JPS6247612B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for joining a suspension ball joint used in, for example, an automobile suspension system to a cylindrical transverse link.

Conventionally, the method of fitting and fixing a ball joint to the cylindrical part of a link such as a transverse link has been to press fit the cylinder of the link onto the outer periphery of the socket into a groove that is previously formed on the outer periphery of the socket of the ball joint. It is common to tighten the tip of the section and secure it by caulking.

However, in this conventional method, the groove and the tip edge of the cylindrical part narrowed into the groove match dimensionally accurately, and when the caulking is fixed, the tip edge of the narrowed crimped part is perfectly aligned with the edge of the groove without any gaps. It is necessary to ensure that the socket is in contact with the socket, and if a gap is created between the tip edge of the caulked part and the edge of the groove due to a slight dimensional error, it will cause damage when a large external force in the axial direction is applied to the socket. There is a risk that play may occur in the socket in the gap, resulting in a problem in that the durability of the ball joint against large axial loads is significantly reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a ball joint joining method that can solve the conventional problems as described above.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a ball stud, 2
is the ball joint socket, 4 is the cover, and 5 is the ball joint socket.
is a ball seat, and 6 is a spring, which constitute a ball joint.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a cylindrical portion formed on a link such as a transverse link, and a flange-like portion 12 bent inward to have a key-like cross section is formed at the end of the cylindrical portion 3.

A tapered portion 15 (conical surface portion or arcuate inclined body portion) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the socket 2 of the ball joint, and an annular groove 14 and a retainer are provided at the small diameter end of the tapered portion 15. collar part 13
are formed continuously. The retaining collar 1
The outer diameter of 3 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tip of the flange-like portion 12.

A mounting groove for the large diameter end of the dust cover 7 is formed on the outer peripheral surface near the socket end on the large diameter side of the tapered portion 15, and the large diameter end of the dust cover 7 is fitted into the mounting groove. The small diameter end of the dust cover 7 is fitted onto the ball stud 1 to seal the inside of the socket 2.

The upper end surface of the mounting groove is provided with a bottom surface for placing the ball joint on the receiving jig 9 during crimping work, which will be described later, when the large diameter end of the dust cover 7 is fitted and fixed in the groove. It is structured to have a sufficient margin to accommodate the side receiving seat surface 16.

In the above, first, the ball joint is placed and set on the receiving jig 9 for the lower receiving surface 16, and the cylindrical portion 3 of the link is inserted and press-fitted into the outer peripheral surface of the socket 2 of the ball joint. As shown in FIG. 1, the cylindrical portion 3 covers the outside of the tapered portion 15, and the flange portion 12 at the end of the cylindrical portion 3 has a predetermined gap in the axial direction from the end surface of the retaining collar portion 13. .

Next, as shown in FIG. 2A, the cylindrical portion 3 is deformed by crimping inward (in the direction of the tapered surface) by the crimping roller 11 of the crimping machine 10. Then, as the bent portion is caulked and the flange-shaped portion 12 is deformed, the flange-like portion 12 rises and deforms while changing the bending angle, as shown from the chain line to the solid line in Fig. 2B, and the end portion is used to prevent it from coming off. When the cylindrical part 3 is further crimped by the crimping roller 11 until it hits the end surface 13' of the collar 13 and contacts the tapered part, the flange part 12 further rises and tries to deform, strongly pushing the retaining collar 13'. , the reaction force strongly presses against the tapered portion 15 of the caulked portion of the cylindrical portion 3.

In this way, the cylindrical portion 3 can be firmly fixed to the socket 2 in a state where the tapered portion 15 and the retaining collar end face 13' are tensioned in the axial direction with a repulsive force.

With the ball joint connected and fixed to the cylindrical part in this way, even if a large external force is applied to the ball stud 1 in the axial direction, the socket 2 and the cylindrical part 3
There is no looseness or play in between,
The structure can sufficiently withstand large axial loads.

Furthermore, as the cylindrical portion 3 is deformed by caulking, the flange portion 12 rises and deforms and hits the end face 13' of the retaining collar portion to generate a repulsive force, so that the tapered portion 15 and the retaining collar It is also possible to sufficiently absorb slight dimensional errors between the end faces 13' and the length of the cylindrical portion 3.

Furthermore, in the present invention, when fitting the ball joint socket 2 into the cylindrical portion 3, it is only necessary to insert it from the cover 4 side, so that it can be fitted regardless of the shape of the dust cover 7. Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 3 can be fitted into the ball joint socket 2 with the dust cover 7 attached, which improves the ease of assembly.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which the tapered part 15 of the ball joint socket 2 is formed continuously with the cylindrical part in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a state in which these are connected by caulking. This example has the advantage that component accuracy can be simplified compared to the case where there is a cylindrical part.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the crimping machine 10 is adapted to perform punch crimping.

FIG. 6 is a side external view showing a portion where the circumference of the cylindrical portion is punched and caulked at several equal locations.

In either case, the same effect as in FIGS. 1 and 2 is obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The attached figures are for explaining embodiments of the present invention.
The figure is a sectional view of the assembled state, FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams of the caulking work in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2C is a side external view of FIG. 2A. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention in an assembled state, FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the state after crimping in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the procedure of punch crimping. FIG. 6 is an external view of the circumference where punches are caulked at several equal parts on the circumference. 1...Ball stud, 2...Ball joint socket, 3...Cylindrical part of link, 4...Cover, 5...Ball seat, 6...Spring,
7... Dust cover, 8... Clamp, 9... Receiving jig, 10... Crimping machine, 11... Crimping roller, 12... Flange shaped portion, 13... Collar for retaining, 15... Tapered shape Department.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A link in which a flange-shaped portion is formed by bending the end of a cylindrical portion for fitting into a ball joint socket inward into a key-shaped cross section, and a tapered outer peripheral surface to be fitted into the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion of the link is press-fitted into the outer circumferential surface of the ball joint socket, and the cylindrical portion is press-fitted into the outer peripheral surface of the ball joint socket. The cylindrical portion covers the outside of the tapered portion, and the flange portion at the end of the cylindrical portion leaves a predetermined gap in the axial direction with the end face of the retaining collar, and then the cylindrical portion is directed toward the tapered portion. By appropriately caulking the cylindrical part, the flange-like part receives side pressure from the caulking of the cylindrical part, changes the bending angle, and rises and deforms, causing the tip of the flange-like part to touch the end surface of the retaining collar of the ball joint socket. By further caulking the cylindrical portion until it completely contacts the tapered portion, the tip of the flange portion and the caulked portion of the cylindrical portion are placed between the ball joint socket retaining collar and the tapered portion. A method for joining a ball joint, which is characterized by being fixed in a tensioned state with a repulsive force. 2. Joining of a ball joint according to claim 1, wherein the fitting portion of the ball joint socket with the cylindrical portion is configured in a tapered shape without a cylindrical fitting portion. Method. 3. The method of joining a ball joint according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cylindrical portion of the link is fixed by caulking at several locations equally spaced on the circumference.