BALL SOCKET FOR A BALL JOINT

Abstract

A socket for a ball joint having a socket body with an opening and a hollow space, which comprises a concave inside peripheral surface that delimits the hollow space and extends around a longitudinal axis, and which is axially divided into two body halves which merge together in a transition zone, each of which comprises an inside peripheral surface half. A first body half comprises a first inside peripheral surface half which lies on a spherical surface and is closed, in the circumferential direction, and a second body half which comprises the socket opening, at least one slot extending axially and a second inside peripheral surface half which is closed in the circumferential direction, or closed apart from the slot. The second body half is designed such that the second inside peripheral surface half lies outside the spherical surface at least an axial distance away from the transition zone.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A ball socket for a ball joint, the ball socket comprising: a ball socket body (11) having a ball socket opening (7) and a hollow space (10), which comprises a concave inside peripheral surface (8) that delimits the hollow space (10) and extends around a longitudinal axis (13) orientated in an axial direction (12) and is divided, along the longitudinal axis (13), into first and second ball socket body halves (15, 16), one behind the other, which merge into one another in a transition zone (14), each of the first and the second ball socket body halves having an inside peripheral surface half (17, 18) of the inside peripheral surface (8) which extends around the longitudinal axis (13), the first ball socket body half (15) comprising a first inside peripheral surface half (17), which lies on a spherical surface (9) and being closed in a circumferential direction, and the second ball socket body half (16) comprising the ball socket opening (7), at least one slot (19) extending in a direction of the longitudinal axis (13), and a second inside peripheral surface half (18), which in the circumferential direction is closed, or closed apart from the slot (19), the second ball socket body half (16) being designed such that the second inside peripheral surface half (18) lies outside the spherical surface (9) at least at an axial distance away from the transition zone (14).

14. The ball socket according to claim 13, wherein the second inside peripheral surface half (18), at least in its axial distance from the transition zone (14), has an inside peripheral surface distanced from a mid-point (20) of the spherical surface (9) which is larger than a radius (22) of the spherical surface (9).

15. The ball socket according to claim 14, wherein in the circumferential direction, the slot (19) has a slot width (32) and an inside peripheral surface distance (21) is larger than the radius (22) of the spherical surface (9) by a length difference (36) that depends on the slot width (32).

16. The ball socket according to claim 15, wherein the length difference (36) that depends on the slot width (32) corresponds to the quotient of half the slot width (32) and the circle number (Pi).

17. The ball socket according to claim 13, wherein the ball socket body (11) comprises an outer circumferential surface (27) that extends around the longitudinal axis (13), the first ball socket body half (15) comprises a first outer circumferential surface half (28) of the outer circumferential surface (27) that extends around the longitudinal axis (13), and the second ball socket body half (16) comprises a second outer circumferential surface half (29) of the outer circumferential surface (27) that extends around the longitudinal axis (13), the second outer circumferential surface half (29) is convex and, at least an axial distance away from the transition zone, has an outer circumferential surface distance from a mid-point (20) of the spherical surface (9) which is larger than a distance of the first outer circumferential surface (28) in the transition zone (14) to the mid-point (20) of the spherical surface (9).

18. The ball socket according to claim 13, wherein the ball socket body (11) has a wall (24) which either encloses or at least partially encloses the hollow space (10) and which comprises the inside peripheral surface (8), in which the slot (19) and the ball socket opening (7) are provided, and a thickness (23) of the wall (24) in the second ball socket body half (16) is constant.

19. The ball socket according to claim 18, wherein the thickness (23) of the wall (24) in the second ball socket body half (16), in the transition zone (14), corresponds to the thickness (23) of the wall (24) in the first ball socket body half (15).

20. The ball socket according to claim 13, wherein, in the circumferential direction, the slot (19) has a slot width (32) which, starting from the ball socket opening (7), tapers toward the transition zone (14).

21. The ball socket according to claim 13, wherein every curve that lies on the second inside peripheral surface half (18) and extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis (13) forms a circular arc (37), whose radius (38) is larger than a radius (22) of the spherical surface (9), so that a mid-point (39) of each circular arc (37) is offset transversely to the longitudinal axis (13) relative to a mid-point (20) of the spherical surface (9).

