BALL JOINT

Abstract

A ball joint having a housing, an opening and an inner circumferential surface facing the opening and extending around a longitudinal axis. The housing holds a ball socket that opens toward the opening and has an overlap region that is inclined radially inward, in the direction of the opening, and which, with the circumferential surface, delimits an annular space. A ball pin having a joint ball is mounted in the socket and extends out of the housing through the opening. A locking ring is inserted into the annular space and fixed axially between the socket and an inner shoulder located adjacent the opening. An outer circumferential surface of the locking ring abuts the circumferential surface and a surface which abuts an area of the overlap region and which is inclined inwardly toward the longitudinal axis in the direction of the pin opening. The locking ring is an open ring.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A ball joint comprising: a housing (2) having an inside space (3) and a pin opening (4), the inside space (3) of the housing having, in an area facing toward the pin opening (4), an inner circumferential surface (6) that extends around an axial central longitudinal axis (5), a ball socket (7) being arranged in the inside space (3) of the housing and open toward the pin opening (4), the ball socket having an overlap area (8) on a side facing toward the pin opening (4), the overlap area, in a direction of the pin opening (4), being inclined inward relative to the central longitudinal axis (5) and, together with the inner circumferential surface (6) of the housing (2), delimits an annular space (9), a ball pin (11) having a joint ball (10) being fitted and movable in the ball socket (7) and extending through the pin opening (4) out of the housing (2), a locking ring (12) being inserted into the annular space (9) and being held in position, axially between the ball socket (7) and an inner shoulder (13) of the housing (2) provided in the area of the pin opening (4), the locking ring having an outer circumferential surface (14) that rests against the inner circumferential surface (6) of the housing (2) and a contact surface (16) that rests in contact with a contact zone (15) of the overlap area (8) of the ball socket (7) and, in the direction of the pin opening (4), being inclined inward relative to the central longitudinal axis (5), and the locking ring (12) being in a form of an open ring.

17. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein the ball socket (7) is subjected to a tempering process after the locking ring (12) is fitted between the ball socket (7) and the inner shoulder (13) of the housing (2).

18. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein a thickness profile of the ball socket (7) is selected such that, when the ball socket (7) is loaded in a principal load direction transverse to the central longitudinal axis (5), the load on the ball socket (7), in at least one of the overlap area (8) and the contact zone (15), is reduced.

19. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein the ball socket (7) has either a constant or an approximately constant thickness, along the central longitudinal axis (5), in at least one of the overlap area (8) and the contact zone (15) in a principal loading direction.

20. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein the ball socket (7), along the central longitudinal axis (5), has either a constant or an approximately constant thickness (dq) in the contact zone (15) transversely to the central longitudinal axis (5).

21. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein a radial thickness (dr) of the ball socket (7), relative to a mid-point (M) of the joint ball (10), decreases with a decreasing axial distance from the pin opening (4).

22. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein the locking ring (12) has a free opening surface (18) facing toward the pin opening (4) and inclined outward relative to the central longitudinal axis (5), in the direction of the pin opening (4).

23. The ball joint according to claim 22, wherein the inner shoulder (13) of the housing (2) lies outside either a solid angle or an imaginary cone (20) defined by the opening surface (18) of the locking ring (12).

24. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein a cross section of the locking ring (12) is either wedge-shaped or triangular.

25. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein the contact surface (16) of the locking ring (12) has corrugations (25) with which the ball socket (7) engages.

26. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein the locking ring (12) is made from a wire profile.

27. The ball joint according to claim 16, wherein the locking ring (12) is axially spaced from the housing (2) on either a side or an end (26) facing away from the pin opening (4).

28. Use of a locking ring for a ball joint having a housing (3) with an inside space (3) and a pin opening (4), the inside space (3) of the housing having an inner circumferential surface (6) extending around an axial central longitudinal axis (5) in an area facing toward the pin opening (4), a ball socket (7) being arranged in the inside space (3) and open toward the pin opening (4), the ball socket having, on a side facing toward the pin opening (4), an overlap area (8) which, in a direction of the pin opening (4), is inclined inward relative to the central longitudinal axis (5) and which, together with the inner circumferential surface (6) of the housing (2), delimits an annular space (9), and a ball pin (11) having a joint ball (10), which with the joint ball (10) is fitted and movable in the ball socket (7) and which extends through the pin opening (4) out of the housing (2), a locking ring (12) being inserted into the annular space (9) and being held in position axially between the ball socket (7) and an inner shoulder (13) of the housing (2) provided in the area of the pin opening (4), and the locking ring (12) having an outer circumferential contact surface (14) resting against the inner circumferential surface (6) of the housing (2) and a contact surface (16) resting against a contact zone (15) of the overlap area (8) of the ball socket (7) and being inclined inward relative to the central longitudinal axis (5) in the direction of the pin opening (4), and the locking ring (12) being made as an open ring.

