ツェッパ形等速ジョイントのボール荷重変動低減技術に関する研究

抄録

Rzeppa constant velocity joints are mainly used as outboard joints in the drive-shafts of front wheel drive vehicles. This type of joint transmits driving torque through balls provided in the joint. The ball force that transmits this torque fluctuates periodically when a joint angle exists between the two transmitting axes. Ball force fluctuation must be reduced since ball forces affect joint performance aspects such as strength and durability. This paper proposes a mechanism and method for reducing ball force fluctuation. The reduction mechanism for ball force fluctuation is based on the theory that ball forces are balanced with the secondary moment related to the driving torque and joint angle, which suggests that increasing the percentage of the axial ball force content of the secondary moment might be an effective method of reducing fluctuation. To validate this proposed mechanism, a detailed analysis model of a Rzeppa joint was constructed based on a multibody dynamics approach, including the contact and friction forces acting on multiple parts of the joint. Computational results using this model showed that the proposed reduction mechanism is valid. This reduction mechanism was used to formulate a method of reducing ball force fluctuation based on a specific ball groove arrangement. Finally, the effectiveness of the reduction method was validated by computational results using a detailed analysis model.