BALL SOCKET APPARATUS AND BALL JOINT APPARATUS HAVING SUCH A BALL SOCKET APPARATUS

Abstract

A ball socket apparatus is provided for bearing a joint head. The apparatus includes a first ball shell element and a second ball shell element, wherein the ball socket apparatus forms a preferably radially circumferential, continuous contact surface for a joint head, and a first and a second housing device in which the ball shell elements are arranged.

Claims

1. A ball socket apparatus for bearing a joint head, comprising: a first ball shell element and a second ball shell element, wherein the ball socket apparatus forms at least one radially circumferential, continuous contact surface for a joint head, and a first and a second housing device in which the ball shell segments are arranged.

2. A ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an outer casing wall of the housing device comprises a housing tolerance compensation structure for compensating for a clearance between the housing device of the ball socket apparatus and a joint housing of a ball joint apparatus, such that the outer casing wall of the housing device is structured, wherein the housing tolerance compensation structure is formed as a knurling or ribs extending in an axial direction.

3. The ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an inner casing wall of the housing device comprises a first tolerance compensation structure and/or that an outer casing wall of the ball shell element comprises a second tolerance compensation structure for compensating a clearance between the housing device and the ball shell element, so that the outer casing wall of the housing device and/or the ball shell element is structured, wherein the first and second tolerance compensation structure are formed as a knurling or ribs arranged in a grid-like fashion.

4. The ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second housing device have a radially circumferential connecting edge, wherein connecting webs and connecting recesses for receiving the connecting webs extending in the axial direction are arranged in the connecting edge such that the first and the second housing device comprise connecting recesses and connecting webs arranged so as to correspond to one another, wherein the connecting recesses and the connecting webs are connected to one another by a radially circumferential press fit in order to form the housing.

5. The ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the ball shell element comprises catching elements extending in the axial direction and/or in the radial direction, which are receivable in correspondingly configured catching recesses of the housing device, in an undercut manner, in order to connect the ball shell element to the housing device in a loss-proof manner.

6. The ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an inner casing wall of the ball shell element is formed as a circular segment in cross-section, wherein the inner casing wall comprises a tangential outlet portion in the region of a connecting edge of the ball shell element for connecting to a further ball shell segment, which outlet portion deviates from the circular shape in order to reduce or prevent stress peaks in the material of the ball shell element.

7. The ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing device comprises an annular base wall portion against which an axial end portion of the ball shell element abuts in order to prevent the material of the ball shell element from flowing away in this region.

8. The ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing device comprises an annular base wall portion having an open, annular ring receiving recess, in which an annular elastomeric or EPDM ring is arranged in order to absorb axial forces occurring in the ball socket apparatus, wherein the base wall portion and thus the elastomeric ring are formed, in the region of an arm portion of a joint head, wherein a surface of the base wall portion of the ring receiving recess facing in the radial direction is formed in an undercut manner in order to receive the elastomeric ring in a loss-proof manner and/or partially receive loads acting on the elastomeric ring.

9. The ball socket apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the ball shell elements are manufactured or configured from polyketone (PK), polyphthalamides (PPA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) with carbon fibers for reinforcement, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and/or graphite.

10. A ball joint apparatus, comprising: a joint housing, a ball socket apparatus received in the joint housing according to claim 1, and a joint head having a ball portion pivotally borne in the ball socket apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0081] The ball socket apparatus according to the invention will now be described in further detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. The figures show:

[0082] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a ball socket apparatus according to the invention,

[0083] FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a first ball shell element and a first housing device of the ball socket apparatus,

[0084] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the ball shell element,

[0085] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the housing device,

[0086] FIG. 5 shows a schematic side-cut view of a tangential outlet region of the ball shell element arranged in the housing device,

[0087] FIG. 6 shows a schematic side-cut perspective detail view of the ball socket apparatus with a ring receiving recess and an EPDM ring,

[0088] FIG. 7 shows a schematic side-cut perspective detail view of the ball socket apparatus with a ring receiving recess and an EPDM ring, wherein a flow brake is provided in the region of a ball portion of a ball joint,

[0089] FIG. 8 shows a perspective schematic view of a ball joint apparatus according to the present invention, and

[0090] FIG. 9 shows a side-cut view of the ball joint apparatus with a ball portion and the ball socket apparatus according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0091] The ball socket apparatus 1 according to the invention will now be described in further detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures (FIGS. 1 to 9).

[0092] The ball socket apparatus 1 according to the invention, i.e., a ball socket or a ball bushing for bearing a joint head or a ball head of a ball pin, comprises a first ball shell element 2 and a second ball shell element 3, which are respectively arranged in a first housing device 4 and a second housing device 5.

[0093] The first ball shell element 2 and the second ball shell element 3 are configured so as to be symmetrical.

[0094] The first housing device 4 and the second housing device 5 are preferably also configured so as to be symmetrical to one another.

[0095] Furthermore, the ball shell elements 2, 3 are formed in a half-shell annular manner, wherein these ball segment portions comprise two free edges 6, 7. The free edge 7 has a larger diameter than the free edge 6.

[0096] An inner casing wall 8 of the ball shell element 2, 3 is formed as a circular segment in cross-section and forms a radially circumferential, continuous contact surface for a ball portion of a joint head.

[0097] Although the ball shell element 2, 3 comprises a slot extending in the axial direction, it is still referred to as a continuous, radially circumferential contact surface for a ball portion of a ball joint in the context of the present invention.

[0098] An outer casing wall 9 of the ball shell elements is also formed as a circular segment in cross-section.

[0099] At the free edge 6, catching elements 12 extending in the axial direction 10 and in the radial direction 11 are formed.

