A dust cover is provided that is attached to a ball joint in which a spherical portion in a stud having the spherical portion and a shaft is accommodated in a socket and a knuckle is fastened into the shaft and is provided with a large diameter opening fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the socket, a small diameter opening attached to the shaft part of the stud, and a film portion connecting the large diameter opening and the small diameter opening. The small diameter opening is provided with a seal portion in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft and a contact portion in close contact with the knuckle. In the contact portion, a foreign matter discharge groove discharging external foreign matter which tends to accumulate on the small diameter opening to the outside are formed.

A gimbal system is provided. The gimbal system includes a grooved, rotatable ball, including a plurality of grooves, wherein two or more of the plurality of grooves are configured to be complimentary with a plurality of teeth of a first gear, and wherein two or more of the plurality of grooves are configured to be complimentary with a plurality of teeth of a second gear. The gimbal system further includes the first gear and the second gear, wherein the first gear and the second gear are approximately perpendicular to each other.

This ball joint is provided with: a ball stud, one end being fastened to a suspension device/stabilizer, and the other end having a ball part; a housing that rotatably supports the ball part of the ball stud; and a ball seat provided so as to be interposed between the housing and the ball part, the ball seat having an inner spherical part for accommodating the ball part. The ball seat is provided to the housing by insert injection molding. The inside diameter dimension of the inner spherical part formed by separate injection molding is set to a dimension corresponding to the anticipated amount of molding shrinkage of the resin during the insert injection molding.

Solar panel assemblies and wall sections using such assemblies are described. In one solar panel assembly, there is a mounting post and three or more triangular shaped panels. Each triangular shaped panel is a solar panel responsive to a first spectrum of light and transparent to a second spectrum of light. The solar panel assembly also includes hinges which connect the triangular shaped panels to the mounting post. The at least three triangular shaped panels can move between a flat configuration and an inverted pyramid configuration. In a further embodiment of the solar panel assembly, the triangular shaped panels form a first solar panel layer, and the assembly also includes one or more additional solar panel layers. Each of the additional solar panel layers being responsive to an associated spectrum of light.

A ball joint assembly for use in a vehicle suspension system includes a housing including a first end surface and an opposing second end surface. The housing at least one of includes an outer tie rod of a steering assembly and is configured to be coupled to the outer tie rod of the steering assembly. The housing defines a cavity and also includes an opening defined in the second end surface. The ball joint assembly also includes a ball stud coupled to the housing such that a first portion of the ball stud is positioned in the cavity and a second portion of the ball stud extends through the opening. A wire harness is coupled to the first end surface of the housing and extends away from the housing in a direction opposite the second end surface.

The ball joint assembly includes a housing with an inner wall which surrounds an inner bore that extends along a central axis. The ball joint assembly further includes a ball stud with a ball portion and a shank portion. The ball portion is received in the inner bore of the housing, and the shank portion projects out of the inner bore through an open end of the housing. First and second preload members are disposed in the inner bore on opposite axial sides of the ball portion and are in contact with the ball portion. The preload members are of an elastomeric material. At least one of the preload members is compressed to urge the ball portion to a central location.

The present invention provides embodiments of modified upper and lower control arms for attachment to the steering knuckle that came with the vehicle, or for attachment to a modified steering knuckle of an embodiment of the invention, such that the steering knuckle, and in particular the wheel hub opening of the steering knuckle, are located at positions that are closer to the front of the vehicle than the positions provided by the control arms that came with the vehicle. The forward position of the wheel hub relative to the position provided by the factory or stock control arms moves the wheel and tire forward by the same distance, thereby allowing much larger wheels and tires to be mounted on the vehicle which do not rub against or interfere with the wheel well, fender or body mount, thereby increasing the approach angle of the vehicle for use in off-road climbing.

A method for producing a joining connection between a joint housing and at least one connection component including: providing a blank for the fabrication of the joint housing, and providing a connection component with a joint receptacle inserting the blank into the joint receptacle of the connection component and producing the joint housing through forming by cold extrusion of the inserted blank. An undercut positive-engagement joining connection is generated between the joint housing and the connection component during the cold extrusion process through transverse extrusion and/or upsetting. A chassis component has a structural component part with at least one joint receptacle formed as orifice and a joint housing for a joint device, which joint housing is inserted into this joint receptacle and fastened to the structural component part.

A ball joint includes a first lubricant interposed between a ball part of a ball stud and a bearing sheet. The ball joint includes a second lubricant having a higher friction coefficient than the first lubricant and enclosed inside a dust cover.

An adjustable ball joint which is infinitesimally adjustable using a jam nut wherein no set screws are used. A kit for constructing an adjustable ball joint which is infinitesimally adjustable using a jam nut wherein no set screws are used. A method of assembling an adjustable ball joint which is infinitesimally adjustable using a jam nut wherein no set screws are used.