RU2121614C1 - Ball joint universal sliding bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: mechanical engineering; transport engineering; suspensions of car wheels and steering rods. SUBSTANCE: ball joint universal sliding bearing is made in form of truncated spherical envelope made of antifriction thermoplastic material and provided with longitudinal slots arranged radially over truncated portion to form lobes from end face to equatorial plane, and with projections on outer surface. Cavity made on pole of inner surface of spherical envelope is connected by meridional grooves with slots, and cavities made on outer surface of indicated envelope alternate with projections which can be arranged above equatorial plane and made in form of concentric ring steps. Projections and cavities can be made also on outer surface of lobes or on two or four relatively opposite lobes. Circular cylindrical bead is made on outer surface of indicated envelope at equatorial plane. EFFECT: increased service life of bearing, facilitated manufacture of bearing. 6 cl, 20 dwg

Description

 The present invention relates to transport engineering and relates to bearings, mainly from antifriction materials, for ball joints of the front suspension of automobile wheels and steering rods.

 Known ball joint with sliding bearings inserted in a glass-like housing, on its outer side surface having elastically deformable longitudinal ribs adjacent to the inner wall of the housing. During operation, dynamic shocks are perceived by these ribs and soften the longitudinal loads on the bearing.

 The hinge design is applicable only to steering rods and is not used to complete wheel hinges (USSR Patent N 1311629, 05.15.87).

 Known liner ball joint made in the form of a truncated spherical shell of an elastic material having longitudinal slots around the circumference of the truncated part of the shell and the outer protrusions of a hemispherical shape on its side surface. Meridial grooves are made on the inner surface of the shell, and an annular recess is made in the polar region.

 The liner is used mainly in wheel hinges with the use of thermosetting filler to eliminate gaps with the walls of the housing during the assembly of the hinge, which complicates the design and assembly technology according to the RF patent N 2049376 from 11.27.95 (prototype - RF patent N 2075657, 03.20.97).

 The objective of the invention is the creation of a universal sliding bearing of a ball joint, mainly from antifriction thermoplastic material suitable for wheel joints and steering link joints, while providing reliable dynamic loads in the equatorial and polar axes of the joint while simplifying assembly of the joint.

 The technical result of the task is achieved by the fact that in the known solution, the ball bearing is a ball joint made in the form of a truncated spherical shell of antifriction thermoplastic material, for example, a mixture of aliphatic polyamide with a carbon fiber filler and polyamide, there are longitudinal slots on the side of the truncated part, the petals from the end of the sphere beyond the equatorial plane passing horizontally through the center of the spherical shell. The longitudinal length of the slot can be carried out from the equatorial plane to the recess located on the inner surface of the spherical shell, and if the length of the slot does not reach the recess, then it is connected by meridial grooves made on the inner surface of the sphere with these slots. The most preferred embodiment of the lengths of the slots 1-2 of the wall thickness of the sphere outside the equatorial plane. It is especially important that the outer surface of the spherical shell is provided with mutually alternating protrusions and depressions. These protrusions and depressions can be of various shapes and depending on the purpose of the sliding bearing, their location on the outer surface of the sphere, their shape and alternation may be different.

 For a wheel hinge, where dynamic loads are mainly directed along the axis of the finger, it is advisable to perform intermittent protrusions and troughs above the equatorial plane of the sliding bearing, in which case ring concentric grooves or steps are the most preferred form of intermittent protrusions and troughs.

 For a hinge capable of absorbing loads in the polar and equatorial direction, alternating protrusions and depressions are located on the surface above the equatorial plane and on the outer surface of the petals, and they can be made in the form of circular horizontal and vertical grooves or steps. Depending on the design and purpose of the ball joint, alternating protrusions and depressions on the outer surface of the petals can be made on two or four opposite petals. In addition, the alternating protrusions and depressions can be of various shapes and are staggered on the outer surface of the truncated sphere of the plain bearing.

 The presence on the outer surface of the truncated sphere of alternating protrusions and depressions when mounted in the hinge body is partially elastically deformed by an amount that does not reach the inner contour of the outer surface of the sphere, due to which, under dynamic loads, further deformation of the protrusions softens the load on the sliding bearing, improving its operational characteristics and the ball joint generally.

 For better centering of the sliding bearing in the bearing housing during assembly during the assembly process, a cylindrical belt is made on the outer surface of the spherical shell in the area of the equatorial plane.

 The proposed universal ball bearing is shown in the exemplary embodiments in FIG. 1-20.

 In FIG. 1 shows a plain ball bearing - top view; in FIG. 2 - section aa in figure 1; figure 3 is a view In figure 1.

