BALL SOCKET FOR A BALL JOINT

Abstract

A ball socket for a ball joint is provided, including a base body with a recess for receiving a ball head of the ball joint, wherein the recess includes a support region for supporting the ball head and a cylindrical insertion region for inserting the ball head in an insertion direction into the support region, and a securing element, wherein the securing element includes a connecting region and two retaining legs connected to one another by the connecting region. The base body includes two retaining channels open to the insertion region. The retaining channels extend from the insertion region in a curved manner towards the retaining axis, wherein the free end portions of the retaining legs can be elastically bent, so that the free end portions spring back after the ball head has been pushed into the insertion region in order to fix the ball head in the support region.

Claims

1. A ball socket for a ball joint comprising: a. a base body with a recess for receiving a ball head of the ball joint, wherein the recess comprises a support region for supporting the ball head and a cylindrical insertion region for inserting the ball head in an insertion direction into the support region; b. a securing element, wherein the securing element comprises a connecting region and two retaining legs connected to one another by the connecting region; c. wherein the base body comprises two retaining channels open to the insertion region; d. wherein the retaining legs are arranged in the retaining channels such that the retaining legs are aligned along a retaining axis extending through a center point of the support region and orthogonally to the insertion direction, and that the free end portions of the retaining legs remote from the connecting region are arranged in sections in the insertion region; wherein e. the retaining channels are bent from the insertion region towards the retaining axis; and f. wherein the free end portions of the retaining legs can be bent elastically by the ball head out of the insertion region into the retaining channels on a path bent towards the retaining axis when the ball head is pushed into the support region, so that the free end portions spring back after the ball head has been pushed into the insertion region in order to fix the ball head in the support region.

2. The ball socket according to claim 1, a. wherein the retaining channels are shaped as sections of a cylinder jacket coaxial with the retaining axis; and b. wherein the free end portions of the retaining legs can be bent elastically by the ball head out of the insertion region into the retaining channels on a circular path about the retaining axis when the ball head is pushed into the support region.

3. The ball socket according to claim 1, wherein the securing element is displaceably guided by the base body into the base body along the retaining axis.

4. The ball socket according to claim 1, a. wherein the securing element comprises a fixing leg connected to the retaining legs by the connecting region; and b. wherein the fixing leg comprises a fixing element for fixing the securing element to the base body against displacement of the securing element along the retaining axis out of the base body.

5. The ball socket according to claim 4, wherein the securing element comprises a release element for releasing the fixing element from the base body.

6. The ball socket according to claim 4, wherein the fixing leg is aligned parallel to the retaining legs.

7. The ball socket according to claim 4, a. wherein the base body comprises a fixing channel; and b. wherein the fixing leg is guided in the fixing channel along the retaining axis.

8. The ball socket according to claim 4, wherein the base body comprises a locking element for non-destruction free releasable locking of the fixing element to the base body.

9. The ball socket according to claim 1, wherein the free end portions of the retaining legs are rounded.

10. The ball socket according to claim 1, wherein the retaining channels and/or the retaining legs have a rounded cross-sectional area orthogonal to the retaining axis.

11. The ball socket according to claim 1, wherein the base body comprises a depression for receiving the connecting region of the securing element.

12. The ball socket according to claim 1, wherein the base body consists of a polyamide and/or a fibre-reinforced plastic.

13. The ball socket according to claim 1, wherein the securing element consists of a plastic material.

14. The ball socket according to claim 1, wherein the base body comprises a connecting element for connecting the base body along the retaining axis to a length-adjustable unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0033] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a ball socket according to embodiments of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a further schematic view of a ball socket according to embodiments of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the base body of a ball socket according to embodiments of the invention;

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic view of the base body of a ball socket according to embodiments of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of the securing element of a ball socket according to embodiments of the invention; and

[0039] FIG. 6 shows a further schematic view of the securing element of a ball socket according to embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a ball socket 100 according to embodiments of the invention.

[0041] The ball socket 100 for a ball joint comprises a base body 200 with a recess 210 for receiving a ball head of the ball joint, wherein the recess 210 comprises a support region 211 for supporting the ball head and a cylindrical insertion region 212 for inserting the ball head in an insertion direction ER into the support region 211.

[0042] The ball socket 100 comprises a securing element 300, wherein the securing element 300 comprises a connecting region 310 and two retaining legs 320 interconnected by the connecting region 310, only one of the retaining legs 320 being visible in FIG. 1.

