portion is positioned at the rotating shaft side from the end part.

Abstract: Provided is an outer joint member for a fixed type constant velocity universal joint, the outer joint member contributing to reduction of the number of man-hours through reduction of the number of post processes after a forging process, and to an increase in yield, and reduction of manufacturing cost. The outer joint member for a fixed type constant velocity universal joint includes a cup section (16) and a shaft section (18) extending in an axial direction from a bottom portion of the cup section (16). The outer joint member is made of machine-structural carbon steel. The following portions of the outer joint member are finished by cold forging: track grooves (12); radially inner spherical-surface portions (14a); a cup-inlet chamfer (12b); track chamfers (12c); track-inlet chamfers (12a); a part except for a boot fixing portion (19) on a radially outer surface of the cup section (16); and a center hole (13) at an end surface (18a) of the shaft section (18).

Abstract: An imaging apparatus that images an image with a solid-state imaging device includes an area defining section that defines an unnecessary image detection area, which may contain an unnecessary image, at a position along an outer edge of an imaged image obtained by the solid-state imaging device, a focus evaluation value calculating section that calculates a focus evaluation value, which indicates the focal degree, based on an image signal of the imaged image obtained through a gradually moved focus lens, an unnecessary image detection processing section that determines that the imaged image contains the unnecessary image if the focus evaluation value calculated based on an image signal in the unnecessary image detection area has a peak while the focus lens is moving, and a warning processing section that performs processing for warning a photographer of the fact that the unnecessary image is contained if it is determined.

Abstract: Provided is a fixed type constant velocity universal joint, including: an outer joint member having an inner spherical surface provided with a plurality of track grooves extending in an axial direction; an inner joint member having an outer spherical surface provided with a plurality of track grooves extending in the axial direction in pairs with the plurality of track grooves of the outer joint member; a plurality of balls interposed between the plurality of track grooves of the outer joint member and the plurality of track grooves of the inner joint member so as to transmit torque; and a cage interposed between the inner spherical surface of the outer joint member and the outer spherical surface of the inner joint member so as to hold the plurality of balls, at least one of the plurality of track grooves of the outer joint member and the plurality of track grooves of the inner joint member being formed by cold-forging finishing, in which components including the outer joint member, the inner joint member, t

Abstract: To make a bellows section of a boot to be flexibly and repeatedly deformable without deterioration in durability, to thereby reduce rotational resistance when a joint angle is large, the boot has the bellows portion where three or more circumferentially extending crest portions and root portions therebetween are alternately formed. A large-diameter attaching portion is formed at one end of the bellows portion. A small-diameter attaching portion is formed at the other end. A rising wall closest to the large-diameter attaching portion and a rising wall closest to the small-diameter attaching portion have smaller wall thickness than other portions of the bellows section. A ratio (t1/t2) of the thickness (t1) of the rising walls to the thickness (t2) of the other portions of the bellows portion is set to 0.6?t1/t2<1.0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a grease composition for use in constant velocity joints, which comprises the following components (a) to (g) and a constant velocity joint comprising the grease composition sealed or encapsulated therein: (a) a base oil; (b) a diurea thickener represented by the following general formula: R1NH—CO—NH—C6H4-p-CH2—C6H4-p-NH—CO—NHR2 wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents an alkyl group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms; (c) a molybdenum dialkyl dithiocarbamate insoluble in the base oil; (d) a molybdenum dialkyl dithiocarbamate soluble in the base oil; (e) molybdenum disulfide; (f) at least one member selected from the group consisting of calcium phenate and calcium sulfonate; and (g) a sulfur-containing extreme-pressure agent free of phosphorus.

Abstract: A driving-wheel bearing device includes: an outer race (50) having double-row outer raceway surfaces (52, 54) formed on an inner periphery thereof; a hub wheel (10) and an inner race (20) having a wheel attachment flange (14) at one end thereof and double-row inner raceway surfaces (12, 22) on an outer periphery thereof; and double-row rolling elements (30, 40) interposed between the outer raceway surfaces (52, 54) of the outer race (50) and the inner raceway surfaces (12, 22) of the hub wheel (10) and the inner race (20), the hub wheel (10) having a shaft hole into which a stem section (66) extending from an outer joint member (62) of a constant velocity universal joint (60) is spline-fitted by being press-fitted, in which a plate (80) having a molybdenum coating layer or a fluorine-resin coating layer (81) formed thereon and having a plate thickness ranging from 0.

