JPH11132222A - Sliding body - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain the occurrence of looseness of an assembled ball joint, and to permanently obtain desired swinging torque by forming cutout-shaped plural slits extending to one end part side of a sliding body and incline to the axis on a sliding body. SOLUTION: A sliding body 12 extends up to this side of the other end part 14 from one end part 14, and cutout-shaped plural slits 15 inclining to the axis, form a clearance by communicating inner periphery with outer periphery of the sliding body 12. The slits 15 extend up to this side of both end parts 14 and 14. Therefore, since a desired preload can be applied in its axial direction and the radial direction by the axial directional and radial directional contracting action of the sliding body to an axial directional preload, even if an inner spherical surface of the sliding body is abraded, looseness is not caused, and sufficient torque can be permanently obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sliding member which is a component such as a ball joint used for a suspension system of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 6, a ball joint 101 conventionally used in a suspension apparatus has a spherical ball head 104.
A ball stud 102 having a handle 103 protruding from the ball head 104, a synthetic resin sliding body 112 surrounding the ball head 104 of the ball stud 102,
A housing 12 having a regulating portion 122 for regulating the sliding body 112 on one end inner periphery and a groove 123 on the other end end inner periphery.
1, a C-ring 110 that engages with the groove 123 to regulate the groove-side end of the sliding body 112, one end is attached to the inner periphery of the end of the housing 121, and the other end is the outer periphery of the end of the ball stud 102. Were provided with dust covers 108, 108 to be attached to the camera.

[0003] As the ball joint 101 as described above, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-173518 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-88517.
Issue.

The ball joint 101 swings between a ball head 104 of a ball stud 102 and a sliding body 112. Therefore, the inner spherical surface 112a of the inner peripheral side of the sliding body 112 wears out due to long-term use, and the ball joint 101
Backlash may occur. In addition, the swing torque of the ball joint 101 may decrease due to the play.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, a C-ring 210 is provided so that no backlash occurs even if the sliding body is worn as described above.
There is a ball joint 201 in which a coil spring 211 having elastic force is interposed between the sliding member 212 and a groove-side end of the sliding member 212 so that the sliding member 212 is always pressed in the axial direction.

[0006]

In the above-described ball joint 201, as shown in FIG. 8, the ball head 204 of the ball stud 202 extends in the axial direction so as to be easily inserted into the sliding member 212. A plurality of notched slits 215 are formed, and one end of the sliding body 212 is divided by the slits 215 in the circumferential direction.
Therefore, the swinging of the ball stud 202 causes
Even if the inner spherical surface 212a is worn, the sliding body 212 whose one end is divided is pressed in the axial direction by the coil spring 211, so that the sliding body 212 is pressed against the ball head 204 of the ball stud 202, The occurrence of play is suppressed. However, the sliding body 212 divided by the slit 215 extending in the axial direction is surely pressed by the coil spring 211 in the axial direction, so that the two ends 21 are certainly.
4,214 inner circumference is the ball head 204 of the ball stud 202
However, in the vicinity of the equator line of the inner spherical surface 212a, the inner surface 212a is relatively pressed from both end portions 214, 214, and a gap generated by abrasion may remain as it is. Due to the generation of the gap, play may occur in the ball joint 201, and the swing torque of the ball joint 201 may be further reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a sliding body in which the occurrence of play in an assembled ball joint or the like is suppressed and a desired swing torque can be obtained permanently. Aim.

[0008]

The configuration of the present invention is as follows.

In a cylindrical or cup-shaped sliding body made of synthetic resin, a plurality of notched slits extending from one end to the other end of the sliding body and inclined with respect to the axis are formed in the sliding body. I do.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows a sliding body 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional plan view showing a double-shaft type ball joint 1 provided with the sliding body 12.

