Ball and socket joint for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291196-B2
Application number	US-201213459300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2012
Priority date	May 5, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A ball and socket joint comprises a joint ball which is enclosed and rotationally supported by a ball socket. The ball socket has two ball socket parts that move relative to one another in an axial direction. The ball socket parts acts on different sides of the joint ball that are opposite one another in the axial direction. A controllable adjusting device bias the two ball socket parts, relative to one another in the axial direction, so that pressure exerted on the joint ball by the twp ball socket parts can be varied. At least a first of the ball socket parts comprises a main body and at least one bearing section, which is elastically connected to the main body and by which the first ball socket part rests against the joint ball.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ball and socket joint for a vehicle, the ball and socket joint comprising:
a ball pin ( 3 ) comprising a joint ball ( 22 ),
a ball socket enclosing the joint ball ( 22 ) and being provided with a pin opening ( 25 ) in which the joint ball ( 22 ) of the ball pin ( 3 ) being rotatably supported, and the ball pin extending through the pin opening ( 25 ),
the ball socket having first and second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ) that are movable in an axial direction ( 7 ) relative to one another, and the first and the second ball socket parts acting on different sides of the joint ball ( 22 ) that are opposite one another in the axial direction ( 7 ),
a controllable adjusting device ( 4 ) for moving the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ), relative to one another in the axial direction ( 7 ), and varying pressure exerted on the joint ball ( 22 ) by the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ),
a motor being coupled to and supplying drive to the controllable adjusting device ( 4 ), and
at least the first ball socket part ( 18 ) comprising a main body ( 35 ) and at least one bearing section ( 36 ) being elastically connected to the main body and resting against the joint ball ( 22 ).

2. The ball and socket joint according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing section ( 36 ) of the first ball socket part ( 18 ) has a circumferential bearing surface ( 21 ) which mates with an outer surface ( 43 ) of the joint ball ( 22 ) and rests against the joint ball ( 22 ).

3. The ball and socket joint according to claim 1 , wherein the first ball socket part ( 18 ) is provided with at least one circumferential material recess in a connection region ( 38 ) of the bearing section ( 36 ) and the main body ( 35 ).

4. The ball and socket joint according to claim 1 , wherein a mushroom-shaped hole ( 37 ), which is open toward the joint ball ( 22 ) and partially accommodates the joint ball and an edge of which facing the joint ball ( 22 ) is formed by the bearing section ( 36 ), is provided in the first ball socket part ( 18 ).

5. The ball and socket joint according to claim 1 , wherein the first ball socket part ( 18 ) is made of metal.

6. The ball and socket joint according to claim 1 , wherein the second ball socket part ( 2 ) comprises a main body ( 39 ) and at least one bearing section ( 40 ), which is elastically connected to the main body and by which the second ball socket part ( 2 ) rests against the joint ball ( 22 ).

7. The ball and socket joint according to claim 6 , wherein the bearing section ( 40 ) of the second ball socket part ( 2 ) has a circumferential bearing surface ( 23 ), which mates with an outer surface ( 43 ) of the joint ball ( 22 ) and rests against the joint ball ( 22 ).

8. The ball and socket joint according to claim 6 , wherein the second ball socket part ( 2 ) is provided with at least one circumferential material recess ( 41 ) in a connection region ( 42 ) of the bearing section ( 40 ) and the main body ( 39 ).

9. The ball and socket joint according to claim 6 , wherein the second ball socket part ( 2 ) is made of metal.

10. The ball and socket joint according to claim 1 , wherein the second ball socket part ( 2 ) has a circumferential wall ( 46 ) and an interior ( 47 ), which is bounded by the circumferential wall, and the first ball socket part ( 18 ) is disposed and movably guided, in the axial direction ( 7 ), by the circumferential ( 46 ).

