RADIAL BALL JOINT FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

A radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) for a vehicle having a housing (2, 51) for holding a joint ball (11) of a ball stud (6) so that the ball stud can rotate and pivot. An upper bearing shell (7), made from a steel sheet, is arranged between an inside wall (10) of the housing (2, 51) and the joint ball (11). The upper bearing shell (7) is in contact with the joint ball (11) over a contact zone (21) to provide the joint ball (11) with a circumferential slide bearing between its equator (12) and its upper pole (13). The upper bearing shell (7) is in the form of an annular, circumferentially closed drawn component and has in the contact zone (21) with the joint ball (11). A number of lubrication grooves (14), pass through a wall (20) of the upper bearing shell (7), in an embossment manner.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) for a vehicle, the radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) comprising: a housing (2, 51) for holding a joint ball (11) of a ball stud (6) in such manner that the ball stud being rotatable and pivotable, an upper bearing shell (7), made of a steel sheet, being arranged between an inside wall (10) of the housing (2, 51) and the joint ball (11), the upper bearing shell (7) being in contact over a contact zone (21) against the joint ball (11) in order to provide a circumferential slide bearing for the joint ball (11) between an equator (12) of the joint ball and an upper pole (13) of the joint ball, the upper bearing shell (7) being in a form of an annular, circumferentially closed drawn component and having in a contact zone (21) with the joint ball (11), and a plurality of lubrication grooves (14) passing though a wall (20) of the upper bearing shell (7) in a manner of an embossment.

18. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of lubrication grooves (14) passing through the wall (20) of the upper bearing shell (7) protrude as bulges (22) on a surface region of the upper bearing shell (7) that faces away from the contact zone (21) with the joint ball (11).

19. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 17, wherein the lubrication grooves (14) extend in a plane passing through a central axis (27) of the ball stud (6).

20. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 17, wherein the upper bearing shell (7) is made from case-hardened steel and its entire surface is case-hardened.

21. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 17, wherein an end face (23) of the upper bearing shell (7), facing toward the upper pole (13) of the joint ball (11), together with a corresponding stop surface (24) of a cover (4, 53) that closes off the housing (2, 51), on one side, form an end stop with respect to movement of the joint ball (11) in an axial direction (9).

22. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 17, wherein the upper bearing shell (7) is arranged radially spaced away from the inside wall (10) of the housing (2, 51).

23. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 18, wherein a round sealing ring (8) is arranged between the upper bearing shell (7), the inside wall (10) of the housing (2, 51) and the cover (4, 53), the round sealing ring (8) is in contact all round with each of the upper bearing shell, the inside wall of the housing and the cover, and the upper bearing shell (7) is braced, in an axial direction (9), by the round sealing ring (8) against the joint ball (11).

24. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 23, wherein the bulges (22) act, to a large extent, to impede rotation and prevent twisting of the upper bearing shell (7) relative to the round sealing ring (8).

25. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 17, wherein a lower bearing shell (16), made of a steel sheet, is arranged between the inside wall (10) of the housing (2) and the joint ball (11), the lower bearing shell (16) is in contact with the joint ball over contact zones (25, 26) thereof in order to provide a circumferential slide bearing for the joint ball (11) substantially between the equator (12) and a stud (18) connected to the joint ball (11).

26. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 25, wherein the lower bearing shell (16) is in a form of an annular, circumferentially closed drawn component and has a plurality of lubrication grooves (15), in a contact zone (26) with the joint ball, which extend in a plane passing through the central axis (27) of the ball stud (6).

27. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 25, wherein in a contact zone (25) with the inside wall (10) of the housing (2), the lower bearing shell (16) is in a form of a circumferentially continuous spherical outer surface, and a contact zone (25) of the lower bearing shell (16) is in contact with the inside wall (10) of the housing (2), at least in part.

28. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of lubrication grooves (15) are formed in the manner of an embossment in a wall (28) of the lower bearing shell (16), without machining.

29. The radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) according to claim 25, wherein the lower bearing shell (16) extends in a direction toward an upper pole (13) of the joint ball (11) to beyond the equator (12) of the joint ball (11).

30. The radial ball joint (1, 50) according to claim 17, wherein the radial ball joint (1, 50) has a once-through lubrication, with entry of the lubricant by way of a lubrication nipple (5, 52) and lubricant discharge by way of at least one outlet opening (19) in a sealing bellows (17) that seals the radial ball joint (1, 50) and extends between the housing (2, 51) and the ball stud (6).

31. The radial ball joint (1, 50) according to claim 30, wherein the lubrication nipple (5) is arranged centrally in a cover (4), extends either in an axial direction (9) or laterally in the housing (51).

