Cross Cardan Shafts
As a key component in mechanical transmission systems, the cross cardan shaft plays an irreplaceable role in modern industrial equipment. This sophisticated mechanical device can solve the transmission problem of axis misalignment and is widely used in various fields from heavy machinery to precision equipment.
Cross cardan shaft is a universal coupling device used to connect different axis transmission shafts. This mechanical component can effectively solve the problem of misalignment of the axis in the transmission system and achieve efficient transmission of torque and motion. Its core function is to achieve power transmission in the presence of an angle between two axes (usually within the range of 5 ° -45 °) or non coaxial working conditions, and provide angular compensation capability of more than 25 ° and axial displacement adaptability, which makes it irreplaceable in the field of industrial transmission.
The working principle of the cross cardan shaft is based on the classic Hooke hinge principle. Its core structure consists of two universal joint forks and a cross shaft, which are connected to the bearings on the two universal joint forks through four journals on the cross shaft. When the driving shaft rotates, it drives the driven shaft to rotate through the cross shaft, while allowing for a certain degree of angular deviation between the two shafts. It is worth noting that a single cross cardan shaft has an inherent characteristic when transmitting power: when there is an angle between the two shafts, the output shaft speed will experience periodic fluctuations, even if the input shaft speed remains constant. This non-uniform characteristic needs to be eliminated or reduced through special arrangements in engineering applications.
Cross universal shafts can be divided into various types according to their structural forms, among which the most common is the traditional cross shaft type, also known as the cross pin type universal shaft. This structure consists of two universal joint forks and a cross shaft, which are connected by four bearings on the cross shaft, allowing for angular deflection in two planes. Another important type is the ball cage universal joint, which adopts a spherical shell and cage structure, containing multiple steel balls as force transmission elements inside, and can achieve smoother constant speed transmission. In addition, there are various structural variants such as ball fork, convex block, and three pin, each designed for specific application needs. According to the load-bearing capacity, the cross cardan shaft product series is usually divided into four levels: heavy, medium, light, and small.
