GB2052619A - Ball and socket joint - Google Patents
Ball and socket joint Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2052619A GB2052619A GB8018545A GB8018545A GB2052619A GB 2052619 A GB2052619 A GB 2052619A GB 8018545 A GB8018545 A GB 8018545A GB 8018545 A GB8018545 A GB 8018545A GB 2052619 A GB2052619 A GB 2052619A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- cavity
- assembly
- head
- ball
- resilient
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C11/00—Pivots; Pivotal connections
- F16C11/04—Pivotal connections
- F16C11/06—Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints
- F16C11/0619—Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints the female part comprising a blind socket receiving the male part
- F16C11/0623—Construction or details of the socket member
- F16C11/0628—Construction or details of the socket member with linings
- F16C11/0633—Construction or details of the socket member with linings the linings being made of plastics
- F16C11/0638—Construction or details of the socket member with linings the linings being made of plastics characterised by geometrical details
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Geometry (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
Abstract
The invention relates to ball and socket joint assemblies having a socket housing (12) with a cavity (10) in which the head (16) of a ball pin (15) is located. The cavity (10) has a resilient lining (18), preferably in the form of a bearing cup, and a resilient bearing end cap (21) which is located in the bottom of the lined cavity so that after assembly of the joint the lining provides a bearing surface on one side of the pin head, and the end cap provides a bearing surface on the other side of the pin head. The end cap (21) and the lining (18) are spaced apart by resilient ribs (24) that are held in compression by the assembly of the joint. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Ball Et socket joint
This invention relates to ball and socket joint assemblies particularly, but not exclusively, to such joint assemblies that are suitable for use in the steering and suspension systems of automobiles.
A problem with ball and socket joint assemblies used in motor vehicles is that if the torque load exerted by the socket on the head of the ball pin is too great, or too small, then the steering system will not "feel" correct to the vehicle driver. The problems associated with obtaining the correct torque load range during the manufacture of ball joints are often excacerbated by the additive effects of the production tolerances of the separate components and processes used to assemble together the joint.
One means of reducing the additive effect of production tolerances to an acceptable level is illustrated in British Patent No. 1,280,527 and its corresponding Patent of Addition No. 1,359,544.
In these two patent specifications a resilient bearing cup for the head of a ball pin is provided with a series of resilient projections that abut directly against the socket in which the bearing is housed. On assembly of the joint the projections collapse in a resilient manner and serve to bias the bearing cup against the ball pin head so as to maintain a desired torque load on the head of the ball pin.
The maximum amount of collapse is obviously dependent upon the height of the projections and since most bearing cups are moulded it is desirable for the ease of mould manufacture and moulding, if the height of the projections is as low as possible, consistent with the desire to eleviate the effect of the additive tolerances.
The present invention seeks to increase the amount of collapse for a given height of projection.
Accordingly there is provided a ball and socket joint assembly for the steering and suspension system of a motor vehicle and comprising a socket housing having a cavity therein, a ball pin the head of which is located within the cavity and the shank of which extends through the mouth of the cavity, the cavity having a resilient lining providing a bearing surface for the head adjacent the mouth, and a resilient end cap providing a bearing surface for the head in the base of the cavity, wherein the end cap is housed in the lined cavity and opposed faces of the end cap and lining are spaced apart by resilient projections held in compression by the assembly of the joint.
The amount of possible collapse of the projections is maximised by having the projections act against the resilient socket liner as opposed to acting against the socket housing as in the prior art.
The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
Fig. 1 is a section through a ball and socket joint according to this invention; and
Fig. 2 is a section on the line Il-Il of Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 shows a steering rack-end ball and socket joint 11 suitable for the steering rack of an automobile. The ball and socket joint has a socket housing 12 with a cavity 10 therein whose mouth 13 is at one end of the housing, and a screwthreaded stud 14 secured to the outside of the base at the other end of the housing for attachment of the joint 11 to a steering rack (not shown).
A ball pin 1 5 has a spherical head 1 6 located within the cavity 10, and a shank 1 7 which extends through the mouth 13 of the cavity 10.
The mouth 13 is of such a size that the head 1 6 cannot pass through it and the edge of the mouth also limits the degree that the ball pin 1 5 can tilt relative to the housing 11.
The internal surface of the cavity 10 has a resilient lining in the form of a polyamide bearing cup 1 8 the mouth 1 9 of which is adjacent the mouth 13 of the cavity 10. A resilient end cap 21 of a polyamide or polyurethane material is located in the bottom portion of the bearing cup 18 and has a concave spherical upper surface that engages the head 1 6 of the ball pin 1 5 and a flat lower surface 22 that is separated from the internal bottom surface of the base 23 of the bearing cup 1 8 by eight resilient projections 24, in the form of ribs. The ribs 24 are integral with the base 23 and radiate from a centre located on an axis passing through the centre of the head 16.
The spherical head 1 6 of the ball pin is located within the bearing cup 1 8 and the head 1 6 is supported adjacent the mouth 13, on one side of an equator of the head 16, by portions of the bearing cup 18 which are formed to provide support for the head, and the end cap 21 provides a bearing surface for the head 16 on the other side of the equator adjacent the base of the cup 18.
During the assembly of the joint 11 the end cap 21 and the bearing cup 18 are placed over the head 16 which in turn is placed into the cavity 10 in the then substantially cylindrical housing 11.