32. The radial ball joint (1, 50) according to claim 30, wherein the lubrication nipple (5) is arranged centrally in a cover (4) and extends laterally with respect to the housing (51), and the lower bearing shell (55) has a cut-out, in an area of at least one lubrication groove (57), to enable entry of the lubricant.

33. The radial ball joint (70) according to claim 17, wherein the radial ball joint (70) is designed to be maintenance-free.

34. A radial ball joint (1, 50, 70) for a vehicle, the radial ball joint (1, 50 70) comprising: a ball stud having a joint ball and a stud extending from the joint ball and defining a longitudinal axis, the joint ball having a spherical surface with an circumferential line extending about the joint ball perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and defining a largest diameter of the joint ball, an upper pole of the joint ball being located on the longitudinal axis on a side of the joint ball opposite the stud; a housing having an inside surface, a lower end of the housing having an lower opening, the joint ball being supported by the inside surface of the housing such that the stud of the ball stud extends through the lower opening; an upper bearing shell being arranged within the housing, between the inside surface of the housing and the joint ball, the upper bearing shell having a wall with a contact surface and forming a first peripheral slide bearing that facilitates pivotable and rotational movement of the ball stud relative to the housing, the contact surface of the wall of the upper bearing shell mating with the spherical surface of the joint ball between the circumferential line and the upper pole of the joint ball, the upper bearing shell being made of steel sheet and formed as an annular, circumferentially closed drawn component, the wall of the upper bearing shell having a plurality of lubrication grooves embossed in the contact surface of the wall and which pass though the wall.

35. The radial ball joint according to claim 34, wherein the plurality of lubrication grooves which pass through the wall forming a plurality of bulges on an outer surface of the upper bearing shell opposite the contact surface, and the lubrication grooves and the bulges extend in planes that are aligned such that the longitudinal axis lies in the planes.

36. The radial ball joint according to claim 35, further comprising a lower bearing shell arranged between the inside surface of the housing and the joint ball, the lower bearing shell has a wall with a contact surface and forming a second peripheral slide bearing that facilitates movement of the ball stud relative to the housing, the contact surface of the wall of the lower bearing shell mates with the spherical surface of the joint ball between the circumferential line and the stud of the ball stud, an outer surface of the lower bearing shell mates with the inside surface of the housing, the lower bearing shell is made from a steel sheet and formed as an annular, circumferentially closed drawn component, and the contact surface of the lower bearing shell having a plurality of lubrication grooves which extend in planes that are aligned such that the longitudinal axis of the ball stud lies in the planes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Below, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to drawings intended to represent only example embodiments, wherein the same indexes refer to the same components or elements. The drawings show:

[0030] FIG. 1: Perspective representation of a radial ball joint according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0031] FIG. 2: A partially sectioned representation of the radial ball joint of FIG. 1, in a preassembled condition;

[0032] FIG. 3: A sectioned view of part of the radial ball joint of FIG. 2 in a ready-assembled condition;

[0033] FIG. 4: Perspective representation of an upper bearing shell of the radial ball joint according to the first embodiment;

[0034] FIG. 5: Perspective view of a lower bearing shell of the radial ball joint according to the first embodiment;

[0035] FIG. 6: Perspective representation of a radial ball joint according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 7: Perspective view of a lower bearing shell of the radial ball joint according to the second embodiment; and

[0037] FIG. 8: Perspective view of a radial ball joint according to a third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a radial ball joint 1, which comprises a housing 2 and a shaft 3 made integrally therewith for connecting the radial ball joint to another vehicle component such as a steering rod or a track rod. The housing 2 has two housing openings, the first of which is closed by a flanged cover 4. At the center of the circular cover 4 is fitted a lubrication nipple 5 for supplying the radial ball joint 1 with lubricant. A ball stud 6 extends out of the second housing opening, which is arranged opposite the first housing opening.

[0039] In FIG. 2 a round sealing ring 8 can be seen between the cover 4 and an upper bearing shell 7, which is not compressed and in this condition has a circular cross-section. The ball stud 6 is not deflected and extends in the axial direction 9 of the radial ball joint 1. The cover 4 is designed for crimping to the housing 2, but still has to be displaced in the axial direction 9 of the radial ball joint 1 as far as a stop on the housing 2 in order to reach its fitted position. Due to the displacement of the cover 4 to its fitted position the round sealing ring 8, also called an O-ring, is compressed. During the crimping a circumferential beaded rim of the housing 2 is positioned over the edge of the cover 4.