22. The ball socket according to claim 21, wherein each circular arc (37) in or close to the transition zone (14) intersects the spherical surface (9) and, at or in an area of the ball socket opening (7), is a distance away from the mid-point (20) of the spherical surface (9) which corresponds to a sum of the radius (22) of the spherical surface (9) and a length difference (36) which corresponds to half a slot width (32) divided by the circle number (Pi).

23. The ball socket according to claim 13, wherein the ball socket body (11) is an injection-molded component produced in an injection-molding die, and the slot (19) is closed, in the injection-molding die, by a skin (34).

24. The ball socket according to claim 13, wherein the slot (19) is, in at least one of a radial direction relative to a mid-point (20) of the spherical surface (9) and a direction extending transversely to the longitudinal axis (13), of stepped form.

25. A ball socket for a ball joint, the ball socket comprising: a ball socket body (11) having a ball socket opening (7), a hollow space (10), and a concave inside peripheral surface (8) that delimits the hollow space (10) and extends around a longitudinal axis (13) orientated in an axial direction (12), the ball socket body being divided, along the longitudinal axis (13), into first and second ball socket body halves (15, 16), the first and the second ball socket body halves are aligned along the longitudinal axis and merge into each other in a transition zone (14); the first ball socket body half comprising a first inside peripheral surface half (17) of the inside peripheral surface (8) which lies on a spherical surface (9) and is closed in a circumferential direction; and the second ball socket body half comprising the ball socket opening (7), at least one slot (19) that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis (13) and a second inside peripheral surface half (18), which in the circumferential direction is closed, or closed except for the slot (19), the second ball socket body half (16) being designed such that the second inside peripheral surface half (18) lies outside the spherical surface (9) at least an axial distance away from the transition zone (14).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Below, the invention is described on the basis of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the drawing, which shows:

[0033] FIG. 1: A sectioned view of a ball joint with a ball socket according to a first embodiment,

[0034] FIG. 2: A perspective representation of the ball socket according to the first embodiment, before being fitted into the ball joint,

[0035] FIG. 3: A view from above, of the ball socket according to the first embodiment before being fitted into the ball joint,

[0036] FIG. 4: A sectioned view of the ball socket according to the first embodiment, along the section line 4-4 shown in FIG. 3,

[0037] FIG. 5: A sectioned view of the ball socket according to the first embodiment, along the section line 5-5 shown in FIG. 4, and

[0038] FIG. 6: A side view of a ball socket according to a second embodiment, before being fitted into a ball joint.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a sectioned view of a ball joint 1, which comprises a joint housing 3 with a housing opening 2 and a ball stud 5 with a joint ball 4, which with its joint ball is fitted into the joint housing 3 with a ball socket 6 interposed and which extends out of the housing through the housing opening 2. The joint ball 4 sits inside the ball socket 6, which has a ball socket opening 7 through which the ball stud 5 extends out of the ball socket 6. Furthermore, the ball socket 6 has an inside peripheral surface 8 against which the joint ball 4 rests and can move by sliding. In the assembled condition of the ball socket 6 shown in FIG. 1 the inside peripheral surface 8 as a whole lies on a spherical surface 9, which in the fitted condition of the ball joint 1 coincides with the surface of the joint ball 4.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of the ball socket 6 before it is fitted into the joint housing 3, whereas FIG. 3 shows a view of the ball socket 6 from above before it has been fitted into the joint housing 3. Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows a section through the ball socket 6 along the line shown in FIG. 3.

[0041] The ball socket 6 comprises a ball socket body 11 with a ball socket opening 7 and a hollow space 10, containing the inside peripheral surface 8 that delimits the hollow space 10 and extends around a longitudinal axis 13 of the ball socket body 11 orientated in an axial direction. Before fitting the ball socket 6 into the joint housing 3, it is true that the inside peripheral surface 8 is concave but it is not completely spherically-symmetrical, as will be explained later.

[0042] The ball socket body 11 is divided along the longitudinal axis 13 into two ball socket body halves 15 and 16 arranged one behind the other and which merge into one another in a transition zone 14, each comprising an inside peripheral surface half, respectively 17 and 18, of the inside peripheral surface 8 and each extending around the longitudinal axis 13. A first one of the ball socket body halves 15 comprises a first one of the inside peripheral surface halves 17, which lies on the spherical surface 9 and is closed in the circumferential direction. In addition, a second one of the ball socket body halves 16 comprises the ball socket opening 7, a slot 19 extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis 13 and a second one of the inside peripheral surface halves 18, which is closed in the circumferential direction, or closed apart from the slot 19. Here, the second inside peripheral surface half 18 is of concave shape.

