Abstract
An adjustable protective cap arrangement for a ball joint in a vehicle, comprising a main part and a cap part. The main part is configured to surround a ball joint lock nut, the main part having a central through hole which extends axially through the main part and which is configured to receive a portion of a ball joint stud projecting through and beyond the ball joint lock nut. The cap part is configured to be connected to an end portion of the main part to form a closed end of the protective cap arrangement. When the cap part has been connected to the main part, the height of the protective cap arrangement is adjustable by adjustment of the axial position of the cap part relative to the main part, thereby enabling accommodation of different ball joint stud heights.
Claims
1. An adjustable protective cap arrangement for a ball joint in a vehicle, comprising: a main part configured to surround a ball joint lock nut, the main part having a central through hole which extends axially through the main part and which is configured to receive a portion of a ball joint stud projecting through and beyond the ball joint lock nut, and a cap part configured to be connected to an end portion of the main part to form a closed end of the protective cap arrangement, wherein, when the cap part has been connected to the main part, the height of the protective cap arrangement is adjustable by adjustment of the axial position of the cap part relative to the main part, thereby enabling accommodation of different ball joint stud heights.
2. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 1, wherein: the end portion of the main part is provided with a first thread, and the cap part is provided with a second thread which is engageable with the first thread, wherein, upon threaded engagement between the cap part and the main part, rotation of the cap part results in adjustment of the height of the protective cap arrangement.
3. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 2, wherein: the first thread is an external thread of the end portion of the main part, and the second thread is an internal thread of the cap part.
4. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cap part has an external enveloping surface which is knurled or roughened.
5. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 1, wherein: the end portion of the main part is a first end portion, the main part further comprises an intermediate portion and a second end portion, the second end portion being axially separated from the first end portion by the intermediate portion, and the second end portion has a larger diameter than the intermediate portion and forms a radially extending flange of the main part.
6. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 5, wherein the first end portion has a smaller diameter than the intermediate portion.
7. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 1, further comprising: an annular plug-in part which is receivable in the through hole of the main part such that the main part surrounds the plug-in part, wherein the annular plug-in part has an internal surface which is shaped and configured to mate with an external surface of the ball joint lock nut.
8. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 7, wherein the annular plug-in part is made of a resilient material, such as a combination of rubber and plastic, and is configured to be press-fitted when inserted into the main part.
9. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 7, wherein: the main part has an internal interfacing surface configured to mate with an external interfacing surface of the plug-in part, and the interfacing surfaces provide a rotational lock when mated.
10. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 9, wherein: the internal and external interfacing surfaces are generally circular, and one of the internal and external interfacing surfaces is provided with at least one protrusion configured to mate with a corresponding recess in the other one of the internal and external interfacing surfaces.
11. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 7, wherein the internal surface of the annular plug-in part is provided with two diametrically opposed depressions or openings for enabling the plug-in part to be gripped and pulled out from the main part.
12. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 7, wherein: the annular plug-in part is a first annular plug-in part, the adjustable protective cap arrangement further comprises a second annular plug-in part for allowing a user to select which one of the first and second annular plug-in parts to insert into the main part, and the internal surface of the first annular plug-in part is dimensioned to mate with a ball joint nut of a first size and the internal surface of the second annular plug-in part is dimensioned to mate with a ball joint nut of a second size which is different from the first size.
13. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 12, wherein the first annular plug-in part and the second annular plug-in part have the same external dimension.
14. The adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 12, wherein: the first annular plug-in part has a first maximum wall thickness, and the second annular plug-in part has a second maximum wall thickness which is different from the first maximum wall thickness.
15. A vehicle comprising the assembled adjustable protective cap arrangement of claim 1.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.
[0034] In the drawings:
[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates an adjustable protective cap arrangement according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in an assembled state.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates the adjustable protective cap arrangement of FIG. 2 in a disassembled state.
[0038] FIGS. 4-7 illustrate an adjustable protective cap arrangement according to at least another exemplary embodiment.
