JPH0738747U - Ball joint - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] A ball stud 1, a ball seat 2 made of synthetic resin, and a socket 3. The ball seat 2 and the spherical portion 1a of the ball stud 1 are fitted and set in the socket 3 to form a socket. In a spherical caulking type ball joint configured by drawing and deforming the open side portion of the three peripheral walls into a substantially spherical shape, the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral side of the peripheral wall of the socket 3 is outward from the outer peripheral surface of the other general thin portion 3b. Projected thick part 3a
The outer peripheral surface of the thick portion 3a is formed into a substantially spherical shape which is smoothly continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the general thin portion 3b by the deformation of the drawing. [Effect] Even when the radial dimension D of the ball joint is limited and the thickness of the socket peripheral wall cannot be increased, the strength of the ball stud 1 against an input load in the pull-out direction can be sufficiently secured.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a ball joint.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 As shown in FIG. 3, a ball stud a having a spherical portion a'at one end and a synthetic resin for fitting and holding the spherical portion a'of the ball stud a are used for connecting various links and the like. A ball seat b and a socket c for fitting and fixing the ball seat are provided. As shown in FIG. 3A, the bottomed cylindrical ball seat b is fitted and assembled in the bottomed cylindrical socket c. The spherical portion a'of the ball stud a is fitted into the seat c, and the vicinity of the open end of the peripheral wall of the socket c is squeezed and deformed into a substantially spherical shape as shown in FIG. A so-called spherical caulking type ball joint, which is constructed by being pressed against the spherical portion a ', has been widely used.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the spherical caulking type ball joint as described above, the thickness of the socket c must be large to some extent in order to secure a predetermined strength (in particular, strength against the input load in the pulling direction of the ball stud a). There is no choice but to increase the radial dimension d of the ball joint assembly. Therefore, when the radial dimension d is limited, it is difficult to secure a predetermined strength.

Further, in order to prevent rattling or the like against the input load in the pulling direction of the ball stud a, in order to prevent rattling or the like, the ball stud spherical portion near the open portion of the ball seat b due to the throttling deformation of the socket c. It is necessary to increase the pressure contact force to the upper part of the part a ', but if the throttle of the socket c is strengthened, the pressure contact force to the peripheral part of the equatorial plane (XX) of the spherical part a'is also increased, and the ball The operating torque of the stud a becomes excessive, and an appropriate operating torque cannot be obtained. For such a problem, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 3, a predetermined range of recessed portions b ′ sandwiching the equatorial plane XX on the inner peripheral surface of the ball seat b is continuously or non-continuously provided over the entire circumference. It is conceivable that the concave portions are continuously provided so that the spherical portion pressure contact force at the peripheral portion of the equatorial plane XX is released in the concave portion b '. However, if an attempt is made to form a concave portion b'in a part of the inner peripheral surface of the ball seat in this way, the ball seat may be deformed or cracked at the time of release, resulting in undercutting. The problem is that it is very troublesome and costly.

The present invention aims to solve the above conventional problems.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In the present invention, in a spherical caulking type ball joint, firstly, in the vicinity of the open side end portion of the socket peripheral wall, a thick portion whose outer peripheral surface projects outward from other general thin portions is formed, and the thick portion is formed by drawing deformation. The outer peripheral surface of the thick-walled part has a substantially spherical shape that is smoothly continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the general thin-walled part. Secondly, the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall part of the ball seat is located slightly above the equator plane. A recessed portion reaching the lower end of the peripheral wall is provided continuously or discontinuously over the entire circumference, and with the ball seat fitted and set in the socket, the inner peripheral surface of the socket and the outer peripheral surface of the ball seat are fitted in the recessed portion. A predetermined gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the ball seat and the equatorial surface of the spherical portion by squeezing the open side of the socket peripheral wall into a substantially spherical shape. It was designed to be formed.

