Ball joint unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9464662-B2
Application number	US-201213472015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2012
Priority date	Jun 29, 2011
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A ball joint unit is provided and can include a ball member, a plurality of lubricant reception recesses formed on a surface of the ball member, each having a predetermined depth, a rod member connected to a first element to be integrally formed with the ball member, and a retainer connected to a second element and formed with a spherical ball member receptor corresponding in shape to the ball member, wherein the lubricant is accommodated and coated in an interior of the lubricant recesses and a surface of the ball member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ball joint unit, the unit comprising:
a ball member;
a plurality of lubricant reception recesses formed on a surface of the ball member;
a rod member connected to a first element to be integrally formed with the ball member; and
a retainer connected to a second element and formed with a spherical ball member receptor corresponding in shape to the ball member;
wherein a lubricant is accommodated and coated in an interior of the lubricant reception recesses and a surface of the ball member;
wherein each lubricant reception recess has a predetermined amount of the lubricant accommodated therein and the ball joint unit is configured such that the accommodated lubricant in the lubricant reception recess is transferred to the surface of the ball member;
wherein an entire inner surface of the ball member receptor is spherical;
wherein the ball member is flatly-formed at a distal end facing the spherical inner surface of the ball member receptor to inhibit contact with the spherical inner surface of the ball member receptor;
wherein the lubricant is accommodated in a space formed between the distal end of the ball member and the inner circumferential surface of the ball member receptor;
wherein a depth of each lubricant reception recess in a longitudinal direction is different from that of the other lubricant reception recesses, while a depth of each lubricant reception recess in a latitudinal direction is identical to that of the other lubricant reception recesses, and
wherein each lubricant reception recess is flat at a floor surface, the floor surface is formed in parallel with an axial direction of the rod member, and the floor surface of each lubricant reception recess is aligned on a straight line with the axial direction of the rod member.

2. The ball joint unit of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant is a semi-solid lubricant.

3. The ball joint unit of claim 2 , wherein the retainer is formed with a rubber material.

4. The ball joint unit of claim 1 , wherein the retainer is configured in such a manner that a ball member support portion wrapping an upper end of the ball member is protruded to a rod member direction.

5. The ball joint unit of claim 4 , wherein the ball member support portion is formed with a diameter smaller than that of the ball member and greater than that of the rod member.

6. The ball joint unit of claim 4 , wherein the retainer is formed with a rubber material.

7. The ball joint unit of claim 5 , wherein the retainer is formed with a rubber material.

8. The ball joint unit of claim 1 , wherein the retainer is formed with a rubber material.

Assignees

• Lee Suhyoung
• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Suhyoung

Classifications

• Y10T403/32631

  Universal ball and socket · CPC title

• Y10T403/32696

  Nonmetallic part · CPC title

• F16C11/0609 Primary

  made from two or more parts · CPC title

• F16C11/068

  Special features relating to lubrication · CPC title

• F16C11/0604 Primary

  Construction of the male part · CPC title