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.

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 method for producing a cage for a ball joint of a vehicle that includes a step of injecting a first material via a first injection point so as to form a shell that encloses at least one housing, on a substantially spherical inner surface and a step of injecting a second material via a second injection point so as to form a contact zone in the housing of the shell.

A ball pin connector includes a sleeve-like housing having a cavity with an elastic ball bearing. The elastic ball bearing is axially moveable between a lifted up position, and a lower locking position. Cooperating surface structures are provided on an inner wall of the housing and on an outer wall of the elastic ball bearing as a plurality of projecting surface structures arranged circumferentially distributed with gaps in between such that in a first rotational state of the elastic ball bearing within the housing the projecting surface structures are aligned to be able to come into engagement such that the elastic ball bearing is held in the lifted up position, and such that in a second rotational state of the elastic ball bearing the projecting surface structures of the elastic ball bearing are aligned with gaps of the projecting surface structures of the housing.

The invention relates to an umbilical termination assembly for terminating a cable or umbilical. The termination assembly comprises a plurality of umbilical elements extending from an umbilical and which pass through a bulkhead plate. The seated ball element has a spherical body through which an umbilical element passes. The ball element is seated in a cup member which allows the ball element to rotate through a large range of angles allowing it to be aligned with the umbilical element without the umbilical element needing to be manipulated or forced into position. The umbilical element can then be attached to the ball element which is supported by the cup member on the bulkhead. This allows the axial tension in the umbilical element to be transferred to the bulkhead.

The ball joint assembly includes a housing with an inner wall that surrounds an axially extending open bore. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the open bore of the housing, and a shank portion of the ball stud projects out of the open bore. A pair of bearings are disposed in the inner bore of the housing and are interposed between the ball portion and the inner wall. Each bearing has a curved bearing surface which slidably contacts the ball portion for allowing the ball stud and the housing articulate relative before use. Each bearing also has an outer surface that slidably contacts the inner wall. A pair of biasing elements bias the bearings in opposite directions against the ball portion of the ball stud such that the ball stud is movable relative to the housing in the axial direction before use of the assembly.

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.

An insert for a ball joint (19) in a motor vehicle. The insert having a first part-structure (6) for making at least partial slide-bearing contact with a joint ball (2). The first part-structure (6) can be connected, by over-molding, to a joint socket (17) and/or to a joint housing (18). The insert (1) can be positioned and/or handled to cover a pole surface, to increase the extraction force, the insert (1) has an open part-structure (20) such that a cage-like configuration can be produced for surrounding the joint ball (2).

A ball joint with a housing having a housing opening with which a central axis (5) extending in an axial direction (z) and emerging through the housing opening is associated. A ball journal (12) having a joint ball (11) which, with its joint ball (11), is fitted and able to move within the housing and which extends out of the housing through the housing opening. A locking ring (13) is securely fitted into the housing which surrounds the central axis (5) and supports the joint ball (11) in the axial direction (z). The ring delimits a locking ring opening (25) through which the ball journal (12) extends, such that the locking ring opening (25) is larger, in a longitudinal direction (x), that extends transversely to the central axis (5) than in a transverse direction (y), that extends transversely to the central axis (5) and to the longitudinal direction (x).

A joint has a housing with journal openings, an inner joint portion with a bearing area, which is fitted into the housing and extends axially out of the housing through the openings. A bearing body is arranged in and firmly connected to the housing which encloses the bearing body and comprises plastic. The inner joint portion is fitted and able to move within the body. Sealing bellows surround the inner joint portion and extend from a bearing-body-side bellows contact area, provided on the body or the housing, to an inner-joint-portion-side bellows contact area, provided on the inner joint portion. A sleeve is provided, on at least one of the bellows contact areas, that surrounds the inner joint portion and extends axially. The sleeve surrounds the bellows or is surrounded by the bellows, and has, at an axial end, a radial limb against which the bellows is axially supported.