[0043] As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, the second ball socket body half 16 is designed such that the second inside peripheral surface half 18 lies outside the spherical surface 9 an axial distance away from the transition zone 14. Thus, at an axial distance away from the transition zone 14 the inside peripheral surface half 18 is an inside peripheral surface distance 21 from a mid-point 20 of the spherical surface 9, this distance being larger than the radius 22 of the spherical surface 9. Moreover, since the thickness 23 of the wall 24 of the ball socket body 11 is constant in the second ball socket body half 16 and matches the thickness of the wall 24 of the ball socket body 11 in the first ball socket body half 15 in the transition zone 14, the second ball socket body half 16 in its axial distance to the transition zone 14, in relation to the mid-point 20 of the spherical surface, is larger than the first ball socket body half 15 in the transition zone 14.

[0044] When the ball socket 6 is fitted into the joint housing 3 and during this the ball socket body 11 with its second ball socket body half 16 is pressed in the direction of the arrow 25 against a concave counterface 26 within the joint housing 3, the aforesaid larger size of the second ball socket body half 16 causes the second ball socket body half 16 to be deformed due to the pressure, so that the second inside peripheral surface half 18 lies on the spherical surface 9 and the slot 19 is closed.

[0045] Furthermore the ball socket body 11 has an outer circumferential surface 27, such that the first ball socket body half 15 comprises a first outer circumferential surface half 28 of the outer circumferential surface 27 and the second ball socket body half 16 comprises a second outer circumferential surface half 29 of the outer circumferential surface 27. In this case the second outer circumferential surface half 29 is of convex shape. During the aforesaid pressing of the ball socket body 11 with its second ball socket body half 16 in the direction of the arrow 25 against the concave counterface 26, the ball socket body 11, in particular with its second outer circumferential surface half 29, is pressed in the direction of the arrow 25 against the concave counterface 26.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a sectioned view of the ball socket 6 along the section line 5-5 that can be seen in FIG. 4, from which it is clear that the slot 19 consists of two half-slots 30 and 31, such that a first one of the slot halves 30 is formed in the second outer circumferential surface half 29 and a second one of the slot halves 31 is formed in the second inside peripheral surface half 18. In the circumferential direction the slot halves 30 and 31 each have the same slot half width 32. In addition in the circumferential direction the slot halves 30 and 31 are arranged offset from one another, so that the slot 19 is in the form of a stepped slot. Here, the slot halves 30 and 31 are offset from one another in the circumferential direction by the slot half width 32, so that in the circumferential direction the slot 19 has a resultant slot width that corresponds to the slot half width 32. Each of the slot halves 30 and 31 extends in the wall 24 as far or almost as far as the middle of the wall 24, so that the slot halves have the same slot half depth 33. Furthermore, the slot halves 30 and 31 are separated from one another by a thin skin 34, whose thickness 35 is much smaller than the slot half depth 33. The ball socket body 11 is preferably made by injection molding in an injection molding die, and during its release from the die the skin 34 as a rule splits. Thus, after releasing the ball socket body 11 from the injection-molding die, the skin 34 is in particular no longer there.

[0047] As can be seen from FIG. 4, the inside peripheral surface distance 21 is larger than the radius 22 of the spherical surface 9 by a length difference 36. In particular, starting from the transition zone 14 the length difference 36 becomes larger in the direction of the longitudinal axis 13 toward the ball socket opening 7. For example, the length difference 36 at or in the area of the ball socket opening 7 corresponds to half of the slot half width 32 divided by the circle number Pi.