[0039] FIGS. 8-9 illustrate an adjustable protective cap arrangement according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the adjustable protective cap arrangement is mounted on a ball joint in a vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] The general inventive concept will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain aspects are shown. The general inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments and aspects set forth herein; rather, the embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present general inventive concept is not limited to the embodiments described herein and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the description.
[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle 1 according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The exemplary illustration in FIG. 1 shows a heavy-duty vehicle 1. More specifically FIG. 1 shows a vehicle in the form of a tractor unit for towing a trailer unit (not shown), which together may make up a semitrailer vehicle. However, the teachings of the present disclosure are applicable to other types of vehicles as well. For instance, the vehicle may be a different type of vehicle for cargo transport, such as a truck, or a truck with a dolly unit arranged to tow a trailer unit, etc. Other exemplary vehicles include buses, construction equipment, and even passenger cars. The vehicle 1 may be operated by a driver or it may be an autonomous vehicle.
[0042] The vehicle 1 may comprise an adjustable protective cap arrangement of the general inventive concept, some examples of which will be discussed in relation to the other drawing figures.
[0043] FIG. 2 illustrates an adjustable protective cap arrangement 10 according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in an assembled state. The adjustable protective cap arrangement 10 is intended to cover a ball joint in a vehicle, such as the vehicle 1 in FIG. 1.
[0044] FIG. 3 illustrates the adjustable protective cap arrangement 10 of FIG. 2 in a disassembled state. As can be seen in both FIGS. 2-3, the adjustable protective cap arrangement 10 comprises a main part 12 and a cap part 14. The main part 12 is provided with an internal nut-mating structure 16, such as a hexagonal structure. FIGS. 2-3 thus illustrate that the nut-mating structure 16 may form an integral portion of the main part 12. However, in other exemplary embodiments the nut-mating structure may be provided as a plug-in part. This is illustrated in FIGS. 4-7.
[0045] Thus, FIGS. 4-7 illustrate an adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 according to at least another exemplary embodiment. The adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 comprises a main part 22 and a cap part 24. The cap part 24 may, if desired, be identical to the cap part 14 in FIGS. 2-3, but may of course be designed differently as well. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2-3, the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4-7 illustrates that an adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 may comprise several plug-in parts 26, 28 to choose from, each one with a differently sized nut-mating structure. Thus, depending on the size of the nut to be mated with, the appropriate plug-in part 26, 28 may be inserted into the main part 22. In the present illustrations, FIGS. 4 and 6 show a first plug-in part 26 which is configured to mate with a relatively large sized nut, while FIGS. 5 and 7 show a second plug-in part 28 which is configured to mate with a relatively small sized nut. FIGS. 4-7 will be discussed in more detail later in this disclosure.
[0046] Turning now to FIGS. 8-9, these drawing figures illustrate an adjustable protective cap arrangement, such as the arrangement 20 and the combination of components of FIGS. 4 and 6. The adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 is mounted on a ball joint 100 in a vehicle, such as the vehicle 1 in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 mounted to the ball joint 100 at a steering linkage arm 102 of the vehicle. FIG. 9 is a close-up cross-sectional view. As mentioned above, the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 seen in FIG. 9 may, for example, be the three-part combination shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, however, a two-part combination shown in FIGS. 2-3 could of course instead have been applied to the ball joint 100.
[0047] With reference to FIG. 9, a ball joint 100 normally comprises a ball joint stud 104 and a ball joint lock nut 106. The ball joint lock nut 106 may for example be secured to the ball joint stud 104 by means of cooperating threads (not illustrated). The ball joint stud 104 extends through the steering linkage arm 102. The ball joint lock nut 106 is provided around the ball joint stud 104 and is in contact with a surface 108 of the steering linkage arm 102 where the ball joint stud 104 protrudes (in this illustration it is an upper surface 108). Regardless of the adjustable protective cap arrangement being a two-part combination shown in FIGS. 2-3 (integral nut-mating structure) or a three-part combination shown in FIGS. 4-7 (nut-mating structure in plug-in part), the main part 12, 22 is configured to surround the ball joint lock nut 106. The main part 12, 22 has a central through hole 30 (see FIG. 9) which extends through the main part 12, 22 and which is configured to receive a portion of the ball joint stud 104 projecting through and beyond the ball joint lock nut 106.