29. The use according to claim 28, wherein the ball socket (7) is subjected to a tempering process after the locking ring (12) is fitted between the ball socket (7) and the inner shoulder (13) of the housing (2).

30. The use according to claim 28, wherein when the locking ring (12) is at least one of inserted and fixed, the ball socket (7) is deformed such that the joint ball (10) is clamped in the ball socket (7), after which the ball socket (7) is subjected to a tempering process by which the clamping of the joint ball (10) is released again.

31. A ball joint comprising: a housing having an inner circumferential surface extending around an axial central longitudinal axis and defining an open inside space; a first axial end of the housing being closed, an opposite second axial end of the housing defining a pin opening; the circumferential surface of the housing having an inner shoulder projecting radially inward toward the central longitudinal axis and being located adjacent the axial end of the housing having the pin opening; a ball socket having an open axial end and being received within the inside space of the housing such that the open axial end of the ball socket faces the pin opening of the housing, the open axial end of the ball socket having an overlap area that is inclined radially inward toward the central longitudinal axis and together with the inner circumferential surface of the housing delimits an annular space; a ball pin having a joint ball being movably received within the ball socket, and the ball pin extending axially through the open axial end of the ball socket and the pin opening out of the housing; a locking ring being inserted into the annular space and fixed in position axially between the overlap area of the ball socket and the inner shoulder of the housing; the locking ring having a radially outer facing circumferential surface that mates with the inner circumferential surface of the housing, and a radially inner facing contact surface abutting a contact zone of the overlap area of the ball socket and being inclined radially inward relative to the central longitudinal axis; and the locking ring being an open ring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Below, the invention is described with reference to preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which show:

[0047] FIG. 1: A longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a ball joint,

[0048] FIG. 2: An enlarged view of the area marked A in FIG. 1,

[0049] FIG. 3: A perspective view of the locking ring shown in FIG. 1, seen in isolation,

[0050] FIG. 4: A longitudinal section through a second embodiment of a ball joint,

[0051] FIG. 5: An enlarged view of the area marked B in FIG. 4,

[0052] FIG. 6: A longitudinal section through a third embodiment of a ball joint, and

[0053] FIG. 7: An enlarged view of the area marked E in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a ball joint 1, which comprises a housing 2 having an inside space 3 and a pin opening 4, wherein the inside space 3 has in an area facing toward the pin opening 4 a cylindrical inner circumferential surface 6 that extends around an axial central longitudinal axis 5. In the inside space 3 is arranged a ball socket 7 open toward the pin opening 4, which has on its side facing the pin opening 4 an overlap area 8 which in the direction of the pin opening 4 is inclined inward and which, together with the cylindrical inner circumferential surface 6 of the housing 2, delimits an annular space 9. Into the ball socket 7 is fitted a ball pin 11 with a joint ball 10, which joint ball 10 can move within the socket, the ball pin extending through the pin opening 4 out of the housing 2. An enlarged view of the area marked A in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. The axial direction in which the central longitudinal axis 5 extends is indexed x.

[0055] Into the annular space 9 is inserted a locking ring 12, which is held in position between the ball socket 7 and an inner shoulder 13 of the housing 2 formed in the area of the pin opening 4. In this case, on its side facing away from the pin opening 4 and particularly on its end side 26 remote from the pin opening 4, the locking ring 12 rests only against the ball socket 7 and not against the housing 2. Moreover, the locking ring 12 is pressed axially by the inner shoulder 13 against the ball socket 7, so that the latter is under some prestress. The locking ring 12 has a cylindrical outer circumferential surface 14 in contact with the cylindrical inner circumferential surface 6 of the housing 2, and a contact surface 16 inclined in the direction of the pin opening 4 inward toward the central longitudinal axis 5, which contact surface rests against a contact zone 15 of the overlap area 8 of the ball socket 7. Viewed in cross-section the surfaces 14 and 16 form a wedge seated in the annular space 9, and the cylindrical inner circumferential surface 6 of the housing 2 and the overlap area 8 of the ball socket 7 also give the annular space 9 a wedge shape as viewed in cross-section.

[0056] From FIG. 3, which shows the locking ring 12 in isolation, it can be seen that the locking ring 12 is in the form of an open ring having a parting gap 17 transverse to the central longitudinal axis 5, which gap can also be called a slit. In addition the locking ring 12 has a free opening surface 18 which faces toward the pin opening 4 and, in the direction of the pin opening 4, is inclined outward relative to the central longitudinal axis 5, which surface forms a stop for the ball pin 11. Thus, the locking ring 12 has an approximately triangular cross-sectional area 19 whose corners are rounded off. The inner shoulder 13 of the housing 2 formed by beading over a housing rim is in this case outside a solid angle or imaginary cone 20 defined by the opening surface 18 of the locking ring 12, which is indicated by broken lines in FIG. 2.

