JOINT SHAFT, IN PARTICULAR UNIVERSAL JOINT SHAFT

Abstract

A joint shaft, in particular a universal joint shaft, has first and second axial connection ends and a central part that connects the two connection ends to one another in a torsionally rigid and pivotable manner. At least one intermediate sleeve is provided between a first and a second shaft element with internal gearing having inner teeth, which are distributed over the circumference and extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and external gearing with outer teeth, which are distributed over the circumference and extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The sleeve is longitudinally displaceable relative to the first shaft element and to the second shaft element and is attached directly or indirectly in a torsionally rigid manner to the first shaft element by way of the intermediate sleeve external gearing and to the second shaft element by way of the intermediate sleeve internal gearing.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A joint shaft, comprising: a first axial connection end and a second axial connection end; a central part disposed to connect said first connection end to said second connection end by way of a torsionally rigid and pivotable connection formed with at least one pivot joint; said central part having a length compensation over a longitudinal axis of the joint shaft between said central part and one of said first or second connection ends, said length compensation including: a tubular first shaft element connected to said first connection end and having an internal gearing formed with inner teeth that are distributed over a circumference and extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis; and a tubular or rod-shaped second shaft element connected to said second connection end and having an external gearing formed with outer teeth that are distributed over the circumference and extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis; and at least one intermediate sleeve disposed between said first shaft element and said second shaft element, said intermediate sleeve having an intermediate sleeve internal gearing formed with inner teeth that are distributed over the circumference and extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and having an intermediate sleeve external gearing formed with outer teeth that are distributed over the circumference and extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis; said intermediate sleeve being displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal axis relative to said first shaft element and to said second shaft element, being attached with torsional rigidity to said first shaft element by way of said intermediate sleeve external gearing, and being attached with torsional rigidity to said second shaft element by way of said intermediate sleeve internal gearing.

15. The joint shaft according to claim 14, wherein said first axial connection end, said second axial connection end, and said central part are configured to form a universal joint.

16. The joint shaft according to claim 14, wherein said central part is an end part connected by way of a pivot joint to said first connection end or a central part connected by way of a pivot joint to said first connection end and by way of a pivot joint to said second connection end.

17. The joint shaft according to claim 14, wherein said central part has a plurality of axial stops configured to delimit an extending of said second shaft element axially out of said at least one intermediate sleeve and an extending of said at least one intermediate sleeve axially out of said first shaft element.

18. The joint shaft according to claim 17, wherein: said axial stops include a first axial stop formed with a first contact surface on said first shaft element and a second contact surface on said intermediate sleeve; or when said at least one intermediate sleeve is one of a plurality of intermediate sleeves including an outermost intermediate sleeve formed with said first and second contact surfaces with respective end faces opposite one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and a second axial stop including a first contact surface on said intermediate sleeve; or when said at least one intermediate sleeve is one of a plurality of intermediate sleeves including an innermost intermediate sleeve, and a second contact surface on said second shaft element, wherein said first and second contact surfaces are positioned with end faces thereof opposite one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

19. The joint shaft according to claim 17, wherein each said first and second contact surfaces is a ring.

20. The joint shaft according to claim 17, wherein said at least one second contact surface or each of a plurality of said second contact surfaces is an annular disk screwed onto an end face of said second shaft element or of said intermediate sleeve, on a side of said annular disk facing the end face.

21. The joint shaft according to claim 17, wherein said at least one first contact surface or each of a plurality of said first contact surfaces is a radially inwardly protruding collar on said intermediate sleeve or on said first shaft element.

22. The joint shaft according to claim 17, wherein said axial stops are positioned such that an extending of said second shaft element out of said intermediate sleeve, which directly surrounds said second shaft element, and an extending of said intermediate sleeve, which is directly surrounded by said first shaft element out of said first shaft element is delimited to a maximum of half an axial length thereof.

23. The joint shaft according to claim 14, which comprises a stop in said central part disposed to strike against an end face of said intermediate sleeve when said second shaft element is retracted, in order to entrain said intermediate sleeve.

24. The joint shaft according to claim 14, which comprises a limit stop in said central part disposed to strike against an end fact of said intermediate sleeve upon insertion into said first shaft element.

