Ball joint with a multi-piece ball stud

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11098752-B2
Application number	US-201916449907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2019
Priority date	Jun 24, 2019
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

The ball joint includes a housing that has an inner bore. A ball stud is partially received in the inner bore. The ball stud has a ball portion and a shank portion which are separate pieces from one another and which are in threaded engagement with one another. At least one bearing is disposed in the inner bore and slidably supports the ball portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud to rotate and articulate relative to the housing. The ball portion is shaped through a forging operation, and the shank portion is shaped through a process which includes machining and does not include forging.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ball joint, comprising:
a housing having an inner bore;
a ball stud partially received in said inner bore;
said ball stud including a ball portion and a shank portion which are separate pieces from one another and which are in threaded engagement with one another;
at least one bearing disposed in said inner bore and slidably supporting said ball portion of said ball stud for allowing said ball stud to rotate and articulate relative to said housing;
said ball portion being shaped through a forging operation; and
said shank portion being shaped through a process which includes machining and does not include forging.

2. The ball joint as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ball portion includes an opening with female threads and wherein said shank portion includes a post with male threads.

3. A set of ball joints, comprising;
a first ball joint and a second ball joint;

each of said first and second ball joints having a housing, at least one bearing, and a ball stud with a ball portion and a shank portion which are in threaded engagement with one another;
said ball portions of said first and second ball joints being identical with one another; and

said shank portions of said first and second ball joints being not identical with one another.

4. The set of ball joints as set forth in claim 1 wherein, for each of said first and second ball studs, said ball portion has an opening with female threads and said shank portion has a post with male threads.

5. The set of ball joints as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second ball joints have not identical housings.

6. The set of ball joints as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first and second ball joints have not identical bearings.

7. The set of ball joints as set forth in claim 3 wherein said ball portions of said first and second ball joints are shaped through forging operations.

8. The set of ball joints as set forth in claim 7 wherein said shank portions of said first and second ball joints are shaped through respective processes which include machining and do not include forging.

9. A method of making a set of ball joints, comprising the steps of:
threadedly connecting a first ball portion with a first shank portion to form a first ball stud;
inserting a first bearing into a first inner bore of a first housing;
inserting the first ball portion of the first ball stud into the first inner bore of the first housing and establishing slidable contact between the first ball portion and the first bearing so that the first ball stud can rotate and articulate relative to the first housing;
threadedly connecting a second ball portion with a second shank portion to form a second ball stud;
inserting a second bearing into a second inner bore of a second housing;
inserting the second ball portion of the second ball stud into the second inner bore of the second housing and establishing slidable contact between the second ball portion and the second bearing so that the second ball stud can rotate and articulate relative to the second housing; and
wherein the first and second ball portions of the first and second ball studs are identical with one another and wherein the first and second shank portions of the first and second ball studs are not identical with one another.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first and second housings are not identical with one another.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first and second bearings are not identical with one another.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9 further including the step of shaping the first and second ball portions through a forging operation.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12 further including the step of shaping the first and second shank portions through an operation which includes machining and does not include forging.

Assignees

• Fed Mogul Motorparts Llc

Inventors

• Smith Sean N
• Englebright Seth

Classifications

• F16C11/0628 Primary

  with linings · CPC title

• Y10T403/32704

  Stud extends into ball · CPC title

• F16C2220/46

  by forging · CPC title

• B23P15/00

  Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass · CPC title

• F16C2326/05

  Vehicle suspensions, e.g. bearings, pivots or connecting rods used therein · CPC title