TASK-04

Tripod Joint & Drive Shaft Details

With Calculations & Design
Considerations

ARNOB
 {1}
Tripod Joint:
A tripod joint is disclosed which has an outer joint part and an inner
joint part. The outer joint part includes a first longitudinal axis and a
longitudinally running cavity with an open end. Three longitudinally
running recesses are formed in the outer joint part. The inner joint
part includes a second longitudinal axis and comprising at least one
central body on which are integrally formed three journals with
journal axes which extend radially from the second longitudinal axis.
In each case, one roller body is arranged on the journals, which roller
body has at least one outer ring, a closed inner ring and bearing
bodies which are arranged in between. Each roller body is
additionally, in each case, held in the recesses in a longitudinally
moveable manner, and a rotation of the closed inner ring about the
respective journal is blocked. Also proposed is a roller body with a
non-circular or angular inner ring.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a National Phase of International Application No.
PCT/EP2007/061326, filed on Oct. 23, 2007, which application is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a tripod joint having an outer joint
part and an inner joint part with a central body which has three
integrally formed journals. In each case, one roller body is arranged
on the journals. The invention additionally relates to a roller body for
a tripod joint.
 Figure: Tripod Joint

Drive Shaft:

The term "driveshaft" and "propeller shaft" are synonymous, since

both describe the basic function that they are designed for, namely to
transmit drive from the output shaft of the transmission to the rear
axle assembly in order to drive, or propel, the vehicle forward.
The three major functions of a driveshaft are as follows:
1. Since the driveshaft transmits both torque and speed variations
from the output shaft of the vehicle transmission to the axle, the shaft
must be structurally strong enough to handle the maximum low gear
torque from the engine on through the transmission.
Consider for example that a typical Class 8 truck/tractor, using one of
the newer high horsepower engines, produces a peak torque around
an average of 1250 lb. ft. (1694.75 Nm), when rated at the 430-450 BHP
(320.6-335.5 kW) range. When coupled to a transmission (automatic or
standard), low gear ratio can be as much as 13 or 16:1 reduction. This
kind of ratio would therefore produce 16 x 1250 lb. ft. breakaway
torque to the driveshaft, which computes out to 20,000 lb. ft. of torque
or twisting force. The initial shock loads imposed on the driveline to
move a heavily laden vehicle must also be absorbed by the driveshaft.
Therefore the driveshaft should be made as strong as possible to be
able to handle these loads and have a significant safety factor built in
to handle shock loads. Drive shafts are usually constructed with
minimum practical weight, strong but as light as possible.

In addition, the shaft must be capable of transmitting the torque at the

maximum vehicle speed in all ratios of the transmission.

Critical Speed
Every driveshaft has a critical speed. Critical speed is the point at
which a rotating driveshaft begins to bow off its normal rotating
centerline.
Drive shafts begin to vibrate as they approach critical speed. If they
are operated at near critical speed for an extended period, they often
fail. This can damage the vehicle and possibly injure persons nearby.
A drive shaft’s safe operating speed can be raised by increasing its
tube diameter or by shortening the installed center-to-center length of
the driveshaft. Changing the installed length of a driveshaft will
require the use of multiple drive shafts with center bearings.
Important: The critical speed of an assembly can be affected by
driveshaft imbalance, improper universal joint operating angles, or
improperly phased drive shafts. (A properly phased driveshaft has the
in-board yokes of the shaft in line with each other.) Since critical
speed can ultimately cause drive shaft failure, it is extremely
important to be very precise in all applications.

2. With the driveshaft connected from the transmission output shaft

to the axle, it must operate through constantly changing angles
because the axles of the vehicle, as they move up and down, must by
necessity create a change in the angle of drive.
3. The driveshaft length must be capable of changing as it rotates and transmits
torque due to this necessary axle movement, torque and brake reaction, road
surface changes, etc.

Figure: Drive Shaft.

Operating angles.

