JPH078907Y2 - Ball joint - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The ball joint according to the present invention is used by being incorporated in a bearing portion or the like of an automobile steering device.

(Prior Art) The drag rod that connects the pitman arm and the tie rod arm that form the steering device for automobiles,
By mounting a ball joint as shown in FIG. 3, the arms, whose positional relationship changes with the operation of the steering wheel, are connected so that force can be freely transmitted between them.

This ball joint includes a joint pin 1, a housing 2, a sleeve 3, a pressing piece 4, a compression spring 5,
It is configured by combining with the end cap 6.

At one end of the joint pin 1, a sliding portion 7 whose outer surface forms a spherical convex surface is formed, and at the housing 2, a support hole 8 for swingably holding the sliding portion 7 is provided. There is.
A part of the inner peripheral surface of the support hole 8 is a spherical concave receiving surface 9, and a cylindrical fitting surface 10 is formed on the remaining portion.
A step portion 11 is formed between the above and the receiving surface 9.

The sleeve 3 made of a slippery material such as oil-impregnated metal or nylon or other synthetic resin has an inner peripheral surface on the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion 7 and an outer peripheral surface on the inner surface of the receiving surface 9. The sliding portion 7 is brought into close contact with the peripheral surface and the outward flange-like portion 12 formed at the end thereof is engaged with the step portion 11 formed at the intermediate portion of the support hole 8. It is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the support hole 8.

Also, the pressing piece 4 made of a slippery material is housed inside the fitting surface 10, and the inner surface (upper surface in FIG. 3) is set to the end surface (lower surface in FIG. 3) of the sliding portion 7. Abutting.

In addition, the end cap 6 formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom by press-forming a steel plate or the like is pushed into the inside of the fitting surface 10 with the opening facing inward, and its end edge 13 and the above An outward flange portion 12 provided at the end of the sleeve 3 is sandwiched between the step portion 11 and the step portion 11.

Further, the compression spring 5 is provided between the end cap 6 and the pressing piece 4, and the elastic force of the compression spring 5 causes the inner surface of the pressing piece 4 to slide on the sliding portion 7 of the joint pin 1.
Is elastically pressed against the end surface of.

A caulking portion 14 is formed in a part of the housing 2 so as to surround the opening of the supporting hole 8. The caulking portion 14 is formed after the end cap 6 is pushed into the fitting surface 10. The end cap 6 is bent inward in the diameter direction of the end cap 6, and the caulking portion 14 holds the end cap 6 so that the end cap 6 does not come out from the inside of the fitting surface 10.

Further, the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate portion of the joint pin 1 and the housing 2
A dustproof boot 15 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 3 and the periphery of the opening to prevent dust and water from entering between the outer surface of the sliding portion 7 and the inner surface of the sleeve 3.

In the ball joint configured as described above, the joint pin 1 and the housing 2 are arranged so that the sliding portion 7 formed at the end of the joint pin 1 can slide inside the sleeve 3 with respect to each other. It is allowed to swing or rotate.

By the way, in the case of a ball joint used for a bearing portion of an automobile steering device, the angle at which the joint pin 1 swings with respect to the housing 2 may be restricted by the swinging direction.

This is because the direction in which the joint 1 swings with respect to the housing 2 is limited when the force is transmitted between the pitman arm and the tie rod arm, whereas the joint 1 swings in any other direction. By moving, the dustproof boots
This is to prevent excessive force (compressive stress and tensile stress) from being constantly applied to 15.

That is, the drag rod provided between the pitman arm and the tie rod arm is often bent greatly in order to secure the steering angle of the steered wheels or avoid the shock absorber. The middle portion of the drag rod tends to hang down, and the joint pin 1 and the housing 2 forming the ball joint provided at the end portion of the drag rod are accompanied by the force transmission between the pitman arm and the tie rod arm. There is a tendency for a large swing in a direction unrelated to the swing. If such swinging is allowed as it is, one side of the dustproof boot 15 is compressed and the other side remains pulled, and the durability of the dustproof boot 15 deteriorates.

Therefore, conventionally, the neck portion 17 of the joint pin 1 that abuts the opening peripheral portion 16 of the housing 2 or the opening peripheral portion 16 based on the displacement between the joint pin 1 and the housing 2 has an elliptical shape or the like. The shape is such that the swing amount of the joint pin 1 and the housing 2 is limited by the swing direction.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, as described above, the opening peripheral portion 16 and the joint pin 1
It was troublesome to process the neck portion 17 of the ball into an elliptical shape or the like, which was a cause of increasing the production cost of the ball joint.

The ball joint of the present invention eliminates the above-mentioned inconvenience.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The ball joint of the present invention, like the conventional ball joint described above, holds a joint pin having a sliding portion whose outer surface forms a spherical convex surface at one end and the sliding portion. A housing having a support hole formed therein, a sleeve provided between the inner peripheral surface of the support hole and the sliding portion of the joint pin, the periphery of the opening of the housing and the outer periphery of the intermediate portion of the joint pin. And a dustproof boot provided between the surface and the surface.