[0007]

[Action]

 According to the first configuration, even when the radial dimension of the ball joint is limited and the thickness of the peripheral wall of the socket cannot be made large, the strength against the input load in the ball stud extraction direction can be sufficiently secured. In addition, the second configuration facilitates the ball joint in which the ball seat is not complicated to form, there is no risk of rattling with respect to the input load in the ball stud pulling direction, and an appropriate and stable operating torque can be secured. Can be obtained.

[0008]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a ball stud having a spherical portion 1a at one end, and 2 is a bottomed cylindrical ball seat having an open top. It is integrally molded with resin. Reference numeral 3 denotes a bottomed cylindrical socket having an open top, and the outer peripheral surface is generally thin portion 3b at the upper part of the peripheral wall of the socket 3 (the range from the open end to the upper part of the equatorial plane XX). A thick portion 3a protruding further outward is formed, and an outer peripheral surface of a transition portion from the general thin portion 3b to the thick portion 3a is formed as an inclined surface 3a 'rising outward.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1 (A), the ball seat 2 is fitted in the socket 3, and the spherical portion 1 a of the ball stud 1 is fitted in the ball seat 2, and the peripheral wall of the socket 3 is opened. The side portion, that is, the thick portion 3a and a portion slightly below the thick portion 3a are drawn inward and deformed. Then, the ball seat 2 is compressed inward and pressed against the spherical portion 1a, and as shown in FIG. 1 (B), the inner cavity surface of the ball seat 2 is evenly pressed against the spherical portion 1a to form a ball. A spherical caulking type ball joint is constructed with an appropriate preload applied to the stud 1. As described above, by squeezing the open side portion of the peripheral wall of the socket 3 into a spherical shape, the inclined surface 3a 'is connected to the general thin portion 3b in a substantially straight line shape, and the general thin portion 3b to the thick portion 3a. The shape of the outer peripheral surface is a gradual, continuous spherical shape, and the radial dimension D of the finished spherical caulking type ball joint is the same as the outer diameter of the general thin portion 3b.

In this case, the thick portion 3a of the socket 3 is deformed into a spherical shape, so that the portion supporting the upper side of the equatorial plane XX of the spherical portion 1a is in the vicinity of the equatorial plane XX and more. The thickness is larger than the general thin portion 3b supporting the slightly lower portion, and even if the thickness of the general thin portion 3b is considerably small, sufficient strength against the input load in the pulling direction of the ball stud 1 can be secured.

As described above, even if the radial dimension D of the finished product is limited and the thickness of the socket peripheral wall cannot be made sufficiently large, the wall thickness that protrudes toward the outer peripheral side in the vicinity of the open end of the socket peripheral wall in advance. With a very simple structure in which the portion 3a is formed, the strength of the ball stud against an input load in the pulling direction can be sufficiently secured.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which mainly comprises a ball stud 1 having a spherical portion 1a at one end, a ball seat 2 made of a synthetic resin integrally molded product, and a socket 3. A spherical caulking ball joint was devised, which was constructed by fitting and assembling the ball seat 2 and the spherical portion 1a of the ball stud 1 into the socket 3 and drawing and deforming the open side portion of the peripheral wall of the socket 3 to the inside. The target point of is the same as that of the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, a concave portion 2b extending from a position slightly above the equatorial plane XX to the lower end is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 2a of the ball seat 2 having a bottomed tubular shape. As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the inner peripheral surface of the socket 3 and the peripheral wall portion of the ball seat 2 are continuously or discontinuously recessed and the ball seat 2 is fitted and assembled in the socket 3. A predetermined gap 4 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of 2a and the concave portion 2b.

