An angle-adjustable tripod universal joint which has one tripod, three rollers and one universal joint outer part. An inner wall of the universal joint outer part has three roller tracks, and one roller is disposed in each of the roller tracks and rolls along the roller track. The inner cavity of each roller has a rotatably disposed spherical shaft head of the tripod. The inner wall of each roller track has a guiding groove. The peripheral shape of each roller is cylindrical. The bottom surface of the guiding groove is a plane surface, and two side surfaces of the guiding groove are flat surfaces perpendicular to the plane surface. The peripheral surface of each roller is partially inserted into the corresponding guiding groove, and the peripheral surface of the roller is tangent to the corresponding plane surface.

A joint assembly comprising a hollow outer joint member including a wall forming an open end and a closed end, the outer joint member having a plurality of tracks in its inner surface. An inner joint member received in the outer joint member and plurality of torque-transmitting elements, whereby the plurality of torque-transmitting elements rotationally engage with the inner joint member and the tracks of the outer joint member. Each track comprises two opposing side walls and a torque-transmitting element engages these side walls of the outer joint member and is configured to move in an axial direction along the side walls. Furthermore, a boot covering the open end of the outer joint member and at least one restrictor configured to engage at least one of the plurality of torque-transmitting elements to militate against undesired displacement of the inner joint member with respect to the outer joint member.

A tripod type constant velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member that includes track grooves, a tripod member that includes three leg shafts protruding in a radial direction, a roller that is inserted into the track groove, and an inner ring that is fitted onto the leg shaft, and rotatably supports the roller. A hardened layer is formed on a surface of each leg shaft by carburizing, hardening, and tempering. The tripod member is formed a steel material having a carbon content of 0.23% to 0.44%. An effective hardened layer depth of the hardened layer by using, as a Ts torque, 0.3 times a minimum static torsional torque at which a shaft coupled to the tripod member causes torsional fracture and 600HV as limit hardness is equal to or greater than a maximum shear stress depth Z when the Ts torque is applied.

A method for manufacturing a trunnion for a constant velocity joint, the trunnion having a plurality of journal units provided outside around a hub unit, the method including a first step of manufacturing the trunnion, a second step of thermally treating a rounded outer circumferential surface of the journal unit, and a third step of thermally treating a connection unit disposed between the journal unit and the hub unit and having a diameter smaller than that of the journal unit.

A shaft and hub connection assembly including a shaft and a hub each extending along and rotatable about an axis. One of the shaft and the hub defines a male connection portion, and the other of the shaft and the hub defines a female connection portion. The female connection portion has a radially inner surface comprised of a plurality of inside faces. The male connection portion has a radially outer surface comprised of a plurality of outside faces that nest within the inside faces. A plurality of outside transition regions are located between the outside faces in a circumferential direction and are blended at an outside radius. A plurality of inside transition regions are located between the inside faces of the female connection portion in the circumferential direction and are blended at an inside radius. A gap is provided between the outside and inside transition regions.

A tripot housing includes a housing body that extends between a first housing end and a second housing end along a longitudinal central axis. The housing body defines a guide channel that extends from the first housing end toward the second housing end. The guide channel has a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall that extends between the first wall and the second wall. An elliptical contact surface area transitions the first wall with the third wall and the second wall with the third wall, with the elliptical contact surface areas being configured for engagement with an outer roller of a roller assembly to inhibit a locking condition.

A universal or constant velocity joint includes a first rotatable shaft member that extends along a longitudinal axis, a bearing member, and a joining member. The first rotatable shaft member has a free end that defines a shaft face spline. The bearing member includes a bearing hub having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinally extending hub bore. The first end has a hub face spline. The joining member fixes the bearing member to the shaft with the hub face spline and shaft face spline engaged in interlocking engagement.

An inner member of a constant velocity joint includes holding portions that hold roller assemblies. Each of the holding portions includes a first orthogonal part and a second orthogonal part brought into contact with an inner roller of the roller assembly. When first and second transmission shafts are coaxially disposed, top parts of the first and second orthogonal parts are brought into contact with the inner circumferential wall of the inner roller. The first and second orthogonal parts are each sectioned into a first curved surface extending from the proximal end of the holding portion to the top part and a second curved surface extending from the top part to the distal end of the holding portion. The curvature radius of the second curved surfaces is larger than the curvature radius of the first curved surfaces.

A roller bearing for a pod joint comprising an inner race, an outer ring assembly, a race that runs along a bell section and is disposed on the outer surface of the outer ring assembly, a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the plurality of rolling elements are disposed between the inner race and the outer ring assembly and are formed as rollers, and a cage assembly, wherein the rolling elements are disposed in the cage assembly, wherein the cage assembly is formed as a central cage, wherein the rollers pass through the central cage in a middle area, and the running areas thereof project outward from both sides of the central cage.

A tripod roller for a tripod joint assembly including an outer ring with an annular running surface on its outer circumference for rolling in a tripod housing as well as an inner peripheral surface. An inner ring includes an annular running surface on its inner circumference for mounting on a pin of a tripod star and an outer circumferential surface and opposite end faces. Rolling elements may be arranged in an annular space between the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring, and via which the outer ring is rotatably mounted. Axial locking rings may be fixed to the outer ring and secure the outer ring axially relative to the inner ring. The inner ring includes recesses opening into the annular space for receiving lubricant on end faces and/or the axial locking rings via the rolling elements.