[0100] The housing device 4, 5 has correspondingly configured catching recesses 14 in the region of a base wall portion 13.

[0101] The catching elements are formed on the outer casing wall 9 of the ball shell element 2, 3 so as to be radially circumferential and equally spaced from one another.

[0102] Furthermore, a second tolerance compensation structure 15 is formed on the outer casing wall 9 of the ball shell element 2, 3. The second tolerance compensation structure 15 is preferably configured in a plurality of radially circumferential ribs 16 that are arranged so as to be equally spaced apart from one another.

[0103] By receiving the catching elements 12 of the ball shell element 2, 3 in the corresponding catching recesses 14 of the housing device 4, 5, a loss-proof and/or rotation-proof arrangement of the ball shell element 2, 3 in the housing device 4, 5 is realized.

[0104] In the region of the free [edge] 7 that forms the connecting edge for connecting to or abutting against the first ball shell element 2 and the second ball shell element 3, a material recess in the form of a tangential outlet portion 17 is provided in the region of the contact surface on the inner casing wall 8. In the region of the tangential outlet portion 17, the inner casing wall 8 no longer takes the shape of an ideal circle; rather, a material recess is provided in the tangential outlet portion 17.

[0105] The housing device 4, 5 comprises a radially circumferential side wall portion 18 and the annular base wall portion 13.

[0106] A housing tolerance compensation structure 21 is formed on an outer casing wall 20 of the housing device 4, 5. The tolerance compensation structure preferably comprises ribs 22 extending in the axial direction 10. The tolerance compensation structure 21 or the corresponding ribs 22 can compensate for a clearance between the housing device 4, 5 and a corresponding joint housing of a ball joint apparatus.

[0107] An inner casing wall 23 of the housing device 4, 5 is also approximately formed as a circular segment in cross-section, wherein the corresponding catching recesses 14 are provided extending in the axial direction 10 and in the radial direction 11.

[0108] At the regions between the catching recesses 14, ribs 24 are formed extending in the axial direction, which form a first tolerance compensation structure 25.

[0109] The housing device 4, 5 also comprises a free edge 26 in the region of the free edge 7 of the ball shell element 2, 3. In the free edge 26 or a corresponding radially circumferential connecting edge 27, connecting webs 28 and connecting recesses 29 extending in the axial direction 10 are configured in order to receive the connecting webs 28. The connecting webs 28 and the connecting recesses 29 are radially circumferential and arranged so as to be equally spaced apart as well as alternating.

[0110] In a connected state between the first housing device 4 and the second housing device 5, the respective connecting webs 28 in the connecting recesses 29 are connected to one another with a corresponding press fit, so that the first housing device 4 and the second housing device 5 form a housing 30.

[0111] In the annular base wall portion 19 of the housing device 4, 5, an axial end portion of the ball shell element 2, 3 abuts in portions in order to prevent the material of the ball shell element from flowing away in this region due to axial stress, in particular. This portion is referred to hereinafter as the flow brake 31. The flow brake 31 forms an annular region in a top plan view, the surface of which extends in the radial direction 11 or orthogonally to the axial direction 10.

[0112] Furthermore, an annular ring receiving recess 32 is formed in the region between the base wall portion 19 and the side wall portion 18.

[0113] The ring receiving recess 32 is approximately rectangular in cross-section and is provided for receiving an annular elastomeric or EPDM ring 33.

[0114] A region of the base wall portion of the ring receiving recess 32 facing outward in the radial direction 11 is configured as a circular segment in cross-section or in an undercut manner in order to receive the EPDM ring 33 in a loss-proof manner. This surface is hereinafter referred to as the loss-proofing surface 34.

[0115] The ball shell elements 2, 3 and the corresponding housing devices 4, 5 are respectively made of two different plastics by means of a single-component injection molding method. These are then connected to one another manually or with a machine.

[0116] Alternatively, the ball shell elements 2, 3 and the housing devices 4, 5 can also be manufactured by means of a dual component injection molding method from two different plastics, such that a ball shell element and a corresponding housing device are connected to one another in a material-locking manner.

[0117] Furthermore, a ball joint apparatus 35 according to the invention is provided, which comprises a joint housing 36, a ball socket apparatus 1 received in the joint housing 36, and a joint head 37 having a ball portion 38 and an arm portion 39, which is pivotally borne in the ball socket apparatus 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0118] 1 Ball socket apparatus [0119] 2 First ball shell element [0120] 3 Second ball shell element [0121] 4 First housing device [0122] 5 Second housing device [0123] 6 Free edge [0124] 7 Free edge [0125] 8 Inner casing wall [0126] 9 Outer casing wall [0127] 10 Axial direction [0128] 11 Radial direction [0129] 12 Catching element [0130] 13 Base wall portion [0131] 14 Catching recess [0132] 15 Second tolerance compensation structure [0133] 16 Ribs [0134] 17 Tangential outlet portion [0135] 18 Side wall portion [0136] 19 [0137] 20 Outer casing wall [0138] 21 Housing tolerance compensation structure [0139] 22 Rib [0140] 23 Inner casing wall [0141] 24 Rib [0142] 25 First tolerance compensation structure [0143] 26 Free edge [0144] 27 Radially circumferential connecting edge [0145] 28 Connecting webs [0146] 29 Connecting recesses [0147] 30 Housing [0148] 31 Flow brake [0149] 32 Ring receiving recess [0150] 33 EPDM ring [0151] 34 Loss-proofing surface [0152] 35 Ball joint apparatus [0153] 36 Joint housing [0154] 37 Joint head [0155] 38 Ball portion [0156] 39 Arm portion