Abstract: A fixed type constant velocity joint has a plurality of torque transmitting ball tacks, the torsional angle at the input torque 0 Nm in a torque-torsional angle diagram be approximately 0. Further, the torsional rigidity in the vicinity of input torque 0 Nm in the torque-torsional angle diagram is placed in a range of 1.5 Nm/deg to 6 Nm/deg.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixed type constant velocity universal joint suitable for applications where vibration is harmful. A fixed-type constant velocity universal joint (1) includes an inner member (20) fitted in an outer member (10) with a retainer (40) therebetween, and balls (30) provided between track grooves (14, 24) of the outer member (10) and the inner member (20) as well as retained by the retainer (40). The outer member (10) is constructed as a multilayer structure of three or more layers formed of an outside member (15), one or a plurality of intermediate members (16), and an inside member (17), and at least one of the intermediate members (16) is constructed of an elastic material. Cushioning action of the intermediate members (16) can reliably absorb vibration transmitted from either of the outer member (10) and the inner members (20) with the members (10, 20) set to a predetermined operation angle.

Abstract: An outer joint member (10) and an inner joint member (40) each have a shaft portion (18 and 46) having a male spline formed thereon, and shaft clamps (60) are press-fitted onto the respective shaft portions (18 and 46). Each of the shaft clamps (60) includes: a connection hole (66) that has a female spline formed therein, extends from a first axial end partway toward a second axial end, and has no quench-hardened layer; and a cylindrical portion (64) that has no female spline formed therein and extends from the second axial end partway toward the first axial end. The shaft portions (18 and 46) each have a quench-hardened layer on the outer circumference thereof. The inner diameter of the connection hole (64) at a portion having no female spline formed therein is less than the outer diameters of the shaft portions (18 and 46).

Abstract: A tripod constant velocity universal joint includes among others an inner joint member having a boss 22 and journals 24 radially protruding from the boss, a radius of curvature R1 as viewed in a cross section of a journal bottom part 23 connecting the boss 22 to the journal 24 and as measured at opposing locations in a circumferential direction of the joint is larger than a radius of curvature R2 of the journal bottom part as viewed in its cross section and as measured at opposing locations in an axial direction of the joint and R1 gradually decreases down to R2.

Abstract: A fixed type constant velocity joint includes an outer ring (1), an inner ring (2), torque transmitting balls (3), a cage (4), and a pre loading mechanism in which either a pressing section for axially applying an elastic pressing force or a receiving section for receiving the pressing force from the pressing section is disposed in the cage (4), the other being disposed in the inner ring (2). The axial clearance between the inner ring (2) and the cage (4) is greater than the axial clearance which is due to the radial clearance of the track, and the axial clearance which is produced by the radial clearance of the track is 2.5-6.5 times as large as the radial clearance of the track. Further, the center of the outer spherical surface (2b) of the inner ring (2) is shifted to the spread side of the ball tracks (1a, 2a) over the center of the inner spherical surface (4b) of the cage, thereby improving the cross operation.

Abstract: A tripod type constant velocity joint including a hollow cylindrical housing fixed to the end of a first rotary shaft and formed with axially extending recessed grooves opened at one axial end and located at circumferentially trisectional positions on the inner peripheral surface, a tripod consisting of a boss fixed to the end of a second rotary shaft, and end-spherical trunnion journals radially projecting from circumferentially trisectional positions on the boss, and roller assemblies each consisting of an inner roller swingably fitted at the inner peripheral surface thereof on the spherical outer peripheral surface of the trunnion journal, and an outer roller supported for rotation and axial movement on the outer peripheral surface of the inner roller through needle rollers, wherein the outer rollers are received in the recessed grooves in the housing and are rollable axially of the housing.

Abstract: A tripod type constant velocity universal joint that includes an outer joint member having three track grooves axially extending on an inner circumferential surface thereof; an inner joint member having three radially projecting trunnions; a boot fitted to an outer periphery of the outer joint member at an end portion and to a shaft extended from the inner joint member at another end portion to seal an inner region of the joint; wherein the outer joint member includes a first reduced-thickness portion on an outer periphery thereof in a region corresponding to the region between the track grooves, and a second reduced-thickness portion on an outer periphery thereof in a region corresponding to the region where the track grooves are located; and wherein the second reduced-thickness portion is of a groove shape axially extending with respect to the outer joint member.

