JP2000310216A - Ball joint and joint device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a ball joint and a joint device which are fabricated easily without having buckling strength reduced. SOLUTION: This joint device is formed with an arm part 40, which comprises a reinforced rib 42 integrally mounted radial from a center axis position on an internal circumferential side of a pipe part 41 nearly into a cylindrical shape by extrusion molding or the like. On the extension of a center axis of the arm part 40, a center of a head bulb of a ball stud 3 to be contained in a housing 2 is positioned. If an end face border of the arm part 40 shifts out of a circumferential face border of the housing 2, it is cut out without having a center axis contained at an end part of the arm part 40 for forming a notch part 44. The end part of the arm part 40 is welded at a peripheral surface of the housing 2, where the center of the head bulb is positioned on extension of the center axis. Weight increase of the arm part 40 can be controlled, and its strength can be increased for being capable of reducing its diameter dimension. The center of the head bulb can be positioned and connected easily and surely on extension of the center axis of the arm part 40. The structure of the housing 2 can be simplified being capable of increasing its productivity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ball joint and a joint device each having an arm projecting from a peripheral surface of a housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a joint device 52 such as a ball joint type link device having a pair of ball joints 51 such as a stabilizer as shown in FIG.

A joint device 52 shown in FIG. 5 has a substantially spherical arm 54 provided at one end thereof and a substantially spherical ball stud 56 provided at an end thereof in a housing 55 in which a substantially cylindrical arm 54 is integrally provided on a side surface which is a peripheral surface. The ball head 57 is provided with a pair of ball joints 51 in which the center is located on the central axis of the arm 54 via a bearing seat 58 made of synthetic resin. The ball joint 51 and the rod-shaped connecting portion 60 are connected to a ball head 57.
Are welded so that the distance between the centers becomes a predetermined length, and they are located on the same central axis, thereby preventing the buckling strength of the pair of ball joints 51 from decreasing with respect to the load.

[0004]

However, in the conventional joint device 52 shown in FIG.
Since the housing 55 of the 51 has the arm 54 provided integrally,
It must be formed by a manufacturing method having a large degree of freedom such as forging, casting, or injection molding with a synthetic resin, and the manufacturing is complicated, so that productivity cannot be improved, and manufacturing costs cannot be reduced.

Therefore, it is conceivable to form the arm 65 as a separate member by connecting it to the housing 66 by welding or the like.

However, as shown in FIG. 6, when connecting an arm 65 having a predetermined diameter to obtain a predetermined strength against a load applied to the ball joint 67, a side surface of the housing 66 connecting the arm 65 is fixed to a predetermined side. The size of the housing 66 is increased, and the center of the ball head 57 may not be located on the central axis of the arm 65. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, in order to prevent the buckling strength of the ball joint 69 from being reduced due to the load applied thereto, the ball head 57 is connected to the housing 70 such that the center of the ball head 57 is located on the center axis of the arm 65. When formed, the opening from the ball head 57
The distance to the outer edge of the ball stud 71 may be increased, and the swing angle of the ball stud 56 may be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a ball joint and a joint device which can be easily manufactured without a decrease in buckling strength.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ball joint comprising: a housing having an inner chamber having an opening; a ball head disposed in the inner chamber of the housing; A ball stud having a substantially columnar shaft that is connected at one end in the direction and protrudes from the opening; and a ball head that is housed in the inner chamber of the housing and slidably covers the ball head of the ball stud. The center of a ball head disposed in the inner chamber of the housing is connected to the peripheral surface of the housing on the extension of the central axis on the peripheral surface of the housing. A substantially cylindrical arm provided with reinforcing ribs radially.

