Ball joint for a two-point link and two-point-link with such ball joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11261906-B2
Application number	US-201815984483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 12, 2017
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A ball joint for a chassis component in the form of a two-point linkage. The ball joint includes a housing and a ball stud fitted and able to be deflected in the housing, as well as a sealing element arranged between the housing and the ball stud, which surrounds the ball stud all round. Deflection movement of the ball stud, relative to the housing, is restricted at least in some areas by the sealing element. The sealing element is attached to the housing by an interlocked connection. The sealing element of the ball joint is attached to the housing by a snap-on connection. A two-point linkage having such a ball joint, and the two-point linkage is a steering rod or a track rod.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ball joint for a chassis component in a form of a two-point linkage, the ball joint comprising:
a housing which defines an axial direction,
a ball stud being fitted and deflectable in the housing,
a sealing element having axially opposite first and second ends and being arranged between the housing and the ball stud, and the sealing element surrounds the ball stud all round,
deflection movement of the ball stud, relative to the housing, being at least partially restricted by the sealing element,
the first end of the sealing element being attached to the housing by an axially interlocked connection; and
the housing having an undercut and the first end of the sealing element having an undercut, and the undercuts of the housing and the sealing element overlapping in the axial direction such that the interlocked connection is in a form of a snap-on connection.

2. The ball joint according to claim 1 , wherein the deflection movement of the ball stud is restricted by a thickened material area of the sealing element.

3. The ball joint according to claim 2 , wherein the thickened material area is at least essentially of a rotationally symmetrical shape.

4. The ball joint according to claim 2 , wherein two radially opposed outer circumferential areas of the thickened material area have an in-drawn shape such that the outer circumferential areas form a waist extending in an axial direction of the sealing element, and the thickened material area, in a radial section through the waist, has an essentially elliptical outer circumference.

5. The ball joint according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing element has a radially inner cylindrical surface, and the second end of the sealing element has a planar end surface that is perpendicular to the inner cylindrical surface, and at least one of the inner cylindrical surface and the planar surface has a plurality of concentric annular grooves, which, in combination with a respective adjacent component, act as a gap seal.

6. The ball joint according to claim 5 , wherein at least one radial lubricant groove, for passing of used lubricant, is formed in the end surface of the second end of the sealing element facing away from the housing, and the at least one radial lubricant groove extends radially from the inner cylindrical surface of the sealing element through a radially outer cylindrical surface of the sealing element.

7. The ball joint according to claim 6 , wherein the radial lubricant groove extends radially outward, from a middle of the sealing element, in a straight line.

8. The ball joint according to claim 6 , wherein inner cylindrical surface has at least one axial lubricant groove that extends in the axial direction of the sealing element.

9. The ball joint according to claim 8 , wherein the axial lubricant groove and the radial lubricant groove merge with one another.

10. The ball joint according to claim 1 , wherein an end surface of the second end of the sealing element, facing away from the housing, is covered by an annular sheet-metal washer.

11. The ball joint according to claim 10 , wherein the sheet-metal washer is securely attached to the sealing element.

12. The ball joint according to claim 11 , wherein the secure attachment is formed by contour areas of the sealing element and the sheet-metal washer each of which is at least one of an undercut shape or engaged with one another with interlock.

13. The ball joint according to claim 10 , wherein the sheet-metal washer has at least one corrugation which allows passage of used lubricant.

14. The ball joint according to claim 10 , wherein the sheet-metal washer has at least one drainage opening for draining of undesired liquid accumulation.

15. The ball joint according to claim 10 , wherein the sheet-metal washer has, at an outer circumference thereof, an all-round raised rim by which the sealing element is gripped.

16. A two-point linkage in combination with a ball joint, the two-point linkage being either a steering rod or a track rod and the ball joint comprising:
a housing which defines an axial direction,
a ball stud being fitted and deflectable in the housing,
a sealing element being arranged such that a first axial end of the sealing element abuts the housing, the sealing element surrounds the ball stud all round, the sealing element having a cylindrical, radially inner surface that extends from the first axial end to a second axial end of the sealing element opposite the first axial end, and the radially inner surface of the sealing element adjacent the second axial end thereof abuts the ball stud,
deflection movement of the ball stud, relative to the housing, is at least partially restricted by the sealing element,
the sealing element being attached to the housing by an axially interlocked connection, and
the second axial end of the sealing element having an end surface that comprises a plurality of concentric annular grooves and at least one radial lubricant groove that extends in a straight line from a middle of the sealing element through a radially outer surface of the sealing element.

17. A ball joint for a chassis component in a form of a two-point linkage, the ball joint comprising:
a housing and a ball stud which is supported within the housing such that the ball stud is deflectable relative to the housing, and, in an undeflected position of the ball stud, the housing and the ball stud are coaxially aligned; and
a sealing element being arranged between the housing and the ball stud, and the sealing element radially surrounds the ball stud and restricting deflection movement of the ball stud relative to the housing, and the sealing element having axially opposite first and second ends, and radially inner and outer surfaces, and
the first end of the sealing element being attached to the housing by an axially interlocked connection, and the second end of the sealing element having an end surface that has a plurality of concentric annular grooves and at least one radial groove that extends straight through the sealing element from the inner surface through the outer surface thereof.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Sokolihs Dirk
• Petersen Uwe
• Hardt Holger
• Di Sarno Marco

Classifications

• F16C11/0676 Primary

  allowing operational relative movement of joint parts due to sliding between parts of the sealing means · CPC title

• F16C11/0666 Primary

  Sealing means between the socket and the inner member shaft · CPC title

• F16C2326/24

  Steering systems, e.g. steering rods or columns · CPC title

• F16C11/068

  Special features relating to lubrication · CPC title

• Y10T403/32729

  Externally packed · CPC title