Socket assembly with a retention device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859657-B2
Application number	US-202016806668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2020
Priority date	Mar 2, 2020
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention is related to a ball socket assembly that includes a housing with an inner bore and at least one open end. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud which is partially received in the inner bore of the housing. An exit bearing supports the ball stud and is positioned in the inner bore adjacent the at least one open end. The exit bearing includes a plastic piece and a metal piece which are connected with one another. The metal piece has a semi-conical shape. The housing is deformed adjacent the at least one open end to capture the exit bearing within the inner bore. In operation, the metal piece reinforces the plastic piece to transfer forces between the ball stud and the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ball socket assembly, comprising:
a housing having an inner bore extending along a longitudinal housing axis and an open end and a closed end axially opposite the open end;
a ball stud partially received in said inner bore;
an exit bearing supporting said ball stud and positioned in said inner bore adjacent said open end, said exit bearing including a plastic piece and a metal piece in an overmolded connection with one another, and said metal piece having a frustum shape tapering inward toward the housing axis from a wide end thereof adjacent the opened end to a narrow end axially inward and closer to the housing axis; and
said housing being deformed adjacent said open end to overlap the wide end of the metal piece and capture said exit bearing within said inner bore.

2. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing is deformed to present a radially inwardly extending lip which is in direct contact with a top surface of said exit bearing.

3. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plastic piece of said exit bearing has an inner surface which is in direct contact with said ball stud at two spaced apart locations.

4. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said inner surface of said plastic piece includes at least one angled portion which is angled relative to the housing axis and which is in direct contact with one hemisphere of a ball portion of said ball stud.

5. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said inner surface of said plastic piece further includes a cylindrical portion which is in direct contact with an equator of said ball portion of said ball stud.

6. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein, when viewed in cross-section, said metal piece is angled relative to said at least one angled portion of said inner surface.

7. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said at least one angled portion of said inner surface is at an angle of between 15 to 25 degrees relative to said housing axis.

8. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 4 further including a backing bearing disposed in said inner bore of said housing and supporting an opposite hemisphere of said ball portion of said ball stud from said at least one angled portion of said inner surface of said plastic piece of said exit bearing.

9. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said metal piece has at least one through opening through a body of the metal piece intermediate upper and outer peripheries of the metal piece and wherein a plastic material of said plastic piece extends through said at least one through opening.

10. A ball socket assembly, comprising:
a housing having an inner bore extending along a longitudinal housing axis between an open end of the housing and a closed end;
a ball stud having a ball portion and a shank portion, said ball portion being received in said inner bore of said housing, and said shank portion projecting out of said housing through said open end;
said ball portion of said ball stud being supported by an exit bearing which is positioned in said inner bore between said ball portion and said open end of said housing;
said exit bearing including a plastic piece made of a plastic material and a metal piece made of a metal material, said plastic and metal pieces being in an overmolding connection with one another; and
said metal piece having a frustum shape and being at least partially embedded within said plastic piece for reinforcing said plastic piece to transfer increased forces between said ball stud and said housing and wherein the frustum shape is tapering inward toward the housing axis from a wide end thereof adjacent the opened end to a narrow end axially inward and closer to the housing axis.

11. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said plastic piece of said exit bearing includes an inner surface with an angled portion which is in direct contact with one hemisphere of said ball portion of said ball stud.

12. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said inner surface of said exit bearing further includes a cylindrical portion which is in direct contact with an equator of said ball portion of said ball stud.

13. A ball socket assembly, comprising:
a housing having an inner bore extending along a longitudinal housing axis between open and closed ends of the housing;
a ball stud including a ball portion which is received in said inner bore;
an exit bearing supporting said ball stud and positioned in said inner bore adjacent said open end, said exit bearing including a plastic piece and a metal piece in an overmolded connection with one another;
said housing being deformed adjacent said at least one open end to capture said exit bearing within said inner bore;
said plastic piece of said exit bearing presenting a bearing surface which is in slidable contact with said ball portion of said ball stud; and
said metal piece having a frustum shape and, as viewed in cross-section, said metal piece extending perpendicularly to at least a portion of a surface-to-surface contact location between said bearing surface of said plastic piece and said ball portion of said ball stud for reinforcing said plastic piece to transfer increased forces between said ball stud and said housing and wherein the frustum shape is tapering inward toward the housing axis from a wide end thereof adjacent the opened end to a narrow end axially inward and closer to the housing axis.

14. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said bearing surface of said plastic piece has at least one angled portion which is in direct contact with one hemisphere of said ball portion of said ball stud and which extends at an angle relative to a central axis of said housing and wherein said metal piece extends transversely to said at least one angled portion.

15. The ball socket assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said bearing surface of said plastic piece further includes a cylindrical portion which is in direct contact with an equator of said ball portion of said ball stud.

Assignees

• Fed Mogul Motorparts Llc

Inventors

• Auquier Andrew
• Parker Glen
• Byrnes Jr Thomas J

Classifications

• F16C11/0633 Primary

  the linings being made of plastics · CPC title

• Y10T403/32737

  including liner, shim, or discrete seat · CPC title

• B60G7/005 Primary

  Ball joints (B60G7/006 takes precedence; for steering linkage B62D7/16; ball joints per se F16C11/06) · CPC title

• B60G2204/416

  Ball or spherical joints · CPC title

• B60G2206/81012

  by injection moulding · CPC title