With the above-described structure, the ball seat 2 and the spherical portion 1a of the ball stud 1 are fitted and incorporated in the socket 3, and the open side portion of the peripheral wall of the socket 3 is squeezed and deformed inward to form a spherical caulking type. When constructing a ball joint, the tightening force due to the pressure contact of the upper and lower parts of the spherical portion 1a by the ball seat 2 is increased by strengthening the throttle, and the strength and rigidity against the input load of the ball stud withdrawal direction are sufficient. However, due to the substantially spherical drawing of the socket 3, the vicinity of the XX portion of the ball seat 2 is buckled and deformed outward, and the gap 4 formed on the outer peripheral surface moves to the inside, as shown in FIG. 2 (B). As described above, a gap 4'is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the ball seat 2 and the vicinity of the equatorial plane XX portion of the spherical portion 1a, and a tightening force is generated near the equatorial plane XX portion. The ball stud 1 is not used and the operating torque of the ball stud 1 is stably maintained at an appropriate value. In addition, the formation of the recessed portion 2b on the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion of the ball seat 2 as described above does not have the trouble of releasing the mold as in the case of forming the recessed portion on the inner peripheral surface. It can be easily and easily molded, and there is no risk of high costs.

[0016]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, in the spherical caulking type ball joint, firstly, even if the thickness of the socket cannot be increased due to the limitation of the radial dimension of the socket, the input load in the ball stud withdrawal direction is increased. It is possible to secure a sufficiently large strength against the ball stud, and secondly, there is no difficulty in forming the ball seat, and there is sufficient strength and rigidity with respect to the input load in the ball stud pull-out direction, and an appropriate stable operating torque. A ball joint that can be secured can be easily obtained, and in combination with cost reduction, it can bring about a great practical effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B show a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a half sectional view showing a state in which a ball joint component is assembled and set, and FIG. 1B is a half sectional view of a ball joint after assembly is completed. Is.

2A and 2B show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is a half sectional view showing a state in which the ball joint components are assembled and set, and FIG. 2B is a half sectional view of the ball joint after the assembly is completed. Is.

3A and 3B show an example of a conventional spherical caulking type ball joint, in which FIG. 3A is a half sectional view showing a state in which components are assembled and set, and FIG. 3B is a half sectional view after the assembly is completed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ball stud 1a spherical part 2 ball seat 2a peripheral wall part 2b concave part 3 socket 3a thick part 3b general thin part 4 gap 4'gap

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A ball stud having a spherical portion at one end, a ball seat integrally formed of a synthetic resin in a bottomed tubular shape with an open top, and a bottomed cylindrical socket with an open top. Then, the ball seat is fitted in the socket, the spherical portion of the ball stud is fitted and set in the ball seat, and the open side portion of the socket peripheral wall is squeezed and deformed inward so that the ball seat presses the spherical portion. In the spherical caulking type ball joint that is assembled in a state of being held, the outer peripheral surface of the socket peripheral wall has a thickened portion protruding outward from other general thinned portions at the open side portion, and by the inward drawing deformation A ball joint characterized in that the outer peripheral surface of the thick portion has a substantially spherical shape that is smoothly continuous to the outer peripheral surface of the generally thin portion. 2. A ball stud having a spherical portion at one end, a ball seat integrally formed of a synthetic resin into a bottomed tubular shape with an open top, and a bottomed tubular socket with an open top. Then, the ball seat is fitted into the socket, the spherical portion of the ball stud is fitted and set in the ball seat, and the open side portion of the socket peripheral wall is squeezed and deformed inward, whereby the ball seat is pressed against the spherical portion. In a spherical caulking type ball joint that is assembled in a hug state, in the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion of the ball seat, a recessed portion from slightly above the equatorial plane of the spherical portion incorporated into the ball seat to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion. Is continuously or discontinuously recessed over the entire circumference, and with the ball seat assembled in the socket, a predetermined recess is formed between the socket inner peripheral surface and the ball seat outer peripheral surface. A gap is formed, and in that state, the opening side portion of the socket peripheral wall is substantially spherically deformed so that a gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the ball seat and the equatorial plane of the ball stud spherical portion. A ball joint that is characterized by what you have done.