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.

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.

A steer axle assembly for an axle including a first steering component, a second steering component, and a movable joint assembly coupled to the first steering component and the second steering component. The movable joint is configured for axial movement and rotational movement to provide for relative movement between the first and second steering components. The first steering component is produced from a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The second steering component is produced from a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the second coefficient of thermal expansion is different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion.

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.

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.

A system for supporting a workpiece is disclosed, wherein several heads with a suction cup define an engaging and supporting surface that is at least partially shaped like the workpiece. Each head with suction cup is coupled by a ball joint with a first movable element of a vertical linear actuator and is couplable by a removable fitting with a fork carried by a second movable element that rotates around a rotation axis that is coaxial with the axis of the linear actuator. The second movable element carries an abutment, spaced from the center of the ball joint against which the suction cup head abuts and moved by the linear actuator to perform the adjustment of the orientation thereof around the ball joint.

Adjustable and rebuildable ball joint assemblies are disclosed. Methods for installation, adjustment, and rebuilding ball joint assemblies are described. In some embodiments, the ball joint assembly includes a washer with tabs to restrain rotation of the cap relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the ball joint assembly includes a locking mechanism to restrain rotation of the bearing relative to the housing.

The socket assembly has a housing with an inner bore which extends from a first end to a second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and presents a curved bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with the ball portion. A first spring biases the backing bearing against the ball portion. The socket assembly also includes an exit bearing with a cylindrical portion that is in contact with an equator of the ball portion and a semi-spherical portion that is in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere from the first bearing surface. A second spring biases the exit bearing into a predetermined location established by the housing. The exit bearing is movable from the predetermined location in a direction towards the second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.

A homokinetic joint includes a joint socket shaft having a joint socket flange; a housing nut, which surrounds the joint socket shaft and has an internal thread; a joint head shaft, which has an external thread, wherein the external thread is of complementary design to the internal thread of the housing nut, wherein the joint socket shaft can be pivoted in a first pivoting direction and in a second pivoting direction relative to the joint head shaft; and a torsion disc between the joint socket shaft and the joint head shaft for transmitting torsional loads between the joint socket shaft and the joint head shaft; wherein a respective ball bearing is formed between the housing nut and the joint socket flange, between the joint socket flange and the torsion disc, and between the torsion disc and the joint head shaft.