Abstract: The invention provides a grease composition for constant velocity joints and constant velocity joints in which the grease composition is packed. The composition comprises (a) a base oil comprising a synthetic oil; (b) a thickening agent; (c) a molybdenum sulfurized dialkyl dithiocarbamate; (d) a thiophosphate; and (e) a zinc sulfurized dialkyl dithiocarbamate. The composition can reduce low temperature rotational torque and folding torque in constant velocity joints while inhibiting deterioration of a boot material comprising a silicone rubber.

Abstract: To prevent inverting of a mountain portion (111) of a bellows member (11) when a rotating shaft (23) is angularly displaced, the boot comprising the bellows member (11) with large and small diameter mounting members (12, 13) is structured such that a first mountain portion (111) nearest the large diameter mounting member (12) raises from the large diameter mounting member (12), a length (L1) between a top (111a) of the first mountain portion (111) and a bottom (111b) at the large diameter mounting member (12) side is not more than a length (L2) between the inner peripheral position of the bottom (111b) and an end portion (21b) of an outer ring (21) at the rotating shaft (23) side, and a first valley portion (112) adjacent to the first mountain portion (111) is positioned at the rotating shaft (23) side from the end part (21b).

Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint shaft, capable of suppressing a rotational backlash when incorporated in the constant velocity universal joint, and improving the assembly efficiency as well as reducing the manufacturing cost. A constant velocity universal joint shaft has a spline that fits an inner race of the constant velocity universal joint. The shaft includes a shaft body with a spline formed thereon, and a yoke portion with a ring-shaped fitting portion. The shaft body and the yoke portion are integrally formed of medium carbon steel. By a pressing force of a pressing member the fitting portion of the yoke portion is tightened, so that such fitting portion fits a shaft external to the joint. In the constant velocity universal joint, the pressing member and an abutment member are elastically butted via an elastic member, so that a ball constantly remains in contact with a raceway of an outer member and a raceway of an inner member.

Abstract: To make a bellows section (1) of a boot to be flexibly and repeatedly deformable without deterioration in durability, to thereby reduce rotational resistance when a joint angle is large, the boot has the bellows portion (1) where three or more circumferentially extending crest portions (111-113) and root portions (121-122) therebetween are alternately formed; a large-diameter attaching portion (2) formed at one end of the bellows portion; and a small-diameter attaching portion (3) formed at the other end, a rising wall (1a) closest to the large-diameter attaching portion (2) and a rising wall (1f) closest to the small-diameter attaching portion (3) have smaller wall thickness than other portions of the bellows section (1), and the ratio (t1/t2) of the thickness (t1) of the rising walls (1a, 1f) to the thickness (t2) of the other portions of the bellows portion (1) is set to 0.6?t1/t2<1.0.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus that images an image with a solid-state imaging device includes an area defining section that defines an unnecessary image detection area, which may contain an unnecessary image, at a position along an outer edge of an imaged image obtained by the solid-state imaging device, a focus evaluation value calculating section that calculates a focus evaluation value, which indicates the focal degree, based on an image signal of the imaged image obtained through a gradually moved focus lens, an unnecessary image detection processing section that determines that the imaged image contains the unnecessary image if the focus evaluation value calculated based on an image signal in the unnecessary image detection area has a peak while the focus lens is moving, and a warning processing section that performs processing for warning a photographer of the fact that the unnecessary image is contained if it is determined.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lightweight, compact, and low-cost tripod type constant velocity universal joint while maintaining strength of overall tripod type constant velocity universal joint. The dimensional ratio of each component of the tripod type constant velocity universal joint is set as follows: 0.80<Dor<0.90, 0.105<Tor<0.115, 0.025<fir<0.045, 0.025<t2r<0.075, 0.53<Dir<0.63, 0.065<Tir<0.085, 0.32<Dj1r<0.42, and 0.32<Dj2r<0.35. In this event, the subscript “r” means that each dimension is divided by the trunnion journal pitch circle diameter D (=PCD) of the joint.