[0040] The cover 4 crimped to the housing 2 and the compressed round sealing ring 8 between the cover 4 and the upper bearing shell 7 can be seen in FIG. 3. Between an inside wall 10 of the housing 2 and a joint ball 11 fitted and able to rotate and pivot in the housing 2, the upper bearing shell 7 is arranged in contact with the joint ball 11 to provide a circumferential slide bearing for the joint ball 11 between its equator 12 and its upper pole 13. The upper bearing shell 7, which is made of case-hardened steel and is case-hardened all over its surface, covers the joint ball 11 in an area that corresponds to the surface of a spherical layer with a centerline extending in the axial direction 9 of the radial ball joint 1. As viewed in the axial direction 9, the equator 12 is the circumferential line of the joint ball 11 having the largest diameter. The centerline of the spherical surface enclosed by the circumferential line coincides with the central axis 27 of the ball stud 6 and passes through the surface of the joint ball 11 theoretically at the upper pole 13. Since in the area of an upper pole 13 the joint ball 11 is flattened, the upper pole 13 is not located in the actual surface of the joint ball 11.

[0041] Lubricant, in particular lubricating grease injected into the housing 2 through the lubrication nipple 5, is pressed along the surface of the joint ball 1 in the axial direction 9 first through lubrication grooves 14 in the upper bearing shell 7 and then through lubrication grooves 15 of a lower bearing shell 16. Both the lubrication grooves 14 of the upper bearing shell 7 and the lubrication grooves 15 of the lower bearing shell 16 extend in a plane passing through the central axis 27 of the ball stud 6. When more lubricant is added, the lubricant injected to begin with collects in a sealing bellows 17. The sealing bellows 17 seals the radial ball joint 1 and extends between the housing 2 and the stud 18, which is formed integrally with the joint ball 11 and together with it forms the ball stud 6. When the sealing bellows 17 is full of lubricant, excess lubricant can escape through three outlet openings 19 distributed uniformly around the circumference of the sealing bellows. The above-described method of supplying lubricant is called once-though lubrication and ensures that the bearing points between the joint ball 11 and the upper 7 and lower 16 bearing shells are supplied with fresh lubricating grease and that contaminated lubrication grease is expelled through the outlet openings 19.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows four lubrication grooves 14 that pass though a wall 20 of the upper bearing shell 7 in the manner of an embossment, and extend in a plane passing through the central axis 27 of the ball stud 6. The lubrication grooves 14 are formed in a contact zone 21 of the upper bearing shell 7 against the joint ball 11 and each of them has a groove base surface that extends at least essentially parallel to the surface of the joint ball 11. The four lubrication grooves 14 passing through the wall 20 protrude as bulges 22 on the surface area of the upper bearing shell 7 facing away from the contact zone 21 with the joint ball 11. The lubrication grooves 14, which are formed by an embossing process, extend through the wall 20 of the upper bearing shell 7 without actually penetrating through it. Consequently the upper bearing shell 7 has a closed circumferential surface. By the embossing process, in the area of the lubrication grooves 14 the material of the wall 20 is displaced essentially perpendicularly to the contact zone 21 over which the upper bearing shell 7 rests against the joint ball 11. This is what produces the bulges 22 on the surface area of the upper bearing shell 7 facing away from the contact zone 21 against the joint ball 7.

[0043] In the assembled condition of the radial ball joint 1, the bulges 22 press into the round sealing ring 8 and deform it elastically. In that way, during driving operation rotation of the round sealing ring 8 relative to the upper bearing shell 7 is at least substantially prevented. An end face of the upper bearing shell 7 facing toward the upper pole 13 of the joint ball 11, together with a corresponding stop surface 24 of the cover 4, form an end stop for the movement of the joint ball 11 in the axial direction 9 of the radial ball joint 1. The cover 4 has a contoured shape and at its edge is crimped circumferentially with the housing 2. The end face 23 of the upper bearing shell 7 and the corresponding stop surface 24 of the cover 4 facing toward the joint ball 11 are advantageously orientated at least essentially perpendicularly to the axial direction 9 of the radial ball joint 1.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows the lower bearing shell 16 arranged between the inside wall 10 of the housing 2 and the joint ball 11 and in contact with each of them over respective contact zones 25, 26. Like the upper bearing shell 7, the lower bearing shell 16 is made of steel sheet case-hardened all over its surface and serves to form a circumferential slide bearing for the joint ball 11 essentially between its equator 12 and the stud 18 formed integrally with the joint ball 11. The contact zones 25, 26 of the lower bearing shell 16, which rest on the one hand against the inside wall 10 of the housing 2 and on the other hand against the joint ball 11, ensure force transmission over a substantial area from the joint ball 11 into the housing 2. In the contact zone 25 with the inside wall 10 of the housing 2, the lower bearing shell 16 is formed between its underside and the equator 12 of the joint ball 11 as a continuous spherical outer surface uninterrupted in the circumferential direction, which rests with its entire surface against the inside wall 10 of the housing 2. Moreover, the lower bearing shell 16 is formed as an annular, circumferentially closed drawn component and, like the upper bearing shell 7, has in the contact zone 26 with the joint ball 11 four lubrication grooves 15 that extend in a plane passing through the central axis 27 of the ball stud 6.

