Optimal design and multibody analysis of RZeppa pilot-lever joint

Rzeppa pilot-lever joint represents a classical solution to the problem of transmit- ting torque between angularly misaligned shafts. Homokineticity is one of the most important requirement in industrial applications. The Myard's theorem gives the geometrical conditions which ensure the satisfaction of such requirement. In this paper two different original proofs of this theorem are offered. An algorithm for the optimal kinematic synthesis of the pilot-lever mechanism is then pro- posed. The pilot lever mechanism is designed to minimize the maximum angle between the transmission and the homokinetic plane. Finally, a multibody dynamic analysis of the Rzeppa pilot-lever joint is made by means of a commercial software. The modeling of contact conditions between the balls the the guides is in particular discussed. Finally, the contact forces between spheres and guides for different angles between input and output shafts are computed.