A substantially cylindrical arm having reinforcing ribs radially from the position of the central axis is provided on the peripheral surface of the housing at the center of a spherical head disposed inside the inner chamber of the housing on the extension of the central axis. Is positioned so that the strength of the arm is improved while suppressing an increase in the weight of the arm, the diameter of the arm is reduced,
The connection where the center of the ball head is located on the extension of the central axis becomes easy, and if there is not enough space to connect the arm to the peripheral surface of the housing, a part of the arm is removed. Even if the connection is made so that the center of the ball head is located on the extension of the center axis, the buckling strength of the arm is prevented from being reduced by the reinforcing ribs radiating from the center axis, and the structure of the housing is simplified. Thus, the productivity is improved.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ball joint according to the first aspect, the arm portion is provided with a cutout at an end connected to the housing.

Since the notch is provided at the end of the arm connected to the housing, even if the surface connecting the arm of the housing is smaller than the diameter of the arm, the spherical head extends over the center axis. It is easy to connect the arms by positioning the center of the arm.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ball joint according to the first aspect, the end of the arm connected to the housing is gradually reduced in diameter toward the distal end.

Since the end of the arm connected to the housing is gradually reduced in diameter toward the distal end,
It becomes easy to connect the arms by positioning the center of the ball head on the extension of the central axis.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ball joint according to the third aspect, the center of the end face of the end connected to the housing is located on the center axis of the arm.

Since the center of the end face of the end portion connected to the housing of the arm portion is located on the center axis of the arm portion, the center of the ball head can be easily extended with a simple structure by extending the center axis. To securely connect the arms.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a joint device having a pair of housings each having an inner chamber having an opening, a ball head disposed in each of the inner chambers of the housing, and one end in the axial direction of the ball head. A pair of ball studs each having a substantially columnar shaft portion connected to and protruding from the opening, and the ball studs respectively housed in the inner chamber of the housing and slidably enclosing the ball heads of the ball studs. A bearing seat having an insertion hole through which is inserted,
The center of the spherical head disposed in the inner chamber of the housing is located on the extension of the central axis on the peripheral surfaces of the pair of housings, and both ends in the axial direction are connected to each other. And a substantially cylindrical arm portion provided with a reinforcing rib.

A substantially cylindrical arm having reinforcing ribs radially from the position of the central axis is positioned at the center of the ball heads disposed in the inner chambers of the pair of housings along the extension of the central axis. To each of the peripheral surfaces of the housing so that the strength of the arms is improved while suppressing an increase in the weight of the arms,
When the diameter of the arm is reduced, the connection of the center of the ball head on the extension of the central axis becomes easier, for example, when there is not enough space to connect the arm to the peripheral surface of the housing Even if a part of the arm is removed and connected so that the center of the ball head is located on the extension of the central axis, the buckling strength of the arm is reduced by the reinforcing ribs radiating from the central axis. Thus, the structure of the housing is simplified and the manufacturability is improved.

[0018]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a joint device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a ball joint,
The ball joint 1 has a substantially cylindrical bottomed housing 2 made of metal, a ball stud 3 made of metal, a bearing sheet 4 made of synthetic resin, and a dust formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by rubber or soft rigid resin. The cover 5 is used for, for example, a steering mechanism and a suspension mechanism of an automobile, particularly, a rack shaft end side of a tie rod of a rack and pinion type steering device.

The housing 2 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy, and has an opening 7 at one end.
At the other end, there is a body portion 9 having an insertion opening 8 opened, and a bottom portion 10 which is integrally attached to the body portion 9 by closing the insertion opening 8 and is assembled and formed into a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape. The body 9 has an inner peripheral surface formed into a curved surface so that the diameter of the opening 7 is slightly smaller. The body portion 9 has a fitting portion 13 formed on the outer peripheral side of the opening portion 7 in a substantially cylindrical shape having a small diameter and provided with a step portion 12. Further, on the outer peripheral edge of the end portion of the fitting portion 13, a locking claw portion 14 as an engaging means is formed in a flange shape outward so as to be larger in diameter than the fitting portion 13 by, for example, cutting. Have been. Further, on the inner peripheral surface of the body portion 9 on the side of the insertion opening 8, a large diameter is formed so as to be substantially the same as the outer diameter of the bottom portion 10, and the contact portion 16 is formed in a stepped shape. The edge of the insertion opening 8 of 9 is a thin locking portion 17.