 The sliding bearing of the ball joint (figure 2) is made in the form of a truncated spherical shell. From the side of the end of the truncated part of the spherical shell 1, longitudinal slots 2 are made and forming petals 3 from the end 4 of the truncated part of the spherical shell 1 to the equatorial plane 5. The length of the longitudinal slots 2 beyond the equatorial plane 5 can reach a recess 7 on the inner surface of the truncated shell 1 at pole 6 .

 Meridial grooves 8 are made between the recess 7 and the slots 2 on the inner surface of the shell, and on the outer surface of the spherical shell 10 alternating protrusions 9 and depressions 11 are formed. The wall thickness of the spherical shell in the polar region 6 is higher than the equatorial plane 5 and exceeds the wall thickness of the petals 3 below the equatorial plane 5.

 In the examples of FIG. 4 and 5 depict a plain bearing. On the outer surface of the spherical shell 1 there are intermittent protrusions and depressions, horizontal - above the equatorial plane 5 and vertical - on the petals 3.

 In the examples of FIG. Figures 6-8 show a ball bearing with holes 2 made from the end face 4 of the truncated shell 1 to the groove 7 in the polar region 6. In this example, there are no meridional grooves 8 on the inner surface of the spherical shell, and in the region of the equatorial plane 5 on the outer surface of the shell 10 - a cylindrical belt 12.

 In the examples of FIG. 9-10 depict a sliding bearing with a spherical shell made on the outer surface 10 and on four opposing petals 3, alternating horizontal and vertical protrusions and depressions.

 In the examples of FIG. 11-13 protrusions and troughs are made above the equatorial plane 5 in the form of intermittent horizontal steps.

 In the examples of FIG. 14-15 on the outer surface 10 of the spherical shell 1 of the sliding bearing of the ball joint are made alternating protrusions and depressions in the form of horizontal steps, and on the outer surface of the petals 3 are vertical intermittent protrusions and depressions.

 In the examples of FIG. 16-18, a sliding bearing is depicted, on a spherical shell of which slots 2 are made between the end face 4 and the recess 7, and the alternating protrusions 3 and depressions 11 are made in the form of horizontal steps above the equatorial plane 5.

 In the examples of FIG. 19-20, a plain bearing is depicted, on the outer surface 10 of a spherical shell 1 of which mutually alternating protrusions 9 and depressions 11 are made in the form of steps horizontal above the equatorial plane 5 and vertical on two opposite petals 3.

 In the exemplary embodiments of the alternating projections and depressions in FIG. Figures 1–20 indicate some of the combinations of their combination and form of execution, including those that can be staggered by protrusions and troughs, varying which you can obtain various cushioning characteristics of a sliding bearing in a ball joint, depending on the design of the joint and its purpose .

 It is important that the shape of the sliding bearing in the form of a truncated spherical shell with intermittent protrusions and troughs, cuts and meridial grooves allows you to eliminate tool gaps during installation of the ball joint due to the combination of protrusions and troughs, partially deformed during assembly, and to soften shock loads in different angular positions of the finger ball joint during operation.

 Example. A spherical finger head pre-lubricated with grease is introduced into the sliding bearing 1 from the side of the end 4, spreading the petals 3. Next, the assembly is introduced into the socket of the hinge body having an identical spherical surface above the equatorial plane 5 and a cylindrical inner surface below the equatorial plane (not shown). The final assembly is completed by crimping the edges of the housing with the creation in the sliding bearing in the form of a spherical shell of partial elastic deformation, providing a given moment of swing of the finger.

 As a result of the qualitative fit of the surfaces of the spherical shell to the walls of the body and the finger head due to deformation of alternating protrusions and depressions in the hinge, there are no gaps in the area of the working parts, in addition, machining, as a rule of a stamped body, is not required, which also reduces the cost and simplifies the process of manufacturing ball hinges with a simultaneous increase in the durability of its operation.

Claims (6)

 1. The universal sliding bearing of the ball joint, made in the form of a truncated spherical shell of an antifriction thermoplastic material with longitudinal slots radially spaced around the circumference of the truncated part, for the formation of petals from the end to the equatorial plane, and with protrusions on the outer surface, while on the pole of the inner a notch is formed on the surface of the spherical shell, connected by meridial grooves with slots, characterized in that on the outer surface of the shell troughs interchanging with protrusions are also associated.  2. The sliding bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that the alternating protrusions and troughs are located above the equatorial plane.  3. The sliding bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that the alternating protrusions and troughs are made in the form of concentric annular steps.  4. The sliding bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that the alternating protrusions and troughs are also located on the outer surface of the petals.  5. The sliding bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that the alternating protrusions and troughs are made on two or four mutually opposite petals.  6. The bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that an annular cylindrical girdle is made on the outer surface of said shell at the equatorial plane.

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