[0045] The four lubrication grooves 15 of the lower bearing shell 16 are produced without machining in a wall 28 of the lower bearing shell 16, in the manner of embossments. The lower bearing shell 16 extends with a hollow-cylindrical section 29 axially toward the upper pole 13 of the joint ball 11 beyond the equator 12 of the joint ball. During assembly, the joint ball 11 can be inserted into the lower bearing shell 16 through the hollow-cylindrical section 29. Thanks to the extension of the lower bearing shell 16 in the axial direction 9 beyond the equator 12 of the joint ball 11 in the direction toward the upper pole 13, it is possible, even when the joint ball 11 is displaced axially during driving operation, for the lower bearing shell 16 to absorb the bearing forces that act predominantly perpendicularly to the axial direction 9. If during driving operation the joint ball 11 moves clear of its bearing seat in the lower bearing shell 16 and is displaced axially toward the cover 4, the bearing forces are transmitted into the housing 2 by way of the hollow-cylindrical area 29 of the lower bearing shell 16, which is also in contact with the inside wall 10 of the housing 2. An end face 30 of the lower bearing shell facing toward the upper pole 13 of the joint ball 11 is machined and has concentric machining grooves produced by a turning process.

[0046] FIG. 6 shows a radial ball joint 50, which differs from the radial ball joint 1 described above in respect of its housing 51, in which a lubrication nipple 52 is fitted at the side. Due to the lateral lubricant supply the radial ball joint 50 according to this second embodiment has a closed cover 53. The lower bearing shell 16 of the first embodiment cannot be used in the second embodiment, because the wall 28 of the lower bearing shell 16 described earlier would block the entry of lubricant into the housing 51. Accordingly, with the housing 51 a lower bearing shell 55 with cut-outs 56 is used in order to enable unimpeded access of the lubricant. Analogously to the lower bearing shell 16 already described, the lower bearing shell 55 also has four lubrication grooves 57 at whose ends facing toward the cover 53 the respective cut-outs 56 are arranged and extend through a wall 58 of the lower bearing shell 55 in those areas. In other respects the radial ball joint 50 according to the second embodiment is designed in the same way as the radial ball joint 1 of the first embodiment.

[0047] FIG. 8 shows a radial ball joint 70 designed to be maintenance-free, which during assembly is filled just the once with an amount of grease deemed sufficient for its expected useful life.

INDEXES

[0048] 1 Radial ball joint [0049] 2 Housing [0050] 3 Shaft [0051] 4 Cover [0052] 5 Lubrication nipple [0053] 6 Ball stud [0054] 7 Upper bearing shell [0055] 8 Round sealing ring [0056] 9 Axial direction of the radial ball joint [0057] 10 Inside wall of the housing [0058] 11 Joint ball [0059] 12 Equator of the joint ball [0060] 13 Upper pole of the joint ball [0061] 14 Lubrication groove in the upper bearing shell [0062] 15 Lubrication groove in the lower bearing shell [0063] 16 Lower bearing shell [0064] 17 Sealing bellows [0065] 18 Stud [0066] 19 Outlet opening [0067] 20 Wall of the upper bearing shell [0068] 21 Contact zone with the joint ball [0069] 22 Bulge [0070] 23 End face of the upper bearing shell [0071] 24 Stop surface of the cover [0072] 25 Contact zone with the inside wall of the housing [0073] 26 Contact zone with the joint ball [0074] 27 Central axis of the ball stud [0075] 28 Wall of the lower bearing shell [0076] 29 Hollow-cylindrical section of the lower bearing shell [0077] 30 End face of the lower bearing shed [0078] 50 Radial ball joint [0079] 51 Housing [0080] 52 Lubrication nipple [0081] 53 Cover [0082] 54 Axial direction of the radial ball joint [0083] 55 Lower bearing shell [0084] 56 Cut-out in the lower bearing shell [0085] 57 Lubrication groove in the lower bearing shell [0086] 58 Wall of the lower bearing shell [0087] 70 Radial ball joint