JPH07733Y2 - Ball joint structure - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a ball joint structure provided in a vehicle or the like, and more specifically, it is a kind of so-called universal joint having a ball joint that can freely rotate and swing around an axis. Related to the ball joint structure.

(Prior Art) Generally, a ball joint has flexibility and high rigidity in its joint portion, and various application examples utilizing these configurations are known. For example, in an automobile or the like, it is used as a connecting portion between a knuckle of a suspension device and a link or a connecting portion between a stabilizer and a connecting rod.

As such a ball joint structure, there is a conventional one as shown in FIG. 4, for example. In FIG. 4, 1
Is a ball stud having a ball portion 1a and a shaft portion 1b. The ball portion 1a of the ball stud 1 is rotatably supported by a socket 3 via a bearing 2. The bearing 2 is made of an elastic material such as plastic, and the spherical portion 1a of the ball stud 1 is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface 2a of the bearing 2. The socket 3 engages with one support member 4 connected to, for example, a connecting rod, and the shaft portion 1b of the ball stud 1 is engaged.
Is engaged with the stabilizer, for example. Socket 3
A dust cover 5 made of an elastic material such as rubber is fitted to the upper end portion 3a of the.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in such a conventional ball joint structure, the ball stud 1 is press-fitted between the socket 3 and the ball portion 1a so as to be in sliding contact with the ball portion 1a. Since the bearing 2 is made of a single elastic material, when the bearing 2 is made of a highly rigid elastic material, the ball joint repeatedly swings and the bearing 2
As the wear of the ball progresses, the ball 1a and the inner peripheral surface 2a of the bearing 2
There is a case where a gap is created between the and and the rocking torque becomes unstable. On the other hand, when the bearing 2 is made of an elastic material having a low rigidity, no gap is formed between the surface of the ball portion 1a and the inner peripheral surface 2a of the bearing 2, but it can withstand a large load such as an impact load. May not be possible. Therefore, the durability of the ball joint structure may be reduced.

(Object of the Invention) Therefore, the present invention comprises a plurality of leaf portions that divide the bearing in the circumferential direction from the bottom surface portion to the opening portion and engage with the socket and the ball portion respectively, and a pair of first and second opposing portions sandwiching the ball portion. By forming the first leaf portion and the pair of second leaf portions adjacent to the first leaf portion with materials having different rigidity, the first leaf portion and the second leaf portion are allowed to share the functions and the durability of the ball joint structure is improved. The purpose is to improve the sex.

(Means for Solving the Problem) To achieve the above object, a ball joint structure according to the present invention is provided with a socket and a ball stud having a ball portion rotatably connected to the socket through a bearing. In the joint structure, the bearing is composed of a plurality of leaf portions which are circumferentially divided from the bottom surface portion to the opening portion and engage with the socket and the ball portion respectively, and a pair of first leaf portions facing each other with the ball portion interposed therebetween are provided. The pair of second leaf portions, which are made of the same material and are adjacent to the first leaf portion, are made of a material having a rigidity different from that of the first leaf portion.

(Operation) In the present invention, the bearing is composed of a plurality of leaf portions that are circumferentially divided from the bottom surface portion to the opening portion and engage with the socket and the ball portion, respectively, and a pair of first leaves that face each other with the ball portion interposed therebetween. The portion and the pair of second leaf portions adjacent to the first leaf portion are formed of materials having different rigidity.

Therefore, even if wear of the bearing progresses due to the ball stud repeatedly swinging and rotating, the pair of leaf portions made of a material having a relatively low rigidity come into close contact with the ball portion and contact pressure between the ball portion and the bearing is increased. Is maintained and a predetermined swing torque is maintained. On the other hand, a large load such as an impact load from multiple directions is effectively transmitted by the pair of leaf portions made of a material having relatively high rigidity. As a result, the durability of the ball joint structure can be improved.

Further, since the bearing is composed of the first leaf portion and the second leaf portion that are circumferentially divided from the bottom surface portion to the opening portion, they can be formed separately, and the first leaf portion and the second leaf portion can be formed. Even materials having different rigidity can be easily formed. Furthermore, the first
The bearing can be easily manufactured by combining the leaf portion and the second leaf portion.

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

1 to 3 are views showing an embodiment of a ball joint structure according to the present invention.

