A ball cage for universal use both in a cross-groove type plunging constant velocity joint and in a cross-groove type fixed constant velocity joint has an external contour with sections of different curvature. Axial edge sections of the external contour are designed as spherical sections located on the circumference of an imaginary sphere, whereas a center section of the external contour located axially between the edge sections runs radially inside the diameter of the imaginary sphere.

A sliding ball joint comprising a joint outer part having inclined ball raceways which are formed on an inner periphery and which are arranged about an axis of rotation of the joint outer part, a joint inner part having inclined ball raceways, which are formed on an outer periphery and which are arranged about an axis of rotation of the joint inner part. Ball raceways of the joint outer part and of the joint inner part face each other in pairs and have angles of inclination opposite to each other, one ball per ball raceway pair, and a cage, which is arranged between the joint outer part and the joint inner part and having windows, in which the balls are accommodated. The joint outer part and the joint inner part each have at least two groups of inclined ball raceways, the groups being different with respect to the magnitude of the angle of inclination to the respective axis of rotation, wherein a first group of ball raceways include an angle of inclination (alpha) with the respective axis of rotation, and a second group of ball raceways include an angle of inclination (beta) with the respective axis of rotation, wherein < (alpha less than beta) applies to the magnitudes. The ball raceways of the first group have an identical first, minimum radial distance from the respective axis of rotation and the ball raceways of the second group have an identical second, minimum radial distance from the respective axis of rotation, and the first radial distance and second radial distance differ.

A sliding ball joint comprising a joint outer part having inclined ball raceways which are formed on an inner periphery and which are arranged about an axis of rotation of the joint outer part, a joint inner part having inclined ball raceways, which are formed on an outer periphery and which are arranged about an axis of rotation of the joint inner part. Ball raceways of the joint outer part and of the joint inner part face each other in pairs and have angles of inclination opposite to each other, one ball per ball raceway pair, and a cage, which is arranged between the joint outer part and the joint inner part and having windows, in which the balls are accommodated. The joint outer part and the joint inner part each have at least two groups of inclined ball raceways, the groups being different with respect to the magnitude of the angle of inclination to the respective axis of rotation, wherein a first group of ball raceways include an angle of inclination (alpha) with the respective axis of rotation, and a second group of ball raceways include an angle of inclination (beta) with the respective axis of rotation, wherein < (alpha less than beta) applies to the magnitudes. The ball raceways of the first group have an identical first, minimum radial distance from the respective axis of rotation and the ball raceways of the second group have an identical second, minimum radial distance from the respective axis of rotation, and the first radial distance and second radial distance differ.