[0048] Ball joint studs may come in different heights. Rather than providing a plurality of different protective caps of different heights for accommodating differently sized ball joint studs, according to the general teachings herein (including the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2-7), an adjustable protective cap arrangement 10, 20 is provided with a cap part 14, 24 which is adjustable relative to the main part 12, 22. More specifically, the cap part 14, 24 is configured to be connected to an end portion 32 of the main part 12, 22 to form a closed end of the adjustable protective cap arrangement 10, 20, as can be clearly seen for the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 shown in FIG. 9. When the cap part 14, 24 has been connected to the main part 12, 22, the height H of the protective cap arrangement 10, 20 is adjustable by adjustment of the axial position of the cap part 14, 24 relative to the main part 12, 22, thereby enabling accommodation of different ball joint stud heights. For instance, if the protective cap arrangement 20 in FIG. 9 would instead be placed on a ball joint having a ball joint stud of greater height, the cap part 24 could be axially adjusted and moved (upwardly in the figure) in a direction away from the main part 22 (but still remaining in contact with the main part 22).
[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 9, but more clearly seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, the adjustability of the cap part 14, 24 relative to the main part 12, 22 may in at least some exemplary embodiments be provided by cooperating threads. The end portion 32 of the main part 12, 22 may thus be provided with a first thread 34, and the cap part 14, 24 may be provided with a second thread 36 which is engageable with the first thread 34 (see FIGS. 3, 6 and 7). Upon threaded engagement between the cap part 14, 24 and the main part 12, 22, rotation of the cap part 14, 24 results in adjustment of the height H of the protective cap arrangement 10, 20. As illustrated in the drawing figures the first thread 34 may be an external thread of the end portion 32 of the main part 12, 22, while the second thread 36 may be an internal thread of the cap part 14, 24. In other exemplary embodiments it is, of course conceivable, to have the threads the other way around, i.e. externally of the cap part 14, 24 and internally of the main part 12, 22.
[0050] As best seen in FIGS. 2-7 the cap part 14, 24 may have an external enveloping surface 38 which is knurled. This provides a good grip when adjusting the axial position of the cap part 14, 24. Another example for providing a good grip may be to roughen the surface, such as by blasting, etching, etc.
[0051] As can be clearly seen in FIG. 9 (and also in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7) the end portion 32 of the main part 12, 22 is a first end portion 32. The main part 12, 22 further comprises a second end portion 40 which is axially separated from the first end portion 32 by an intermediate portion 42. The second end portion 40 has a larger diameter than the intermediate portion 42 and forms a radially extending flange of the main part 12, 22. As seen in FIG. 9, the flange (i.e., the second end portion 40) covers a part of the surface 108 on which the ball joint lock nut 106 rests. In particular, the second end portion 40 forms a circular contact with said surface 108. This circular contact encircles the ball joint lock nut 106 and provides rust protection to the part of the surface 108 adjacent the ball joint lock nut 106 (and thus also to the ball joint lock nut 106). It should be understood that the central through hole 30 which extends through the main part 12, 22, extends all the way through the axial extension of the main part 12, 22, from end to end. Thus, the through hole 30 extends through the first end portion 32, the intermediate portion 42 and the second end portion 40.
[0052] As can be clearly seen in FIG. 9 (and also in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7) the first end portion 32 may suitably have a smaller diameter than the intermediate portion 42, thereby avoiding unnecessary bulkiness.
[0053] Turning to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4-7, which will now be discussed in more detail. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 comprises an annular plug-in part 26 which is receivable in the through hole of the main part 22 such that the main part 22 surrounds the plug-in part 26. The plug-in part 26 has an internal surface 44 which is shaped and configured to mate with an external surface of the ball joint lock nut 106. The annular plug-in part 26 may suitably be made of a resilient material such as a combination of rubber and plastic, and may be configured to be press-fitted when inserted into the main part 22.