Because any U-Joint operating through an angle has an inherent

resistance to motion the allowable drive shaft operating angle is
limited by the speed the driveshaft is expected to turn. The faster the
speed the lower the angle must be.
 {2}
Considerations of Tripod joint Design
The existing Tripod Assembly which has 32 Needles, one roller on one tripod
PEG diameter. By varying the PEG diameter ovality from 0.02mm to 0.12mm
respectively , where at 0.08 mm is normal operating static load is
experimental for which the static load has to withstand. The Static load on
Tripod assembly is studied for various ovality, relative comparison of static
load is arrived. Same tripod body range is maintained to know the difference
in the load distribution.
Contact angle for exiting &proposed profile:
Current design: - In Auto CAD, Roller, Needle & Tripod diameter is drawing at 1:1
and Contact created with bottom most needle and checked for Gap in bottom
side needles (180°). Only 3 needles was in contact & contact angle is only 24 °.
Contact angle in same scale
Proposed design: -In Auto CAD, Roller, Needle & Tripod diameter is drawing at
1:1 with Ovailty of 0.08 mm and Contact created with bottom most needle and
checked for Gap in bottom side needles (180°). Observed 7 needles were in
contact and contact angle is 72 °.
DESIGN OPTIMIZATION
Three design iterations were made by modifying the Tripod PEG diameterin
various combinations and by ensuring static load of all design iteration is
greater than that of existing design.
 Design Iteration 1
In first iteration with the ovality of 0.02mm existing 0 mm and simulated in
Adams for static load distribution on tripod assembly is shown in Fig.10. The
average and maximum Load distributions are18.54 KN and 24.64KN
respectively.
  Design Iteration 2
In second iteration with the ovality of 0.04mm existing 0 mm and simulated in
Adams for static load distribution on tripod assembly is shown in Fig.10. The
average and maximum Load distributions are 16.45 KN and 22.60KN
respectively. Figure 11–Tripod PEG ovalityfor iteration-2.
 Design Iteration 3
In third iteration with the ovality of 0.06mm existing 0 mm and simulated in
Adams for static load distribution on tripod assembly is shown in Fig.10. The
average and maximum Load distributions are 15.75 KN and 20.56KN
respectively.
The average and maximum load distribution on tripod Assembly for the
maximum static load pressure of 1500 Nm is greater than 1658 bar and 1798
Nm all three design iterations because of improving the ovality, this means all
the three designs will work for maximum load distribution even though the load
is high, anyhow design iteration-3 tripod body modeled with 0.08mm showing
lesserload than other iterations, also modifying the existing tripod assembly for
iteration-3 is simple, so it is concluded to go with design iteration-3. The proto
sample of the same is made by increasing the ovalityfrom omm to 0.08mm and
tested in same experimental setup.
 {3}
Tripod Joint calculations

The existing tripod assembly has three spherical PEG and 32 rollers assembled
with one roller in each Tripod PEG, which comprises a retaining ring made of
spring steel to hold the protection roller in tripod body, a Roller will rotate in
tulip track diameter when the torque transmitted from engine then the tripod
assembly rollers will be subjected to load.During the study of various Tripod
assemblies it is observed that elliptical profile tripod body is having better
contact angle.(Ovality - 0.1 mm)). So it is decided to adapt the oval shape
perpendicular to the spline axis. A tripod assembly for existing design
Requirements of Drive shaft – Tripod assembly is provided in Table 1, the
capability of tripod assembly to with stand the static load up to 1500Nm in Drive
shaft assembly. The main task is to check the capability of Tripod assembly for
static load.
 Adam’s model description
The loads that contribute to the rollers in the existing tripod assembly are • The
Static & Dynamic load produced by the tripod trunion • The Static & dynamic
friction load produced by the needls • The static and dynamic load applied on
the ID of Rollers The loads contribution to Rollers in existing tripod assembly is
shown in fig 5.2. This section illustrates the procedure followed for building a
mathematical model, discretization of a computational domain, porous
modeling, and ADAMS solver set up. ADAMS, a design oriented Pro-E modeling
code was selected to investigate and optimize the tripod Assembly, The Load
domain was created by considering the cavity inside the geometry by utilizing
the CAD modeling package Pro Engineer.
Force calculation

Maximum shear stress Equation