Further, in the ball joint of the present invention, a tongue piece is formed on a part of the inner surface of the dustproof boot in the circumferential direction, and the tip end portion of the tongue piece is connected to the peripheral edge of the opening of the housing and the outer peripheral surface of the joint pin. By allowing the joint pin to enter between the housing and the housing, the swinging of the joint pin with respect to the housing in a specific direction is limited.

(Operation) When the ball joint of the present invention configured as described above allows the joint pin and the housing to swing or rotate with respect to each other, the operation itself is the same as that of the conventional ball joint described above. It is similar to the case of.

However, in the ball joint of the present invention, the tongue formed on the inner surface of the dustproof boot restricts the swinging of the joint pin with respect to the housing in a specific direction. No need for complicated processing.

(Embodiment) Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the ball joint of the present invention.

The same parts as in the case of the conventional structure described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the overlapping description will be omitted. The characteristic parts of the present invention will be described below.

In the ball joint of the present invention, a tongue piece is provided on a part of the inner surface of the dustproof boot 15 in the circumferential direction, which is provided between the periphery of the opening of the housing 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate portion of the joint pin 1.
Forming eighteen. This tongue piece 18 is, for example, a dustproof boot 15
It is provided on the side of the inner peripheral surface that restricts the swing of the joint pin 1, such as at two positions opposite in the diametrical direction, and the tip end of each tongue piece 18 is the peripheral edge portion 16 of the opening of the housing 2. Between the outer peripheral surface of the joint pin 1 and
The tongues 18 limit the swing of the joint pin 1 with respect to the housing 2 in a specific direction.

The operation itself of the ball joint of the present invention configured as described above when allowing the joint pin 1 and the housing 2 to rotate or swing relative to each other is as follows.
Similar to the case of the conventional ball joint described above,
The joint pin 1 and the housing 2 may rotate or swing relative to each other within a range in which the sliding portion 7 formed at the end of the joint pin 1 can slide inside the sleeve 3. Is acceptable.

However, in the ball joint of the present invention, the tongue piece 18 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the dustproof boot 15 restricts the swing of the joint pin 1 with respect to the housing 2 in a specific direction.

That is, when the joint pin 1 swings counterclockwise in FIG. 1 toward the side where the tongue piece 18 is present, the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate portion of the joint pin 1 and the tip end portion of the tongue piece 18 are The collision of the joint pins 1 limits the swing of the joint pin 1 (in the range of the angle α in FIG. 1). On the other hand, the joint pin 1 faces toward the side where the tongue piece 18 is not provided,
When swinging clockwise in FIG. 1, until the joint pin 1 collides with the opening peripheral edge portion 16 of the housing 2,
It can be swung by a relatively large angle β.

In this way, the tongue piece 18 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the dustproof boot 15 restricts the swinging of the joint pin 1 in a specific direction, so that the outer peripheral surface of the joint pin 1 and the opening of the housing 2 are elliptical. There is no need to perform troublesome machining other than circular such as shape.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the above-described first embodiment, the tongue piece 18 is formed so as to project inward from the inner peripheral surface intermediate portion of the dustproof boot 15, whereas in the case of the present embodiment, the tongue piece 18 is formed in the dustproof boot 15. The inner peripheral surface is formed so as to protrude inward from the inner peripheral side end edge portion.

Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the first embodiment described above.

(Effect of the Invention) The ball joint of the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, but in order to limit the swinging of the joint pin in a specific direction, a circular shape is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the joint pin or the opening of the housing. It is possible to reduce the production cost of the ball joint because it is not necessary to perform other troublesome processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the ball joint of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a half sectional view showing the second embodiment, and FIG.
The figure is a cross-sectional view of a conventional ball joint. 1: joint pin, 2: housing, 3: sleeve, 4: pressing piece, 5: compression spring, 6: end cap, 7: sliding part, 8: support hole, 9: receiving surface, 10: mating surface, 11: step portion, 12: outward flange portion, 13: end edge, 14: caulking portion, 15: dustproof boot, 16: opening peripheral portion, 17: neck portion, 18: tongue piece.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A joint pin having a sliding portion whose outer surface is a spherical convex surface formed at one end, a housing having a supporting hole for holding the sliding portion, an inner peripheral surface of the supporting hole and the joint. A ball joint comprising a sleeve provided between the sliding portion of the pin and a dustproof boot provided between the periphery of the opening of the housing and the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate portion of the joint pin. A tongue piece is formed on a part of the inner surface of the boot in the circumferential direction, and the tip end portion of the tongue piece is inserted between the peripheral edge portion of the opening of the housing and the outer peripheral surface of the joint pin to thereby join the joint pin to the housing. A ball joint characterized by limiting swinging in a specific direction.