A simplified friction model for tripod constant Velocity Joint

초록

Tripod Constant velocity (TCV) joints have been widely used in automotive applications. The advantage of these joints is that they can provide high plunge capacity to compensate the length changes, and withstand high torque during the operation. But the plunge friction inside the TCV joint will generate an unexpected axial force, which usually causes the vibration and noise. Now there have been some numerical models of TCV joint which is used to predict the working process and the generated axial force (GAF). But most of them considered the friction of the TCV joint part by part, and it will cost much time in calculation since the dynamic function is so complicated. In this present work, a phenomenological TCV joint friction model was used in the numerical models of TCV joint based on ADAMS. This friction model incorporates the change of friction coefficient during the plunge-in and plunge-out motion and describes the rolling and slip friction situation in the TCV joint. Then the friction between trunnions and needles, needles and rollers, rollers and housing can be integrated in one friction model and defined systematically. So the needles can also be simplified by using only a cylindrical between the trunnions and rollers. The other parts of the TCV joint were all contained in the model as rigid body. The calculation results from traditional model and the simplified model were compared. The efficiency and accuracy of the simplified model was proved. Since then, the simplified TCV joint model can be used to predict generated axial force of TCV joint and vibration analysis. It will also make effect on the complex system analysis which contains the TCV joint