A universal join is provided, including a driving portion and a joint head. The driving portion includes a ball nest and a polygonal column disposed within the ball nest. The joint head includes a working end portion and a ball head portion, and the ball head portion is rotatably and swingably disposed within the ball nest. A shaped of the ball head portion corresponds to a shaped of the ball nest, and the polygonal column is co-rotatable with the ball head portion. The ball head portion including a polygonal groove, and the polygonal column is inserted within the polygonal groove.

A fastening device for the articulated fastening of a first construction unit, e.g., a drive device which can be varied in length by motor, to a second construction unit, e.g., a motor vehicle. The fastening device comprises a ball pin with a bolt shaft defining a bolt axis. One end of the bolt shaft is configured for fastening to the second construction unit and the other end comprises a ball head mounted in a ball socket of a ball socket unit. An attachment unit attaches the ball socket unit to the first construction unit. The ball socket unit has two integral contact portions, which are diametrically opposed to one another with respect to the bolt axis and are in contact with the bolt shaft. The contact portions may each be provided with an indentation area, such that they are elastically deformable in a direction away from the bolt shaft.

A contact layer is formed by a deposition method on an inner surface of a first metal element by a centrifuging process, and preferably includes an inner layer of copper alloy and an outer layer of tin alloy. Such a contact layer is used in an articulation joint including a first metal element having a surface provided with the contact layer, and a second metal element with a second surface. The first and second elements are relatively movable such that first and second surfaces slide against each other.

The ball joint includes a housing that has an inner bore. A ball stud is partially received in the inner bore. The ball stud has a ball portion and a shank portion which are separate pieces from one another and which are in threaded engagement with one another. At least one bearing is disposed in the inner bore and slidably supports the ball portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud to rotate and articulate relative to the housing. The ball portion is shaped through a forging operation, and the shank portion is shaped through a process which includes machining and does not include forging.

In the present invention, a housing includes a first opening in a first edge region facing a pin of a ball stud, the ball stud protrudes from the first opening, a gap is provided between an inner wall of a cavity and an outer wall of a bearing shell, a lining is injected into the gap, and the housing further includes a second opening in a second edge region opposite from the first opening for injecting the lining through the cavity, and one or more structural elements for clamping the lining to the inner wall of the second opening.

A radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) for a vehicle having a housing (2, 51) for holding a joint ball (11) of a ball stud (6) so that the ball stud can rotate and pivot. An upper bearing shell (7), made from a steel sheet, is arranged between an inside wall (10) of the housing (2, 51) and the joint ball (11). The upper bearing shell (7) is in contact with the joint ball (11) over a contact zone (21) to provide the joint ball (11) with a circumferential slide bearing between its equator (12) and its upper pole (13). The upper bearing shell (7) is in the form of an annular, circumferentially closed drawn component and has in the contact zone (21) with the joint ball (11). A number of lubrication grooves (14), pass through a wall (20) of the upper bearing shell (7), in an embossment manner.

Mechanical joints and processes for using same. The mechanical joint can be configured to provide an articulated connection between a first member and a second member. In some embodiments, the mechanical joint can include a support member and an arm. The support member can define an aperture therethrough and a socket on an inner surface thereof. The arm can include a ball disposed on a first end thereof that can be engaged within and supported by the socket defined by the support member. A second end of the arm can extend through the aperture of the support member such that the arm can rotate relative to the support member about a longitudinal axis of the arm and at least partially rotate about two axes that pass through a center point of the ball that are perpendicular to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the arm.

The assembly includes a housing that has an inner bore and a ball stud that has a ball portion with opposing first and second hemispheres. A bearing assembly is disposed in the inner bore of the housing and presents a curved first bearing surface that is in slidable contact with only the first hemisphere of the ball portion. The ball socket assembly also includes a curved second bearing surface that is presented on a different component from the bearing assembly and is in slidable contact with the second hemisphere of the ball portion. The bearing assembly has a plastic portion and a plurality of metal segments. The metal segments collectively define the first bearing surface and are fixedly attached with the plastic portion. The plastic portion allows the metal segments to individually move relative to one another to seat against the ball portion of the ball stud.

A spherical bearing for a damper system includes a first segment and a second segment with a ball therebetween. The ball includes a shaft extending therefrom. The shaft extends out of the first segment. A lubricious liner is disposed between the first segment and the second segment.

An arrangement for connecting a link (1) of a chassis to a wheel carrier (2) by way of a ball sleeve joint (3). The link (1) has an link eye (1a), the ball sleeve joint (3) has a ball sleeve (7), and the wheel carrier (2) has two bearing eyes (4, 5). A sensor is located on the link eye (1a) and a signal generator is located on the ball sleeve (7). The sensor and signal generator form an angle measuring device. The ball sleeve (7) is connected to the bearing eyes (4, 5) via a threaded pin (6). An anti-rotation unit (9, 10) is provided between the ball sleeve (7) and the wheel carrier (2) in order to fix a defined angular position of the ball sleeve (7) with respect to the wheel carrier (2).