25. The joint shaft according to claim 18, wherein a component which forms said second contact surface on said second shaft element and/or said second contact surface on said intermediate sleeve are configured to also function as a radial guide and/or a centering device.

26. The joint shaft according to claim 25, wherein an annular disk or a collar formed on said intermediate sleeve and/or on said first contact surface on said first shaft element are configured to also function as a radial guide and/or a centering device

27. The joint shaft according to claim 14, which comprises a spring mechanism disposed to pre-load said first and second shaft elements in a direction apart from one another.

28. The joint shaft according to claim 14, wherein said internal gearing is positioned at an axial spacing from an axially free end of said first shaft element, said intermediate sleeve internal gearing is positioned at an axial spacing from one or both free ends of said intermediate sleeve, said intermediate sleeve external gearing is positioned at an axial spacing from one or both free ends of said intermediate sleeve, and said external gearing is positioned at an axial spacing from an axially free end of said second shaft element, and wherein a centering ring is provided on the corresponding said free end.

29. The joint shaft according to claim 14, wherein said length compensation is provided in said end part between said first axial connection end or said second axial connection end and a respective said pivot joint attaching said end part to said central part.

Description

[0028] The invention is to be described as an example below by way of exemplary embodiments and the figures, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a joint shaft according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention in the maximum telescoped state;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the joint shaft from FIG. 1 in the maximum extended state;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment according to FIG. 2, but with a modified limit stop of the intermediate sleeve;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment corresponding to FIG. 3 with a spring mechanism;

[0033] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment similar to FIGS. 1 and 4, but with shortened gearing and additional radial centering means;

[0034] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment where the length compensation is realized in an end part of the joint shaft.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a joint shaft with a first axial connection end 1 and a second axial connection end, both of which are connected in each case by means of a pivot joint 3, here a universal joint, to a central part 4 in a pivotable but torsionally rigid manner. Each pivot joint 3 comprises a journal cross and correspondingly two joint yokes which receive the journal cross. However, the pivot joints 3 could also be designed differently or one pivot joint could be unnecessary.

[0036] The central part 4 comprises length compensation over the longitudinal axis 5 of the joint, the longitudinal axis 5 being equated with the rotational axis. To this end, the central part 4 includes a tubular first shaft element 6 and a bar-shaped second shaft element 7. In addition, provided between the first shaft element 6 and the second shaft element 7 is an intermediate sleeve 8, which surrounds the second shaft element 7 over the circumference over part of the axial length thereof and is surrounded over the circumference by part of the axial length of the first shaft element 6. The representations show an axial section of the corresponding shaft elements 6, 7 and the intermediate sleeve below the longitudinal axis 5 in a hatched manner, whereas above the longitudinal axis 5 a top view from the outside of only the shaft element 6 can be seen.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the central part 4 is attached via an axial flange to the joint yoke of the pivot joint 3 which is connected to the first axial connection end 1. However, this is not compulsory.

[0038] The first shaft element 6 comprises an internal gearing 9 with inner teeth which are distributed over the circumference and mesh with the teeth of an intermediate sleeve external gearing 10 in order, on the one hand, to enable axial displacement of the first shaft element 6 in relation to the intermediate sleeve 8 and, on the other hand, to ensure torque transmission between the intermediate sleeve 8 and the first shaft element 6, specifically undiminished in any state which is more or less extended.

[0039] The intermediate sleeve 8 comprises an intermediate sleeve internal gearing 11 which comprises inner teeth, which are correspondingly distributed over the circumference and mesh with outer teeth of an external gearing 12 on the second shaft element 7, which teeth are distributed over the circumference. What has been said beforehand concerning the intermediate sleeve external gearing 10 and the internal gearing 9 applies with reference to the interaction between the intermediate sleeve internal gearing 11 and the external gearing 12.

[0040] The axial stops will now be described with reference to FIG. 2, which axial stops determine the maximum axial lengths of extension of the intermediate sleeve 8 out of the first shaft element 6 and of the second shaft element 7 out of the intermediate sleeve 8. However, said axial stops have also already been shown in FIG. 1, but for reasons of clarity were not numbered.

[0041] A first axial stop comprises a first contact surface 13 on the first shaft element 6 and a second contact surface 14 on the intermediate sleeve 8. This can also be seen clearly again in FIG. 3. When the first contact surface 13 strikes against the end face of the second contact surface 14, the intermediate sleeve 8 cannot be extended any further in the axial direction out of the first shaft element 6.

[0042] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the first contact surface 13 is formed by a radially inwardly protruding collar on the first shaft element 6 and the second contact surface 14 is formed by a radially outwardly protruding collar on the intermediate sleeve 8, said collar being provided by an annular disk 15 which is screwed onto the end face of the intermediate sleeve 8. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the annular disk 15 forms, on its opposite end face, a stop contact surface 16 which interacts with a further stop contact surface 17 in the first shaft element 6, which together delimit the retraction of the intermediate sleeve 8 into the first shaft element 6.

[0043] A first contact surface 13 is correspondingly provided in the intermediate sleeve 8 in the form of a radially inwardly protruding collar which interacts with a second contact surface 14 in the form of a radially outwardly protruding collar on the second shaft element 7. The second contact surface 14 is also formed correspondingly here by an annular disk 15 which is screwed onto the end face of the second shaft element 7 and forms on its rear side a first stop contact surface 16 which interacts with a second stop contact surface in order to delimit the retraction of the second shaft element 7 into the intermediate sleeve 8 and the first shaft element 6. In the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the second stop contact surface 17 in the first shaft element 6 is also used for striking against the first stop contact surface 16 of the first shaft element 6, whereas according to FIG. 3, the second stop contact surface 17 is formed by the annular disk 15 on the intermediate sleeve 8.

[0044] At the same time, in the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, on the outside of the second shaft element a stop 18 is provided in the form of a ring which forms a stop contact surface 19 for the intermediate sleeve 8 so that it is not pushed too far onto the second shaft element 7 or rather the second shaft element 7 is not retracted too far into the intermediate sleeve 8. At the same time, said stop 18 entrains the intermediate sleeve 8 when the second shaft element 7 retracts into the first shaft element 6.

[0045] The second shaft element 7 strikes by way of its stop contact surface 16 against the stop contact surface 17 of the first shaft element 6. In the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, said stop 18 on the outside of the second shaft element 7 is not necessary.

[0046] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the axial stops or rather the annular disks 15 also serve as radial guide means 20 in order to improve the centering of the gearings and in order to lengthen the supporting length of the gearings.

[0047] The exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4 largely corresponds to that of FIG. 3, but provided here is a compression spring 21 which acts upon the first shaft element 6 and the second shaft element 7 with pressure in the axial direction so that they can be separated. As a result, an axial connection end of the joint shaft can be prevented from slipping from a journal, on which it has been fitted. Naturally, in an embodiment which is not shown here, the axial connection end could also comprise a journal, as a result of which the compression spring 21 then prevents said journal from slipping out of a corresponding associated hub.

[0048] In the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5, the internal gearing 9 and the intermediate sleeve internal gearing 11 are realized in a comparably shorter manner. The intermediate sleeve internal gearing 11 is consequently at an axial spacing from both axial ends of the intermediate sleeve 8 and the internal gearing 9 is at an axial spacing from the free end of the first shaft element 6, that is to say from the end facing the second shaft element 7. In addition, a centering ring 23 is provided on the free axial end of the first shaft element 6, just as on the corresponding axial end of the intermediate sleeve 8 facing the second shaft element 7.

[0049] Such a design according to FIG. 5 with a short gearing set and an additional centering ring 23 is suitable for applications where the comparably short engaged gearing is sufficient for torque transmission and the long profile overlap of the shaft elements 6, 7 and of the intermediate sleeve 8 is only required in order to prevent the joint shaft from buckling. In detail, said buckling is prevented by the plain bearings, which are formed by the centering rings 23, on the axial ends.

[0050] By way of FIG. 6 it is made clear that the length compensation can also be realized in an end part 22, that is to say between an axial connection end, here the second axial connection end 2, and the central part 4, in particular between the axial connection end, here the second axial connection end 2, and the pivot joint 3 which faces said second axial connection end. Reference is made to the preceding description for further details.