New Variations of the Cardan Concept Increase Universal Joint Performance

An increased demand for greater performance of universal joints has prompted the development of joints capable of long life at high speeds, high angles, and high loads. The Cardan joint has proven to be the only design capable of meeting all these demands. New variations of the Cardan and double Cardan concepts have shown the ability to increase universal joint performance.

The purpose of this paper is to define the advantages of a new universal joint design based on the Cardan concept. By changing the shape and location of component parts of the Cardan and double Cardan designs, improvements in lubrication, vibration and misalignment can be obtained. Advantages in lubrication can be accomplished by replacing the internal Cardan cross or “spider” with an external ring. Vibration improvements over the double Cardan joint are obtained by replacing the external connecting yoke with an internal connecting member. Misalignment angles up to 90° are possible with less sacrifice to joint rigidity and space requirements.