[0048] Preferably, each curve lying on the second inside peripheral surface half 18 and extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis 13 is a circular arc, one of which is shown, extended and indexed 37. Below, the description relating to the circular arcs is given only with reference to the circular arc 37 shown. In particular however, this description applies analogously to all the circular arcs. The radius 38 of the circular arc 37 is larger than the radius 22 of the spherical surface 9, so that the mid-point 39 of the circular arc 37 is offset transversely to the longitudinal axis 13 relative to the mid-point 20 of the spherical surface 9. Preferably, the circular arc 37 intersects the spherical surface 9 in or close to the transition zone 14. Furthermore, at or in the area of the ball socket opening 7 the circular arc 37 is a distance away from the mid-point 20 of the spherical surface 9, which distance in particular corresponds to the sum of the radius 22 of the spherical surface 9 and the length difference 36 at or in the area of the ball socket opening 7. In particular, that distance also corresponds to the inside peripheral surface distance 21 at or in the area of the ball socket opening 7. Preferably, the length difference 36 at or in the area of the ball socket opening 7 corresponds to half the resulting slot width divided by the circle number Pi, so that here the resulting slot width corresponds in particular to the half slot width 32. Thus, advantageously the length difference at or in the area of the ball socket opening 7 corresponds to half of the slot half width 32 divided by the circle number Pi.

[0049] According to a first variation, the slot widths 32 of the slot halves 30 and 31 each taper in the direction of the longitudinal axis 13 starting from the ball socket opening 7 toward the transition zone 14. Thus, in particular the resulting slot width of the slot 19 also tapers in the direction of the longitudinal axis 13, starting from the ball socket opening 7 toward the transition zone 14.

[0050] In a second variation, the slot 19 is not of stepped form. Referring to FIG. 5, this can be done for example by not offsetting the two slot halves 30 and 31 relative to one another, but in particular locating them radially opposite one another.

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a side view of a ball socket 6; in the figure features identical or similar to those of the first embodiment are given the same indexes. Otherwise than in the first embodiment, the slot width 32 of the slot 19 tapers in the direction of the longitudinal axis 13 starting from the ball socket opening 7 as far as the transition zone 14. Moreover the slot 19 is not a stepped slot, but passes through the wall of the bearing shell body 11 in the radial direction and/or transversely to the longitudinal axis 13. Thus, in particular the slot depth of the slot 19 corresponds to the thickness of the wall. If the skin is present before the release of the ball socket from the injection-molding die, then the slot depth of the slot 10 before release preferably corresponds almost to the thickness of the wall since the skin is preferably provided at a radial end of the slot, for example on the second outer circumferential surface half 29 or on the second inside peripheral surface half 16. Alternatively, for example, before release the skin is provided in the middle of the wall so that before the release the slot 19 has two slot halves, in particular radially opposite one another. Apart from these differences the ball socket of this second embodiment matches the ball socket of the first embodiment, so that for a description of the ball socket according to the second embodiment reference should be made to the description of the ball socket according to the first embodiment. In particular, the ball socket of the second embodiment can replace the ball socket of the first embodiment in the ball joint 1.

[0052] For example, the ball socket according to the second embodiment corresponds to the ball socket of the first embodiment and takes into account the first and the second variants.

INDEXES

[0053] 1 Ball joint [0054] 2 Housing opening [0055] 3 Joint housing [0056] 4 Joint ball [0057] 5 Ball stud [0058] 6 Ball socket [0059] 7 Ball socket opening [0060] 8 Inside peripheral surface [0061] 9 Spherical surface [0062] 10 Hollow space [0063] 11 Ball socket body [0064] 12 Axial direction [0065] 13 Longitudinal axis [0066] 14 Transition zone [0067] 15 First ball socket body half [0068] 16 Second ball socket body half [0069] 17 First inside peripheral surface half [0070] 18 Second inside peripheral surface half [0071] 19 Slot [0072] 20 Mid-point of the spherical surface [0073] 21 Inside peripheral surface distance [0074] 22 Radius of the spherical surface [0075] 23 Thickness of the wall [0076] 24 Wall of the ball socket body [0077] 25 Pressure direction [0078] 26 Counterface [0079] 27 Outer circumferential surface [0080] 28 First outer circumferential surface half [0081] 29 Second outer circumferential surface half [0082] 30 First slot half [0083] 31 Second slot half [0084] 32 Slot half width, slot width [0085] 33 Slot half depth [0086] 34 Skin [0087] 35 Thickness of the skin [0088] 36 Length difference [0089] 37 Circular arc [0090] 38 Radius of the circular arc [0091] 39 Mid-point of the circular arc