11. A ball and socket joint for vehicle, the ball and socket joint comprising:
a ball pin ( 3 ) comprising a joint ball ( 22 ),
a ball socket enclosing the joint ball ( 22 ) and being provided with a pin opening ( 25 ) in which the joint ball ( 22 ) of the ball pin ( 3 ) being rotatably supported, and the ball pin extending through the pin opening ( 25 ),
the ball socket having first and second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ) that are movable relative to one another in an axial direction ( 7 ), and the first and the second ball socket parts acting on different sides of the joint ball ( 22 ) that are opposite one another in the axial direction ( 7 ),
a controllable adjusting device ( 4 ) by which the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ) are biased relative to one another in the axial direction ( 7 ) so that pressure exerted on the joint ball ( 22 ), by the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ), is variable,
at least the first ball socket part ( 18 ) comprising a main body ( 35 ) and at least one bearing section ( 36 ) being elastically connected to the main body and by which the first ball socket part ( 18 ) rests against the joint ball ( 22 ), and
a first transmission part ( 18 ) having ball tracks ( 28 , 29 , 30 ), which rise in the axial direction ( 7 ) and extend in a spiral shape around a rotational axis ( 8 ) oriented in the axial direction ( 7 ) and in each of which at least one ball ( 19 ) is guided, and a second transmission part ( 17 ), which is in contact with the balls ( 19 ) disposed between the first and the second transmission parts ( 17 , 18 ) in the axial direction ( 7 ), and the balls ( 19 ) and the first transmission part ( 18 ) are rotatable about the rotational axis ( 8 ) relative to one another by a drive ( 5 ).

12. The ball and socket joint according to claim 11 , wherein points at which the second transmission part ( 17 ) is in contact with the balls ( 19 ) are disposed in a plane extending perpendicularly to the axial direction ( 7 ).

13. The ball and socket joint according to claim 11 , wherein a ball guiding element ( 31 ) is disposed between the first and the second transmission parts ( 17 , 18 ) and has radially extending slits ( 30 ) in which the balls ( 19 ) are movably guided.

14. The ball and socket joint according to claim 11 , wherein the second transmission part ( 17 ) is provided with ball tracks ( 32 , 33 , 34 ) in which the balls ( 19 ) are movably guided.

15. A ball and socket joint for a vehicle, the ball and socket joint comprising:
a ball pin ( 3 ) having a joint ball ( 22 ) extending along an axis ( 8 );
a ball socket enclosing and rotatably supporting the joint ball ( 22 ), and the ball socket having a pin opening ( 25 ) through which the ball pin ( 3 ) extends,
the first ball socket part ( 18 ) comprising a main body ( 35 ) and at least one bearing section ( 36 ) which is elastically connected to the main body ( 35 ), and the at least one bearing section ( 36 ) abutting against a second side of the joint ball ( 22 ),
the ball socket having first and second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ) that are axially movable relative to one another along the axis ( 8 ), and the second ball socket part ( 2 ) abutting a first side of the joint ball ( 22 ),
the first and the second sides of the joint ball ( 22 ) being axially opposite one another with respect to the axis ( 8 );
a controllable adjusting device ( 4 ) by which the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ) are biased relative to one another along the axis ( 8 ) such that pressure exerted on the joint ball ( 22 ), by the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ), is variable, and
a motor being coupled to the controllable adjusting device ( 4 ) for driving the controllable adjusting device ( 4 ), and when the controllable adjusting device ( 4 ) is driven by the motor in a first direction, the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ) increase the pressure exerted on the joint ball ( 22 ), but when the controllable adjusting device ( 4 ) is driven by the motor in an opposite second direction, the first and the second ball socket parts ( 18 , 2 ) decrease the pressure exerte

Assignees

• Ersoy Metin
• Vortmeyer Jens
• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Ersoy Metin
• Vortmeyer Jens

Classifications

• Y10T403/32721

  Elastomeric seat · CPC title

• F16C11/0647 Primary

  Special features relating to adjustment for wear or play; Wear indicators · CPC title

• F16C11/0652

  combined with a damper other than elastic linings · CPC title