The bottom surface portion 10 is formed such that a substantially central portion bulges to one surface side by, for example, embossing.
The mounting surface 18 has a substantially conical concave shape so as to expand toward the other surface.
Are formed.

Then, from the insertion opening 8 of the body 9 to the bottom 10
Is inserted with the mounting surface portion 18 facing inward until the peripheral edge abuts against the contact portion 16, and the locking portion 17 is caulked inward and deformed to partition the inner chamber 19 inside into a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape. The housing 2 is integrally formed.

The ball stud 3 has a spherical ball head.
A shaft portion 23 is formed integrally with the shaft portion 21 via a small-diameter portion 22. Note that a male screw portion 24 is provided at the tip of the shaft portion 23.

The bearing seat 4 is composed of a ball seat 26 and a cushion 27.
Is made of a hard synthetic resin having high rigidity and elasticity, such as polyacetal resin, having good bearing characteristics with good bearing characteristics, and the cushion 27 is made of a relatively soft resin material such as a polyurethane resin. .

The ball seat 26 has, at one end, a cylindrical cylindrical body 29 which opens an insertion hole 28 into which the ball head 21 of the ball stud 3 is inserted. The rim has a bottom portion 30 integrally provided in a flange shape inward at the edge, and is formed in a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape.

On the other hand, the cushion 27 is formed in a substantially annular shape that can be inserted into the bottom 30 of the ball seat 26, and has an inclined surface 33 at one edge that comes into contact with the mounting surface 18 of the bottom 10 of the housing 2. On the other edge, a mounting portion 34 whose outer surface side is mounted on the inner surface side of the bottom portion 30 and on which the ball head 21 slidably abuts is integrally provided with a flange shape.

The cushion seat 27 is inserted into the bearing seat 4 so that the mounting portion 34 overlaps the bottom portion 30 of the ball seat 26, and is integrated into the inner chamber 19 of the housing 2 in a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape. Assembled and housed. Further, the shaft portion 23 of the ball stud 3 projects outward from the insertion hole 28 of the ball seat 26 of the bearing seat 4 and the opening 7 of the body portion 9 of the housing 2, and the ball head of the ball stud 3 is inserted into the bearing seat 4. The part 21 is slidably housed.

On the other hand, the dust cover 5 has at one end a substantially annular first fitting portion 36 which fits into the fitting portion 13 of the housing 2, and at the other end a substantially annular shaft portion 23 of the ball stud 3. It is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having a second fitting portion 37 that fits into the second fitting portion 37.

Then, the first fitting portion 36 of the dust cover 5
Is a fitting portion between the step portion 12 and the locking claw portion 14 of the housing 2.
13 and the second fitting portion 37 is fitted to the shaft portion 23 of the ball stud 3 and the dust cover 5 is attached, whereby the ball joint 1 is assembled.

On the other hand, one end of an arm portion 40 formed of, for example, an aluminum alloy into a substantially rod shape is integrally connected to the peripheral surface of the body portion 9 of the housing 2 by welding or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arm portion 40 is formed, for example, by extrusion molding on the inner peripheral side of the substantially cylindrical pipe portion 41 from the position of the central axis in a radial shape, for example, in a cross shape.
Are formed in the shape of a hollow pipe. In addition, arm part 40
At the end connected to the housing 2, which is the base end, a cutout 44 cut off in a substantially semicircular shape not including the central axis is formed. The arm portion 40 is welded such that the end surface of the notch portion 44 has a substantially semicircular shape including the central axis at the notch portion 44 and the end edge does not protrude from the peripheral surface of the housing 2. The center of the ball head 21 of the ball stud 3 housed in the housing 2 is located on the extension of the central axis of the pipe portion 41.

