Plunging sideshaft assembly with VL joint

Abstract

A driveshaft assembly having two CV joints and an intermediate shaft. One of the CV joints ( 11 ) includes an outer joint part ( 12 ) with first ball tracks ( 14 ), an inner joint part ( 17 ) with second ball tracks ( 18 ), and balls ( 19 ) held in a common plane by a cage ( 20 ). First and second angles of intersection of the ball tracks ( 14, 18 ) of a pair of tracks are identical in size and are positioned symmetrically relative to the joint axis. The ball cage ( 20 ) is axially fixed in the constant velocity joint. The intermediate shaft includes a longitudinal plunging unit ( 41 ) having a sleeve ( 42 ) with first ball grooves ( 43 ) which extend axially, a journal ( 44 ) with second ball grooves ( 45 ) which extend axially, balls ( 46 ) which are held in a cage ( 47 ) in groups in pairs of the first and second ball grooves ( 43, 45 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A driveshaft comprising two constant velocity universal joints and an intermediate shaft; 
 one of the constant velocity universal joints ( 11 ) comprises an outer joint part ( 12 ) with first ball tracks ( 14 ) which form a first angle of intersection with the joint axis (A), an inner joint part ( 17 ) with second ball tracks ( 18 ) which form a second angle of intersection with the joint axis (A), balls ( 19 ) which run in pairs of tracks comprising a first ball track ( 14 ) and a second ball track ( 18 ), and a cage ( 20 ) which holds the balls ( 19 ) in a common plane (E), wherein the first and second angles of intersection of the ball tracks ( 14 ,  18 ) of a pair of tracks are identical in size and are positioned symmetrically relative to the joint axis (A) and wherein the ball cage ( 20 ) is axially fixed in the constant velocity joint;    the intermediate shaft comprises a longitudinal plunging unit ( 41 ) having a sleeve ( 42 ) with first ball grooves ( 43 ) which extend axially, a journal ( 44 ) with second ball grooves ( 45 ) which extend axially, balls ( 46 ) which are held in groups in pairs of grooves each comprising a first ball groove ( 43 ) and a second ball groove ( 45 ), and a cage ( 47 ) which holds the balls ( 46 ) at a fixed distance from one another.    
     
     
         2 . A driveshaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball cage ( 20 ) comprises an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 31 ) in which the inner joint part ( 17 ) is held radially, and a spherical outer face ( 39 ) which is held axially and radially between first and second annular stop faces ( 26 ,  27 ) of the outer joint part ( 12 ).  
     
     
         3 . A driveshaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball cage ( 20 ) comprises an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 31 ) in which the inner joint part ( 17 ) is held radially, and a spherical outer face ( 39 ) which is held radially in an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 25 ) of the outer joint part ( 12 ), wherein the inner joint part ( 17 ) is supported in a first direction (R 1 ) on an annular stop face ( 32 ) in the ball cage and wherein the ball cage ( 20 ) is supported in a second axial direction (R 2 ) on a second annular stop face ( 27 ) in the outer joint part ( 12 ).  
     
     
         4 . A driveshaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball cage ( 20 ) comprises an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 31 ) in which the inner joint part ( 17 ) is held radially, and a spherical outer face ( 39 ) which is held radially in an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 25 ) of the outer joint part ( 12 ), wherein the ball cage is supported in a first axial direction (R 1 ) on a first annular stop face ( 26 ) in the outer joint part ( 12 ) and wherein the inner joint part ( 17 ) is supported in a second axial direction (R 2 ) on a second annular stop face ( 33 ) in the ball cage ( 20 ).  
     
     
         5 . A driveshaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball cage ( 20 ) comprises an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 31 ) in which the inner joint part ( 17 ) is held radially, and a spherical outer face ( 39 ) which is held radially in an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 25 ) of the outer joint part ( 12 ), wherein the inner joint part ( 17 ) is supported in a first axial direction (R 1 ) on an annular stop face ( 32 ) in the ball cage and in a second axial direction (R 2 ) on a radial end face ( 36 ) of the outer joint part ( 12 ).  
     
     
         6 . A driveshaft according to  claim 2 , wherein the outer joint part ( 12 ) comprises an annular part ( 13 ) forming the first stop face ( 26 ) and an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 25 ) for supporting an outer face of the ball cage ( 20 ), and a base part ( 15 ) in which there is formed the second stop face ( 27 ).  
     
     
         7 . A driveshaft according to  claim 6 , wherein the base part ( 15 ) is a plate metal cover ( 29 ).  
     
     
         8 . A driveshaft according to  claim 2 , wherein the outer joint part ( 12 ) comprises an annular part ( 13 ) in which there is formed an inner cylindrical guiding face ( 25 ) for supporting an outer face of the ball cage ( 20 ), an attaching cap ( 16 ) in which there is formed the first stop face ( 26 ), and a base part ( 15 ) in which there is formed the second stop face ( 27 ).  
     
     
         9 . A driveshaft according to  claim 8 , wherein the base part ( 15 ) is a plate metal cover ( 29 ).  
     
     
         10 . A driveshaft according to  claim 3 , wherein the outer joint part ( 12 ) comprises an annular part ( 13 ) in which there is formed the inner cylindrical guiding face ( 25 ), and a base part ( 15 ) in which there is formed the second stop face ( 27 ).  
     
     
         11 . A driveshaft according to  claim 4 , wherein the outer joint part ( 12 ) comprises an annular part ( 13 ) in which there is formed the inner cylindrical guiding face ( 25 ), and an attaching cap ( 16 ) in which there is formed the first stop face ( 26 ).  
     
     
         12 . A driveshaft according to  claim 2 , wherein the inner joint part ( 17 ) comprises a spherical outer face ( 28 ).  
     
     
         13 . A driveshaft according to  claim 2 , wherein an outer face of the inner joint part comprises a spherical portion ( 28 ) and two conical end regions ( 37 ,  38 ).  
     
     
         14 . A driveshaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the journal ( 44 ) and inner joint part ( 17 ) are integrally formed.  
     
     
         15 . A driveshaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the journal ( 44 ) is hollow.  
     
     
         16 . A driveshaft according to  claim 15 , wherein the journal ( 44 ) is fixed to the inner joint part ( 17 ) by friction welding.  
     
     
         17 . A driveshaft according to  claim 5 , wherein the inner joint part ( 17 ) includes a central stop member ( 35 ) for acting against the radial end face ( 36 ) of the outer joint part ( 12 ).