In FIG. 1, a ball joint 1 has a ball stud 2 having a spherical ball head 4 and a handle 3 protruding from the ball head 4, and a ball head that holds the ball head 4 of the ball stud 2. A sliding body 12 made of synthetic resin having an inner spherical surface 12a having the same curvature as the outer spherical surface 4a of the portion 4, a regulating portion 22 for regulating the sliding body 12 at one end inner periphery, and a groove 2 at the other end end inner periphery.
3 having a housing 21. The ball stud 2 has a peripheral boot mounting groove 5 for mounting a dust cover 8 described later formed on the outer periphery of both ends, and a through hole 6 penetrating along the axis. The groove 23 of the housing 21
, A discontinuous C-ring 10 is engaged with the ring, and a coil spring 11 is interposed between the C-ring 10 and the groove-side end of the sliding body 12. 8 is a dust cover,
A large opening 8a at one end in which a metal reinforcing ring 9 is embedded is mounted on the inner periphery of the end of the housing 21, and a small opening 8b at the other end is mounted in the boot mounting groove 5 of the ball stud 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sliding body 12 extends from one end 14 to a position just before the other end 14, and is provided with a plurality of notched slits 15 inclined with respect to the axis. The slit 15 communicates the inner and outer peripheries of the sliding body 12 to form a gap. Further, the slits 15 alternately extend from both ends 14, 14 to the ends 14, 14 on the opposite side.

Next, a method of manufacturing the ball joint 1 will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the sliding body 12 is inserted into the ball head 4 of the ball stud 2 along the arrow (A). At this time, the slit 15 of the sliding body 12 expands in the circumferential direction, and assists the insertion into the ball head 4. A groove 21 of a housing 21 previously formed by cold forging and cutting, having a regulating portion 22 extending circumferentially toward the axis at one end inner periphery and a circumferential groove 23 at the other end inner periphery. The ball stud 2 in which the sliding body 12 is inserted into the ball head 4 is inserted along the arrow (a) from the end on the 23 side. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4, the coil spring 11 is inserted along the arrow (C) into the inner periphery of the groove-side end of the housing 21, and the C-ring 10 is temporarily reduced to a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the housing 21. After the diameter is reduced and inserted along the arrow (d) from the groove side end into the inner periphery of the housing 21, the diameter of the C ring 10 is increased at the position of the groove 23 and engaged with the groove 23. Here, the C ring 10 is a coil spring 11
Is pressed and contracted in the axial direction.
2 receives a preload from the coil spring 11. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, dust covers 8, 8 are inserted along the arrows (e) and (f) from both ends of the housing 21, and the large openings 8a, 8a are inserted into the inner periphery of the end of the housing 21, The small openings 8b, 8b are mounted in the boot mounting grooves 5, 5 of the ball stud 2 to complete the ball joint 1 as shown in FIG.

Next, the use state of the ball joint 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

The ball joint 1 has a ball stud 2
One connecting member (not shown) is press-fitted into the through hole 6 and the other connecting member (not shown) is press-fitted on the outer periphery of the housing 21 to connect the two connecting members. The movement of the two connecting members causes the ball stud 2 to swing between the ball head 4 and the sliding body 12.
Rotate. Therefore, the inner spherical surface 12a of the sliding body 12 is worn by the long-term use of the ball joint 1, but at this time, the sliding body 12 has a narrow notch-shaped slit 15 inclined by an axial preload, Substantially shrinks axially and radially. Due to the contraction action of the sliding body 12 in the axial direction and the radial direction, a gap between the inner spherical surface 12a of the sliding body 12 and the ball head 4 of the ball stud 2 caused by wear is eliminated, and the inner spherical surface 12a of the sliding body 12 is removed. Makes uniform and close contact with the ball head 4 of the ball stud 2, and can apply a desired preload in the axial and radial directions. In particular, the slit 15 of the sliding body 12
4, 14 alternately extend to the opposite end portions 14, 14, so that even and circumferential contact is possible.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a cylindrical or cup-shaped sliding body made of synthetic resin, the sliding body extends from one end to the other end, and extends with respect to the axis. Formed a plurality of notched slits
The axial and radial contraction of the sliding body against the axial preload allows the desired preload to be applied in the axial and radial directions, so that even if the inner spherical surface of the sliding body is worn, There is no backlash and a sufficient torque can be obtained permanently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating a ball joint including a sliding body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating a sliding body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating a first manufacturing process of the ball joint according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view illustrating a second manufacturing process of the ball joint according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view illustrating a third manufacturing process of the ball joint according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating a ball joint including a conventional sliding body.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating another ball joint including a conventional sliding body.

FIG. 8 is a sectional plan view showing a conventional sliding body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Sliding body 14 End 15 Slit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical or cup-shaped sliding body made of synthetic resin, wherein one end (1) of the sliding body (12) is attached to the sliding body (12).
A sliding body extending from 4) to the other end (14) side and having a plurality of notch-shaped slits (15) inclined with respect to an axis. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the slit is provided at both ends.
The sliding body according to claim 1, wherein the sliding body extends alternately from (4) and (14).