[0043] The base body 200 comprises two retaining channels 220 open to the insertion region 212, wherein the retaining legs 320 are arranged in the retaining channels 220 such that the retaining legs 320 are aligned along a retaining axis HA extending through a center point of the support region 211 and orthogonal to the insertion direction ER, and that the free end portions 321 of the retaining legs 320 remote from the connecting region 310 are arranged in sections in the insertion region 212.

[0044] The retaining channels 220 are bent from the insertion region 212 towards the retaining axis HA, wherein the free end portions 321 of the retaining legs 320 are elastically bendable by the ball head out of the insertion region 212 into the retaining channels 320 on a path curved towards the retaining axis HA when the ball head is inserted into the support region 211, so that the free end portions 321 spring back after the ball head is inserted into the insertion region 212 to fix the ball head in the support region 211.

[0045] The base body 200 comprises a connecting element 250 for connecting the base body 200 along the retaining axis HA to a length-adjustable unit.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a further schematic view along the retaining axis HA of a ball socket 100 according to embodiments of the invention. Features already shown in FIG. 1 can be designed as there and are not described again.

[0047] The retaining channels 220 of the ball socket 100 shown in FIG. 2 are shaped as sections of a cylinder jacket coaxial with the retaining axis HA, wherein the retaining channels 220 have a rounded, in particular kidney-shaped, cross-sectional area orthogonal to the retaining axis HA.

[0048] The securing element 300 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a fixing leg 330 connected to the retaining legs 320 by the connecting region 310, wherein the fixing leg 330 comprises a fixing element 331, not visible in FIG. 2, for fixing the securing element 300 to the base body 200 against displacement of the securing element 300 along the retaining axis HA out of the base body 200.

[0049] The securing element 300 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a release element 332, for example a slot for receiving a screwdriver, for releasing the fixing element 331 from the base body 200.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the base body 200 of a ball socket 100 according to embodiments of the invention. Features already shown in one of the previous figures can be designed as there and are not described again.

[0051] The base body 200 shown in FIG. 3 comprises a depression 240 for receiving the connecting region 310 of the securing element 300.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic view of the base body 200 of a ball socket 100 according to embodiments of the invention. Features already shown in one of the previous figures can be designed as there and are not described again.

[0053] The base body 200 shown in FIG. 4 comprises a fixing channel 230 for guiding the fixing leg 330 of the securing element 300 in the fixing channel 230 along the retaining axis HA. The fixing channel 230 is open, for example, on a side facing away from the recess 210 towards an environment of the base body 200.

[0054] The base body 200 shown in FIG. 4 comprises a locking element 231, for example a bar over the fixing channel 230, for non-destruction free releasable locking of the fixing element 331 of the fixing leg 330 of the securing element 300 to the base body 200. The locking element 231 prevents, for example, the fixing leg 330 from being bent away from the base body 200 in such a way that the fixing element 331 becomes detached from the base body 200.

[0055] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of the securing element 300 of a ball socket 100 according to embodiments of the invention. Features already shown in one of the previous figures can be designed as there and are not described again.

[0056] The fixing leg 330 of the securing element 300 shown in FIG. 5 comprises a fixing element 331, for example a latching element, for fixing the securing element 300 to the base body 200 against displacement of the securing element 300 along the retaining axis HA out of the base body 200.

[0057] The fixing leg 330 shown in FIG. 5 is aligned parallel to the retaining legs 320.

[0058] The free end portions 321 of the retaining legs 320 of the securing element 300 shown in FIG. 5 are rounded, wherein the retaining legs 320 have a rounded, in particular kidney-shaped, cross-sectional area orthogonal to the retaining axis HA.

[0059] FIG. 6 shows a further schematic view of the securing element 300 of a ball socket 100 according to embodiments of the invention. Features already shown in one of the previous figures can be designed as there and are not described again.

[0060] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment, the invention is not limited to the examples disclosed, and further variations can be inferred by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

[0061] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of a or an throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and comprising does not exclude other steps or elements.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference signs 100 Ball socket 200 Base body 210 Recess 211 Support region 212 Insertion region 220 Retaining channel 230 Fixing channel 231 Locking element 240 Depression 250 Connecting element 300 Securing element 310 Connecting region 320 Retaining leg 321 Free end portion 330 Fixing leg 331 Fixing element 332 Release element ER Insertion direction HA Retaining axis