At the other end of the arm 40, a ball joint (not shown) having the same structure as the ball joint 1 is similarly provided. The joint device 46 is composed of the arm 40 and a pair of ball joints 1 integrally connected to both ends of the arm 40 in the axial direction.

Next, the operation of the joint device according to the embodiment will be described.

One end of the arm 40 is welded to the peripheral surface of the body 9 constituting the housing 2 formed by hot forging, cold forging, casting, or the like, as in the prior art. During this welding, the arm 40
A notch 44 is formed in advance at the end of the arm 40 so that the peripheral edge of the end surface does not protrude from the peripheral surface of the housing 2. The center of the ball head 21 of the ball stud 3 accommodated in the housing 2 on a predetermined position so that the end edge of the arm 40 does not protrude from the peripheral surface of the housing 2, that is, on the extension of the central axis. Arm 2 to housing 2 so that it is positioned
To weld.

After that, the ball head 21 of the ball stud 3 is housed in the pre-assembled bearing seat 4 and inserted into the insertion opening 8 of the body portion 9 from the male screw portion 24 side of the shaft portion 23 of the ball stud 3. The ball head 21 is housed in the body 9 together with the bearing seat 4. Next, the bottom surface portion 10 is press-fitted from the insertion opening 8 of the body portion 9 with the mounting surface portion 18 facing inward until the peripheral edge abuts on the contact portion 16 and the mounting surface portion 18 abuts on the bearing sheet 4. The locking portion 17 of the portion 9 is crimped inward by a processing machine (not shown) to lock and lock the peripheral portion of the bottom portion 10. Further, the first fitting portion 36 of the dust cover 5 is attached to the housing 2, the second fitting portion 37 is fitted to the shaft portion 23 of the ball stud 3, the dust cover 5 is attached, and the ball joint 1 is assembled. The joint device 46 is formed.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the substantially cylindrical shape having the reinforcing ribs 42, 42 radially from the position of the central axis, suppressing an increase in weight, improving the strength, and reducing the diameter dimension. In order to connect the arm portion 40 to the peripheral surface of the housing 2 such that the center of the ball head 21 disposed in the inner chamber 19 of the housing 2 is located on the extension of the central axis, for example, the peripheral surface of the housing 2 In the case where there is not enough space to connect the arm 40 to the arm, by removing a part of the arm 40 and providing the notch 44, the center of the ball head 21 is positioned on the extension of the central axis. Can be easily connected without lowering the buckling strength of the arm 40,
The structure of the housing 2 can be simplified and the manufacturability can be improved as compared with the structure in which the arm portion 40 is provided integrally with the housing 2.

Further, since the cutout portion 44 is formed at a position not including the central axis, the connection with the housing 2 can be surely performed without lowering the connection strength.

Further, since the reinforcing ribs 42, 42 can be connected to the housing 2 without reducing the strength even if the cutouts 44 are provided, the range of the size of the housing 2 to be connected increases, and the arm 40 The versatility can be improved, the number of forming the arm portions 40 having different dimensions is reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the management becomes easy.

In the above embodiment, the bearing seat 4 has been described as including the ball seat 26 and the cushion 27. However, an integrated bearing seat including only the ball seat without using the cushion 27 may be used.
The same effect can be obtained by using a bearing seat having any structure.

Although the housing 2 has been described as having the body 9 and the bottom 10 which are separate bodies, the housing 2 may be integrated.
That is, after the ball head 21 of the ball stud 3 is accommodated, the housing 7 may be deformed so as to crimp the opening 7 side of the housing 2 inward.

In the above description, the dust cover 5 is provided, but the dust cover 5 need not be provided.

Further, the housing 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and holds the ball stud 3 having a ball head 21 at one end. For example, the ball head 21 has a pair of shaft portions in the radial direction. The present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which a ball stud connected to the 23 is held in a cylindrical housing.