[0054] As clearly seen in FIG. 6, the main part 22 has an internal interfacing surface 46 which is configured to mate with an external interfacing surface 48 of the plug-in part 26. These two interfacing surfaces 46, 48 are designed to provide a rotational lock when the plug-in part 26 has been inserted into the main part 22. In this particular example, the internal and external interfacing surfaces 46, 48 are generally circular. The external interfacing surface 48 of the plug-in part 26 is provided with at least one protrusion 50 (two protrusions are shown in FIG. 6) which is configured to mate with a corresponding recess 52 in the internal surface 46 of the main part 22. Thus, when the protrusion 50 engages the recess 522, the plug-in part 26 is prevented from rotating relative to the main part 22. It should be noted that the illustrated protrusion/recess configuration is just one example. In other exemplary embodiments, the internal surface 46 of the main part 22 may be provided with at least one protrusion and the external surface 48 of the plug-in part 26 may be provided with a mating recess. In either case, it is noted that such an indexing element (be it in the form of a protrusion 50 or a recess 52), may suitably extend along an external enveloping surface of the plug-in part 26. Similarly, such an indexing element may suitably extend internally along the second end portion 40 and intermediate portion 42 of the main part 22. Although the illustrated protrusions 50 and recesses 52 have been illustrated as elongated protrusion 50 and recesses 52 other shapes and lengths are also conceivable as long as they provide an anti-rotation function.
[0055] As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the internal surface 44 of the plug-in part 26 is provided with a cut-out, opening or depression 54. Although not visible in the drawing figures, there is provided another such cut-out opening or depression oppositely to the one illustrated. Thus, the internal surface 44 of the plug-in part 26 is provided with two diametrically opposed cut-outs, openings or depressions 54. These enable the plug-in part 26 to be gripped and pulled out from the main part 22. For instance, if a person realizes the plug-in part 26 which has been inserted into the main part 22 is of the wrong dimension and will not fit a ball joint lock nut as intended, then he/she may conveniently grip the plug-in part 26 at said depressions 54 and pull it out from the main part 22, and then insert a correctly dimensioned plug-in part into the main part 22.
[0056] Such possibility to select from the differently dimensioned plug-in parts is illustrated in FIGS. 4-7. The adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 comprises one main part 22 and one cap part 24, which is the same in each one of FIGS. 4-7. However, the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 also comprises at least two plug-in parts 26, 28 to choose from, i.e. a first plug-in part 26 in FIGS. 4 and 6, and a second plug-in part 28 in FIGS. 5 and 7. In practice, the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 may suitably have one plug-in part for each possible ball joint lock nut size that may be available. Just as an example, frequently used ball joint lock nut sizes are M18, M20, M22 and M24. In such case, the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 may suitably comprise four different plug-in parts to choose from one, one for each size.
[0057] As explained above, the annular plug-in part 26 in FIGS. 4 and 6 is a first annular plug-in part 26 of the adjustable protective cap arrangement 20. The adjustable protective cap arrangement 20 further comprises a second plug-in part 28 (FIGS. 5 and 7) for allowing a user to select which one of the first and second annular plug-in parts 26, 28 to insert into the main part 22. The internal surface 44 of the first annular plug-in part is dimensioned to mate with a ball joint nut of a first size and the internal surface 56 of the second annular plug-in part 28 is dimensioned to mate with a ball joint nut of a second size which is different from the first size. From FIGS. 4-7, it can be understood that in the illustrated example, the first size is larger than the second size (the large size difference that has been illustrated is just for reasons of clarity, and should not be regarded as representing precise real measures).
[0058] As can be seen in FIGS. 4-7, since each one of the first plug-in part 26 and the second plug-in part 28 should be able to be inserted into the main part 22, they may suitably have the same external dimensions, so that each one of the plug-in parts 26, 28 may fit equally well within the main part 22.
[0059] Since the external dimensions of the first and second plug-in parts 26, 28 may suitably be the same, and since the internal dimensions of the first and second plug-in parts 26, 28 differ, the maximum wall thickness of plug-in parts 26, 28 will also differ. In the illustrated example, the first annular plug-in part 26 has a first maximum wall thickness T1, and the second annular plug-in part has a second maximum wall thickness T2 which is different (larger than) said first maximum wall thickness T1.