First, the configuration will be described. In FIG. 1, 11 is a ball stud, and the ball stud 11 is a ball portion 11a.
And a shaft portion 11b. Ball part 11a of ball stud 11
Is rotatably connected to a socket 13 via a bearing 12, and an inner peripheral surface 12a of the bearing 12 slidably contacts a ball portion 11a of the ball stud 11. The shaft portion 11b of the ball stud 11 is engaged with, for example, a stabilizer, and the socket 13 is engaged with, for example, one support member 14 connected to a connecting rod. As shown in FIG. 2, the bearing 12 includes a pair of leaf portions, that is, ball portions 11 that are divided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction from the bottom surface portion 12b to the opening portion 12c.
It is composed of a pair of first leaf portions 15 opposed to each other with a in between, and a pair of second leaf portions 16 adjacent to the first leaf portion 15. The first leaf portion 15 is made of a material having a relatively low rigidity, and the second leaf portion 16 is made of a material having a relatively high rigidity different from that of the first leaf portion 15. The pair of first leaf portion 15 and the second leaf portion 16 are coupled by coupling portions 15a and 16a, respectively, as shown in FIG. 3, and, for example, the coupling portions 15a and 16a are each pair of the first leaf portion. The portion 15 and the second leaf portion 16 are integrally formed so as to intersect with each other.

The shaft portion 11b of the ball stud 11 and the edge portion 1 of the socket 13
Dust cover made of elastic material such as rubber between 3a
17 is installed.

Next, the operation will be described.

Since the bearing 12 is composed of the first leaf portion 15 and the second leaf portion 16 which are circumferentially divided from the bottom surface portion 12b to the opening portion 12c, when the ball stud 11 repeatedly swings and rotates, the bearing 12 Wear progresses, but the first leaf portion 15 having a relatively low rigidity swells and comes into close contact with the ball portion 11a of the ball stud 11 so as to compensate for the wear amount, so that the inner peripheral surface 12a of the bearing 12 and the ball portion 11a And the predetermined swing torque is maintained. On the other hand, when a large load of impact load is applied to the ball stud 11 or the socket 13 from multiple directions, the force is effectively transmitted mainly by the second leaf portion 16 having relatively high rigidity,
The contact pressure between the ball portion 11a and the first leaf portion 15 does not decrease.

Further, the bearing 12 is divided into the first leaf portion 15 and the second leaf portion 16 and formed separately, and the first leaf portion 15 and the second leaf portion 16 are combined to produce the bearing 12.

Therefore, the durability of the ball joint structure can be improved.

When manufacturing the bearing 12, the first leaf portion 15 and the second leaf portion 15 made of materials having different rigidity from each other.
The bearing can be easily formed by forming 16 separately and combining the first leaf portion 15 and the second leaf portion 16 thereof.

In the above embodiment, the bearing 12 is described as being composed of two pairs of leaf portions 15 and 16 divided in the circumferential direction, but the number of leaf portions may be three pairs or more. Good.

(Effect) According to the present invention, the bearing is composed of a plurality of leaf portions that are circumferentially divided from the bottom surface portion to the opening portion and engage with the socket and the ball portion, respectively, and a pair of first and second opposing portions sandwiching the ball portion. Since the one leaf portion and the pair of second leaf portions adjacent to the first leaf portion are formed of materials having different rigidity from each other, one leaf portion having high rigidity bears a large load from multiple directions and The other rigid leaf portion can maintain the contact pressure of the bearing with respect to the ball stud and improve the durability of the ball joint structure.

Further, since the bearing is divided into the first leaf portion and the second leaf portion, the first leaf portion and the second leaf portion can be formed separately, and even materials having different rigidity can be easily formed. Can be formed. further,
The bearing can be easily manufactured by combining the first leaf portion and the second leaf portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 3 are views showing an embodiment of the ball joint structure according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view thereof, FIG. 2 is a plan view of its bearing, and FIG. 3 is each leaf of the bearing. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a portion, and FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing a conventional example. 11 …… Ball stud, 11a …… Ball, 12 …… Bearing, 13 …… Socket, 15 …… First leaf, 16 ……
Second leaf part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A ball joint structure comprising a socket and a ball stud having a ball portion rotatably connected to the socket via a bearing, wherein the bearing is circumferentially extending from a bottom surface portion to an opening portion. A pair of first parts each of which is divided into a plurality of leaf portions which respectively engage with the socket and the ball portion, and which face each other with the ball portion interposed therebetween.
A ball joint structure, wherein the leaf portions are made of the same material, and the pair of second leaf portions adjacent to the first leaf portion are made of a material having rigidity different from that of the first leaf portion.