The mouth 13 of the housing is then turned inwards to envelope the head of the ball pin within the housing 11. The turn over load on the mouth 19 of the housing deforms the mouth 19 of the bearing cup 18, and thereby causes the bearing cup and the end cap 21 to grip the head 1 6. When the turn over load is applied to turnover the mouth 13 of the housing then the resilient ribs 24 are compressed and when the load is removed after assembly of the joint the ribs are held in compression and urge the end cap 21 against the head.
The height of the ribs 24 is for example 1 rnm and is such that after allowing for the "spring back" in the housing 11 after the turn over load is removed, and allowing for additive manufacturing tolerances, then the ribs 24 will still urge the end cap against the head 1 6 so that the head is gripped by torque control load of an acceptable magnitude. Alternately the ribs 24 can be formed as two sets of ribs 24 and 24' having different respective heights. The ribs 24 being for example 1.5 mm in height and the ribs 24' 1.0 mm in height. The two sets of ribs 24 and 24' are intermixed and alternate one rib 24 with the other rib 24', angularly around the base of the bearing cup 1 8. In this way the torque load can then be caused to increase with the increasing collapse of the first ribs 24 and then the shorter ribs 24'.The amount of deflection is a reflection of the production tolerances and hence the greater the tolerance to be taken up the greater the collapse before the correct torque control load on the ball head is reached.
Whilst the invention has been described using a rack-end joint as an example, it is equally applicable for use in other ball and socket joints inciuding steering control arm joints shown in Fig.
3 in which the housing 52 is substantialiy cylindrical having a mouth 53 at one end through which the ball pin shank 1 7 extends, and an aperture 54 at the other end closed, after assembly of the joint, by a cover plate 55. The assembly operation of the cover plate 55 into the other end of the joint applies the necessary preload to the ribs 24 in the base of the bearing cup 1 8. In this particular construction it is possible for the base 23 of the bearing cup 1 8 to be replaced by a seperable disc having the ribs moulded thereon.
Claims (6)
1. A ball and socket joint assembly for the steering and suspension system of a motor vehicle and comprising a socket housing having a cavity therein, a ball pin the head of which is located within the cavity and the shank of which extends through the mouth of the cavity, the cavity having a resilient lining providing a bearing surface for the head adjacent the mouth, and a resilient end cap providing a bearing surface for the head in the base of the cavity, wherein the end cap is housed in the lined cavity and opposed faces of the end cap and lining are spaced apart by resilient projections held in compression by the assembly of the joint.
2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the lining is a unitary cup.
3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the projections are integral with the base of the lining.
4. An assembly as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the projections are ribs that radiate from a centre located on an axis passing through the centre of the ball pin.
5. An assembly as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the projections are formed as sets of projections having different respective heights.
6. A ball and socket joint assembly substantially as described herein and with reference to Fig. 1 or
Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB8018545A GB2052619B (en) | 1979-06-09 | 1980-06-05 | Ball and socket joint |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB7920172 | 1979-06-09 | ||
GB8018545A GB2052619B (en) | 1979-06-09 | 1980-06-05 | Ball and socket joint |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB2052619A true GB2052619A (en) | 1981-01-28 |
GB2052619B GB2052619B (en) | 1982-12-01 |
Family
ID=26271814
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB8018545A Expired GB2052619B (en) | 1979-06-09 | 1980-06-05 | Ball and socket joint |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2052619B (en) |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0213314A2 (en) * | 1985-08-28 | 1987-03-11 | TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co. KG | Ball joint |
EP0220843A2 (en) * | 1985-10-23 | 1987-05-06 | General Motors Corporation | Ball joint |
US4690581A (en) * | 1984-05-11 | 1987-09-01 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Ball joint |
EP0248219A2 (en) * | 1986-06-05 | 1987-12-09 | TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co. KG | Ball joint |
US6213675B1 (en) * | 1997-12-11 | 2001-04-10 | ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG | Axial joint |
-
1980
- 1980-06-05 GB GB8018545A patent/GB2052619B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4690581A (en) * | 1984-05-11 | 1987-09-01 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Ball joint |
EP0213314A2 (en) * | 1985-08-28 | 1987-03-11 | TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co. KG | Ball joint |
EP0213314A3 (en) * | 1985-08-28 | 1987-05-27 | Trw Ehrenreich Gmbh & Co. Kg | Ball joint |
US4695181A (en) * | 1985-08-28 | 1987-09-22 | Trw Ehrenreich Gmbh & Co. Kg | Ball joint |
AU584445B2 (en) * | 1985-08-28 | 1989-05-25 | Trw Ehrenreich Gmbh & Co Kg | Ball joint |
EP0220843A2 (en) * | 1985-10-23 | 1987-05-06 | General Motors Corporation | Ball joint |
EP0220843A3 (en) * | 1985-10-23 | 1987-12-09 | General Motors Corporation | Ball joint |
AU580451B2 (en) * | 1985-10-23 | 1989-01-12 | General Motors Corporation | Ball joint |
EP0248219A2 (en) * | 1986-06-05 | 1987-12-09 | TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co. KG | Ball joint |
EP0248219A3 (en) * | 1986-06-05 | 1988-05-04 | Trw Ehrenreich Gmbh & Co. Kg | Ball joint |
US4750885A (en) * | 1986-06-05 | 1988-06-14 | Trw Ehrenreich Gmbh & Co. Kg | Ball joint |
US6213675B1 (en) * | 1997-12-11 | 2001-04-10 | ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG | Axial joint |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2052619B (en) | 1982-12-01 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |