Preload loss prevention system for a clamping ball stud

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9709087-B2
Application number	US-201514811243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2015
Priority date	Jul 28, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A product that may include a first linked element that may have an opening that may have a coaxial counter bore. A collar may be included and may have a parti-spherical section and may have a countersunk section that may extend into the counter bore. A stud may have a sphere-like section and may be engaged with the parti-spherical section. The stud may include a shank extending from the sphere-like section and through the collar and the opening. A fastener may be engaged with the shank, and the collar and the first linked element may be compressed between the sphere-like section and the fastener. A second linked element may be included and may have a race within which the sphere-like section may be engaged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A product comprising:
a first linked element that has a first opening with a coaxial counter bore, the counter bore being coaxial with the first opening;
a collar that has a second opening with a section that is shaped like part of a sphere, and that has a countersunk section extending into the coaxial counter bore;
a stud that has a head that is ball shaped and that is engaged with the section that is shaped like part of a sphere, and a shank extending from the head through the second opening of the collar;
a fastener engaged with the shank, the collar and the first linked element compressed between the head and the fastener; and
a second linked element having a race within which the head is engaged, wherein the coaxial counter bore includes a longitudinal wall that extends into the first linked element from an external surface of a first side of the first linked element, and that is parallel to an axis extending through a center of the head and the shank, and the coaxial counter bore includes an angled wall at an end of the longitudinal wall opposite the external surface, and the countersunk section of the collar is engaged against the longitudinal wall and the angled wall.

2. The product according to claim 1 wherein the first linked element has a second side, and wherein the coaxial counter bore extends through the first side and a second counter bore extends through the second side, wherein the fastener extends into the second counter bore.

3. The product according to claim 1 wherein the collar includes an edge that is disposed adjacent the section that is shaped like part of a sphere and that is disposed at the head, the edge being spaced apart from the first linked element extending the grip length of the stud a distance.

4. The product according to claim 3 wherein the collar has a tapered surface extending from the edge radially outward and toward the first linked element.

5. The product according to claim 1 wherein the external surface faces the head, wherein the first opening is partly defined by the longitudinal wall which extends into the first linked element from the external surface, the first linked element has a second side facing away from the head with the first opening partly defined by a second longitudinal wall extending into the first linked element from the second side, and the first opening is partly defined by a third longitudinal wall disposed adjacent to the shank, and the third longitudinal wall has first and second ends with the angled wall extending from the first end to the first longitudinal wall and a transverse wall perpendicular to the third longitudinal wall and extending from the second end to the second longitudinal wall.

6. The product according to claim 1 wherein the first side faces the head and wherein the collar includes a flange section that has a transverse surface facing the first side and positioned against the first linked element on the first side and outside the first opening.

7. The product according to claim 1 wherein the second linked element is disposed at variable angles relative to the first linked element with the race engaged around the head wherein the second linked element pivots relative to the first linked element.

8. The product according to claim 1 wherein the fastener is threaded onto the shank and is positioned inside the first opening.

9. The product according to claim 1 wherein the longitudinal wall is disposed parallel to the shank, and the countersunk section is engaged against the longitudinal wall distributing forces between the first and second linked elements.

10. A product comprising:
a first linked element that has a first side and defines an opening extending through the first linked element from the first side;
a collar extending into the opening through the first side and the collar has an edge, wherein the collar extends out of the opening away from the first side of the first linked element to the edge;
a stud that has a head and a shank, the stud terminates at a first end, and at a second end opposite the first end, the head forms a ball shaped section of the stud and is disposed at, and forms, the first end, and the ball shaped section is positioned away from the first linked element by the collar a distance from the first side to the edge, wherein the ball shaped section of the head engages the collar, including at the edge and the shank extends from a connection with the head at the ball shaped section to the second end, the shank having a diameter from the connection with the head to the second end that is constant, and the shank extends through the collar and the first linked element;
a fastener connected with the shank, the collar and the first linked element compressed between the head and the fastener; and
a second linked element that has a race engaged with the head linking the first and second linked elements, wherein the first linked element has a second side and wherein a first counter bore extends through the first side and a second counter bore extends through the second side, wherein the collar extends into the first counter bore and wherein the fastener extends into the second counter bore, and wherein the first counter bore includes a longitudinal wall that extends into the first linked element from an external surface of the first side, and that is parallel to an axis extending through a center of the head and the shank, and the first counter bore includes an angled wall at an end of the longitudinal wall opposite the external surface, and the collar is engaged against the longitudinal wall and the angled wall.

11. The product according to claim 10 wherein the collar has a tapered surface extending from the edge radially outward away from the shank and toward the first linked element to the first side.

12. The product according to claim 10 wherein the second end has a threaded section onto which the fastener is threaded.

13. The product according to claim 10 wherein the collar includes a flange section extending from the edge outward away from the shank and positioned against the first linked element.

14. The product according to claim 10 wherein the collar includes a counter sunk portion positioned inside the opening and a flange portion positioned outside the opening and against the first side of the first linked element, the flange portion having an axial opening that has a part spherical section and a cylindrical section, the part spherical section receiving the head and shaped to mate with the ball shape of the head and the cylindrical section receiving the shank.

15. The product according to claim 10 wherein the fastener is threaded onto the shank and is positioned inside the opening.

16. The product according to claim 10 wherein an axis extends longitudinally through a center of the stud, wherein the collar includes an angled surface facing the second linked element at an angle to permit the second linked element to pivot through a range of angular orientations relative to the first linked element, while simultaneously, the collar extends a grip length of the stud along the axis from the head to the fastener the distance between the head and the first linked element to increase a residual preload of the stud along the axis.

17. The product according to claim 16 wherein the angled surface has a first end at the ball shaped section and a second end disposed toward the first linked element from the ball shaped section, wherein the first end is closer to the axis than the second end.

18. The product according to claim 17 , whe

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Bucking Michael

Classifications

• F16C11/0604 Primary

  Construction of the male part · CPC title

• F16C11/0695

  Mounting of ball-joints, e.g. fixing them to a connecting rod · CPC title

• F16C11/0614

  the female part of the joint being open on two sides · CPC title