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.

One aspect of the present invention is related to a ball socket assembly that includes a housing with an inner bore and at least one open end. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud which is partially received in the inner bore of the housing. An exit bearing supports the ball stud and is positioned in the inner bore adjacent the at least one open end. The exit bearing includes a plastic piece and a metal piece which are connected with one another. The metal piece has a semi-conical shape. The housing is deformed adjacent the at least one open end to capture the exit bearing within the inner bore. In operation, the metal piece reinforces the plastic piece to transfer forces between the ball stud and the housing.

The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore that extends along a central axis from a generally closed first end to an open second end. The socket assembly also includes a ball stud which includes 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 the open second end. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore. The backing bearing has a curved bearing surface that is in slidable contact with the ball portion of the ball stud. The backing bearing includes a polymeric piece and a metal sleeve which surrounds the polymeric piece to resist radial expansion of the polymeric piece.

An axial ball joint for a length-adjustable two-point link having a housing and a ball stud supported in the housing by a joint ball to be rotatably and swivelably movable and which extends in an axial direction out of the housing in undeflected state. The housing has a connection pin integrally connected to the housing that extends perpendicular to axial direction. A length-adjustable two-point link has two angle joints connected to one another via a connection element, particularly a connection pipe. One angle joint is formed as an axial ball joint connected to the connection element to be adjustable in length. The other angle joint is formed as a radial ball joint and is rigidly connected to the connection element.

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 present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a vehicular hybrid suspension arm and a hybrid suspension arm manufactured using the same. The method of manufacturing a hybrid suspension arm includes preparing an assembly of a ball stud and a bearing; preparing a suspension arm body; attaching a ball joint pipe and bush pipes to the suspension arm body; manufacturing a suspension arm main body by inserting the assembly of the ball stud and the bearing into the ball joint pipe; inserting the suspension arm main body into a mold in which a plurality of fixing pins are formed; injecting an insert molding into a ball joint portion comprising the ball joint pipe and the ball stud in a direction of an upper surface of the ball joint pipe through the mold; and inserting and assembling bushes into the bush pipes.

A ball joint according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a ball stud comprising a spherical ball and a rod extending upwardly from the ball; a bearing comprising an upper outer peripheral surface and a lower outer peripheral surface and configured to accommodate the ball; and a case comprising an upper inner peripheral surface which entirely comes into contact with the upper outer peripheral surface of the bearing and a stopper to which an upper end of the bearing is caught.

The tie rod end includes a housing with an inner bore that extends along a central axis. A stud is partially received in the inner bore and has a shank portion which extends out of the inner bore for attachment with a gearbox. The tie rod end further includes an elastic boot body which extends from a first boot end, which is sealed with the housing, to a second boot end. A boot bearing, which is made of a plastic material, is secured with the second boot end. The boot bearing is in a dynamic sealing engagement with the shank portion of the stud. The boot bearing presents a plurality of radially inwardly extending and annularly-shaped ribs that contact the shank portion.

The tie rod end includes a housing with an inner bore that extends along a central axis. A stud is partially received in the inner bore and has a shank portion which extends out of the inner bore for attachment with a gearbox. The tie rod end further includes an elastic boot body which extends from a first boot end, which is sealed with the housing, to a second boot end. A boot bearing, which is made of a plastic material, is secured with the second boot end. The boot bearing is in a dynamic sealing engagement with the shank portion of the stud. The boot bearing presents a plurality of radially inwardly extending and annularly-shaped ribs that contact the shank portion.

A ball socket assembly, bearing therefor, and method of construction thereof are provided. The ball socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore extending between a closed first end region and an open second end region. A fiber-reinforced bearing is disposed in the inner bore. The bearing has a lower portion presenting a lower bearing surface having a first radius of curvature and an upper portion presenting an upper bearing surface having a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature. The lower bearing surface and the upper bearing surface surround a ball cavity in which a spherical ball portion of a ball stud is disposed. The housing second end region is plastically deformed radially inwardly to impart a bias on the bearing upper portion to fix the bearing and the ball portion in the housing. The bias causes the second radius of curvature to be biased substantially equal to the first radius of curvature.