In the above description, four reinforcing ribs 42, 42 are provided on the arm portion 40 radially from the central axis, and the reinforcing ribs 42, 42 are formed in a cross shape. For example, the number of reinforcing ribs 42 is not limited to four.

Although the notch 44 is provided in the arm 40, the edge of the arm 40 is connected to the housing 2 when the connection is made so that the center of the ball head 21 is located on the extension of the central axis. If the diameter of the arm 40 does not protrude from the peripheral surface of
The notch 44 may not be provided.

The arm 40 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, but may have an elliptical shape or a square shape.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
The arm 40 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an end connected to the housing 2 instead of the cutout 44, which is formed in a tapered shape with a small diameter.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,
One end of an arm portion 48 formed in a substantially rod shape with, for example, an aluminum alloy is integrally connected to the peripheral surface of the body portion 9 of the housing 2 by welding or the like. And this arm
48 is formed, for example, by extrusion molding into a hollow pipe shape in which a reinforcing rib 42 is integrally provided radially from the center axis on the inner peripheral side of the substantially cylindrical pipe portion 41, for example, in a cross shape. At the end of the arm 48 connected to the housing 2 which is the base end, there is provided a tapered portion 49 whose diameter gradually decreases toward the housing 2 which is the base end direction. The tapered portion 49 is formed such that the center of the end face is located on the central axis of the pipe portion 41. Further, the other end of the arm portion 48 has a tapered portion 49 similar to the tapered portion 49 provided on the base end side.
The external thread 50 is provided on the tip side of the tapered portion 49.

The arm portion 48 is connected to the peripheral surface of the housing 2 by welding or the like so that the end edge does not protrude from the peripheral surface of the housing 2. The center of the ball head 21 of the ball stud 3 housed in the housing 2 is positioned on the extension of the ball stud 3.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, reinforcing ribs 42, 42 are provided radially from the position of the central axis to increase the weight. Approximately cylindrical arm with reduced diameter, reduced strength, improved strength
48 is connected to the peripheral surface of the housing 2 so that the center of the spherical head 21 disposed in the inner chamber 19 of the housing 2 is positioned on the extension of the central axis. Department
Arms 48, such as when there is not enough room to connect 48
The end connected to the housing 2 is formed to have a small diameter, so that the buckling strength of the arm 48 can be easily connected without lowering the buckling strength of the arm 48 so that the center of the ball head 21 is located on the extension of the central axis. The structure of the housing 2 can be simplified as compared with the structure in which the arm portion 48 is provided integrally with the housing 2, and the manufacturability can be improved.

Further, even if a tapered portion 49 is provided by the reinforcing ribs 42 so that the end connected to the housing 2 is reduced in diameter, the end can be connected to the housing 2 without reducing the strength. The range of the size of the housing 2 can be increased, the versatility of the arm portion 48 can be improved, and the arm portion having different dimensions
The number of forming 48 is reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the management becomes easy.

Further, since the center of the end face of the end portion of the arm portion 48 connected to the housing 2 is located on the center axis of the arm portion 48, the ball head can be easily extended on the extension of the center axis with a simple structure. Department
The arm 48 can be securely connected to the housing 2 by positioning the center of the arm 21.

[0052]

According to the ball joint according to the first aspect, the substantially cylindrical arm portion having the reinforcing ribs radially from the position of the central axis is provided on the peripheral surface of the housing on the extension of the central axis inside the housing. Since the connection is made so that the center of the ball head arranged in the room is located, the strength of the arm can be improved while suppressing the increase in the weight of the arm, the diameter of the arm can be reduced, and the center axis is extended. The connection where the center of the ball head is located on top can be easily made, and if there is not enough space to connect the arm to the peripheral surface of the housing, for example, a part of the arm is removed and the center is removed. Even if it connects so that the center of the ball head is located on the extension of the axis,
Reinforcement ribs radiating from the central axis can prevent the buckling strength of the arm from lowering, simplify the structure of the housing, and improve manufacturability.