[0057] Furthermore, FIG. 3 also shows that on the contact surface 16 of the locking ring 12 a number of corrugations 25 are formed, which are indicated only schematically. Needless to say, around the central longitudinal axis 5 more corrugations than shown can be provided in the contact surface 16. Since the locking ring 12 is pressed against the ball socket 7, material of the ball socket 7 is pressed out into the corrugations 25 and this secures the ball socket 7 against twisting.

[0058] From FIG. 1 it can be seen that relative to the mid-point M of the joint ball 10, the radial thickness dr of the ball socket 7 decreases with decreasing axial distance from the pin opening 4. Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows that the thickness dq transversely to the central longitudinal axis 5 in the contact zone 15 is constant or approximately constant in the axial direction x. Thus, the ball joint 1 is designed in particular for principal loads in a direction transverse to the central longitudinal axis 5.

[0059] The ball socket 7 has a hollow ball-shaped bearing space 21 in which the joint ball 10 sits. In addition, in a part of the overlap area 8 of the ball socket 7 that faces toward the pin opening 4, a through-going aperture 22 is provided, through which the ball pin 11 extends out of the ball socket 7.

[0060] A longitudinal section through a second embodiment of a ball joint 1 is shown in FIG. 4, in which identical or similar features to those of the first embodiment are given the same indexes as for the first embodiment. Moreover, FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the area marked B in FIG. 4.

[0061] Otherwise than in the first embodiment, in an area facing toward the pin opening 4 the inside space 3 has an annular groove 23, in which the cylindrical inner circumferential surface 6 that surrounds the central longitudinal axis 5 is formed. The locking ring 12 sits in the annular groove 23 and is thicker in a direction transverse to the central longitudinal axis 5 than is the locking ring of the first embodiment, so that the cross-section of the locking ring 12 of the second embodiment is also no longer triangular or approximately so. However, on its end side 26 facing away from the pin opening 4 the locking ring 12 is an axial distance c away from a groove wall 24 of the annular groove 23 that faces away from the pin opening, so that on its side facing away from the pin opening 4 the locking ring 12 is supported axially only on the ball socket 7 but not on the housing 2. Apart from these differences the second embodiment corresponds with the first embodiment, so that for any further description of the second embodiment reference should be made to the description of the first embodiment.

[0062] FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal section through a third embodiment of a ball joint 1, wherein features identical or similar to those of the first embodiment are indexed as for the first embodiment. In addition, FIG. 7 shows an enlarged view of the area marked E in FIG. 6.

[0063] The third embodiment is a deviation from the first embodiment, wherein otherwise than in the first embodiment, in its area facing toward the pin opening 4 the inside space 3 has a conical inner circumferential surface 6 extending around the central longitudinal axis 5. Moreover, the locking ring 12 has a conical outer circumferential surface 14 that rests in contact with the conical inner circumferential surface 6 of the housing 2. The conical surfaces 6 and 14 are designed such that in particular as viewed in the direction of the central longitudinal axis 5 and/or in the axial direction x, their diameter dk decreases with increasing distance from the pin opening 4 and/or the inner shoulder 13. Furthermore, in particular the inclination of the two conical surfaces relative to the central longitudinal axis 5 and/or the axial direction x is the same. By virtue of the conical shape of the inner circumferential surface 6 and the outer circumferential surface 14, although the housing 2 can with its inner circumferential surface 6 absorb axial forces from the locking ring 12, the locking ring 12, however, is not supported with its end 26 remote from the pin opening 4 directly against the housing 2, so that the locking ring 12 can always be pushed far enough into the annular space 9. Apart from these differences the third embodiment corresponds to the first embodiment, so that for any further description of the third embodiment reference should be made to the description of the first embodiment.

INDEXES

[0064] 1 Ball joint [0065] 2 Housing [0066] 3 Inside space of the housing [0067] 4 Pin opening of the housing [0068] Central longitudinal axis [0069] 6 Inner circumferential surface of the housing [0070] 7 Ball socket [0071] 8 Overlap area of the ball socket [0072] 9 Annular space [0073] 10 Joint ball of the ball pin [0074] 11 Ball pin [0075] 12 Locking ring [0076] 13 Inner shoulder of the housing [0077] 14 Outer circumferential surface of the locking ring [0078] 15 Contact zone of the overlap area [0079] 16 Contact area of the locking ring [0080] 17 Parting gap of the locking ring [0081] 18 Opening surface of the locking ring [0082] 19 Cross-sectional area of the locking ring [0083] 20 Solid angle/cone [0084] 21 Hollow ball shaped fitting space for the ball socket [0085] 22 Through-going aperture of the ball socket [0086] 23 Annular groove [0087] 24 Groove wall of the annular groove [0088] 25 Corrugations [0089] 26 Axial end of the locking ring [0090] c Distance [0091] dr Radial thickness of the ball socket [0092] dq Thickness of the ball socket transversely to the central longitudinal axis [0093] dk Cone diameter [0094] M Mid-point of the joint ball [0095] x Axial direction