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.

A suspension operation system includes: a suspension that includes a plurality of links supporting a wheel, at least one or more of the links having an actuator increasing or decreasing its length in an axial direction; a control device that supplies a drive signal to the actuator to control operation of the suspension; and a suspension operation terminal that operates the suspension. The suspension operation terminal includes: a detector that detects operation input information to the suspension operation terminal; and a communicator that transmits information about a target posture of the wheel, the information being based on the operation input information, to the control device as an operation command. The control device includes: a first calculator that calculates the length of the actuator on the basis of the operation command; and a drive circuit that produces the drive signal on the basis of information from the first calculator.

The pivot joint assembly includes a housing with an opening which extends along an axis. A bearing is received in the opening and which has a cylindrical outer surface that is in slidable contact with another surface so that the bearing can slide in an axial direction relative to the housing. The bearing has a curved inner bearing surface. The pivot joint assembly also includes an inner ring with a curved outer surface that is in slidable contact with the curved inner bearing surface of the bearing so that the inner ring can rotate and articulate relative to the housing.

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 supporting arrangement for an eccentric member (8) of an adjusting arrangement (6) of a connecting rod (2) of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine having at least one piston rod (18) that is guided displaceably by a piston (20) and a seal member (24) is connected to the supporting piston (20) in a supporting cylinder (12, 14) which is provided in the connecting rod (2) and has a longitudinal axis (16). The supporting piston (20) enclosing at least one cylinder chamber (22) with the supporting cylinder (12, 14). A side (28) of the supporting piston (20) that is directed toward the cylinder chamber (22) has a brake piston (30) that can be moved in the longitudinal axis (16). The brake piston (30) is mounted on the supporting piston (20) and can be prestressed by a spring (32).

The present invention relates to a detection system for detecting wear of a ball-joint connection device of a pitch rod. The detection system includes at least one measurement assembly, said at least one measurement assembly having at least one deformation gauge for placing on said pitch rod, said detection system comprising at least one electrical conditioning circuit connected to at least one said deformation gauge and to at least one electrical energy source, said electrical conditioning circuit being configured to generate a measurement signal that varies as a function of deformation of said at least one deformation gauge and as a function of said wear.

An extension-retraction link includes: a stationary shaft having a tubular shape; a first universal joint that connects the stationary shaft to a vehicle body side member; a movable shaft that can slide with respect to the stationary shaft; a second universal joint that connects the movable shaft to a hub carrier; and an actuator that moves the movable shaft. The movable shaft includes: a first plane surface; a second plane surface making an angle with respect to the first plane surface; a third plane surface opposite the first plane surface; and a fourth plane surface opposite the second plane surface. The stationary shaft includes: first to fourth bushes in contact with the first to fourth plane surfaces, respectively; a first elastic member pressing the third bush to the third plane surface; and a second elastic member pressing the fourth bush to the fourth plane surface.

A universal joint includes: a housing; an arm, part of which is located inside the housing; an external bush that is located between an inner circumferential surface of the housing and the arm; an internal bush that is located on the opposite side of the external bush with the arm being interposed therebetween; and a supporting member that supports the internal bush. The arm includes: an arm convex surface that is a spherical convex surface; and an arm concave surface that is a spherical concave surface. The external bush includes a bush concave surface that is a spherical concave surface in contact with the arm convex surface. The internal bush includes a bush convex surface that is a spherical convex surface in contact with the arm concave 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 ball socket assembly includes a housing that is made as a monolithic piece and has an inner bore. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud that has a semi-spherically curved portion, a cylindrical portion, and a shank portion. The ball socket assembly further includes a backing bearing and an exit bearing. A third bearing is received on the cylindrical portion of the ball stud. The third bearing has a curved outer surface which cooperates with the curved inner surface of at least one of the exit and backing bearings for allowing the ball stud and the bearing to articulate and rotate relative to the housing. The third bearing is also in slidable contact with the cylindrical portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud to more freely rotate relative to the housing about the central axis.