According to the ball joint according to the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the ball joint according to the first aspect, the notch is provided at the end of the arm connected to the housing, so that the arm of the housing is connected. Even if the surface is smaller than the end face of the arm, the arm can be easily connected by positioning the center of the ball head on the extension of the central axis.

According to the ball joint according to the third aspect, in addition to the effect of the ball joint according to the first aspect, the end of the arm connected to the housing is gradually reduced in diameter toward the distal end. The arm can be easily connected by positioning the center of the ball head on the extension of the central axis.

According to the ball joint of the fourth aspect, in addition to the effect of the ball joint of the third aspect, the center of the end face of the end connected to the housing of the arm is located on the center axis of the arm. With this configuration, the arm portion can be reliably connected with the center of the ball head positioned easily on the extension of the central axis with a simple structure.

According to the joint device of the fifth aspect, the substantially cylindrical arm portion having the reinforcing ribs radially from the position of the central axis is
The arms are connected to the peripheral surfaces of the housings so that the centers of the spherical heads disposed in the inner chambers of the pair of housings are located on the extension of the central axis, respectively, so that the weight of the arms is suppressed while increasing the weight of the arms. Strength can be improved, arm diameter can be reduced,
The connection where the center of the ball head is located on the extension of the central axis can be easily made, and if there is not enough space to connect the arm to the peripheral surface of the housing, for example, a part of the arm is Even if removed and connected so that the center of the ball head is located on the extension of the central axis, the reinforcing ribs radiating from the central axis can prevent the buckling strength of the arm from lowering and simplify the structure of the housing And the productivity can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view in which a part near a ball joint of a joint device according to an embodiment of the present invention is partially cut away.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the upper arm.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing the vicinity of a ball joint according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view, partially cut away, showing the ball joint.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view showing a conventional ball joint.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a joint device showing a comparative example of the present invention, in which a part near a ball joint is cut away.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a joint device showing another comparative example of the present invention, in which a part near a ball joint is cut away.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ball joint 2 Housing 3 Ball stud 4 Bearing seat 7 Opening 19 Inner chamber 21 Ball head 23 Shaft 28 Insertion hole 40, 48 Arm 42 Reinforcement rib 44 Notch

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A housing in which an inner chamber having an opening is formed, a ball head disposed in the inner chamber of the housing, and one end in an axial direction connected to the ball head and substantially projecting from the opening. A ball stud having a columnar shaft, a bearing seat housed in an inner chamber of the housing, slidably enclosing a ball head of the ball stud, and opening an insertion hole through which the shaft is inserted; A substantially cylindrical arm provided with a center of a sphere head disposed in the inner chamber of the housing on an extension of the central axis and connected to the peripheral surface of the peripheral surface, and provided with reinforcing ribs radially from the position of the central axis. And a ball joint. 2. The ball joint according to claim 1, wherein the arm has a notch at an end connected to the housing. 3. The ball joint according to claim 1, wherein an end of the arm connected to the housing is gradually reduced in diameter toward the distal end. 4. The ball joint according to claim 3, wherein the center of the end face of the arm connected to the housing is located on the center axis of the arm. 5. A pair of housings each having an inner chamber having an opening, a spherical head disposed in each of the inner chambers of the housing, and one end in an axial direction connected to the spherical head, and the opening is connected to the housing. A pair of ball studs each having a substantially columnar shaft portion projecting therefrom, and an insertion hole accommodated in the inner chamber of the housing and slidably enclosing the ball head of the ball stud, and through which the shaft portion is inserted. An open bearing seat, the center of the spherical head disposed in the inner chamber of the housing on the extension of the central axis on the peripheral surface of the pair of housings, and both ends in the axial direction are connected, And a substantially cylindrical arm portion provided with reinforcing ribs radially from a position of a central axis.