WO2008119344A2 - Radial ball joint - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a radial ball joint which consists of a substantially cylindrical inner sleeve (1) having a spherical bearing surface (5), a bearing shell (2) that at least partially surrounds the bearing surface (5) and that is received in a recess of a joint housing (3), and two flexible sealing sleeves (6,7) which are interposed between the bearing shell (2) and the exterior of the inner sleeve (1) at opposite ends and seal the gap between the bearing shell (2) and the bearing surface (5) accommodated therein. The sealing sleeves (6, 7) and the bearing shell (2) are configured as a one-piece structure that is produced from different materials, adapted to the respective requirements of use. Such a structure can be produced and assembled with little effort while significantly increasing the sealing properties of the radial ball joint.

Description

 Ball sleeve joint

description

The invention relates to a ball and socket joint consisting of a substantially cylindrical inner sleeve provided on its outer side with a spherical bearing surface, a bearing shell at least partially enclosing the bearing shell, which is received in a recess of a joint housing, and two between the bearing shell and the outer side of the inner sleeve arranged opposite ends, the gap between the bearing shell and stored therein bearing surface sealing flexible gaskets.

Ball joint joints of the generic type described above are used in many technical fields and in particular in the automotive industry to allow relative movements between components such as steering or the suspension elements and adjacent body-fixed points. In this case, the movable part of the steering or the suspension is attached to the inner sleeve of the ball sleeve joint, whereas the housing surrounding the ball sleeve is fixed to body-side points or vice versa.

Depending on the installation position, such ball sleeves may be exposed to increased negative environmental influences, such as, for example, dirt and moisture. These environmental influences can, if dirt or moisture particles penetrate between the spherical bearing surface of the inner sleeve and the bearing surface surrounding the bearing surface, leading to damage, increased wear to total failure of the joint in question. The task of making a seal of the gap between the bearing shell and the bearing surface accommodated therein is achieved in different ways in the prior art.

In ball and socket joints, it has proven in principle to set the arranged at a ball sleeve joint on the opposite sides of the central bearing shell gaskets on their contact surface on the cylindrical part of the ball sleeve by means of elastic spring washers or the like. Such a seal can also be selected for the further connection bearing shell / gasket beyond.

In addition, solutions have become known from areas of alien ball joint technology in which a bearing shell is made with an adjacent gasket of the same material. As a result, the gap between the bearing shell and gasket as passage for impurities is eliminated. For lightly loaded ball joints, such a construction may meet expectations with respect to a sufficient life, for the ball sleeve joints in question such a solution is not applicable, since in the case described no adaptation to the material requirements of both the bellows and the bearing shell is possible. The problem here is that either the material of the bearing shell / gasket member is too soft for increased power or in the case that the material requirements are more adapted to the bearing shell requirements, the bearing shell / gasket member in the region of the gasket for larger deflections of a ball stud is too stiff ,

Since due to the special requirements of ball and socket joints transmission of technical teachings of ball joints is not readily possible, and beyond corresponding solutions have significant practical shortcomings, the object of the invention is to develop a ball joint of the generic type described above so that on the one hand, the sealing effect In the connection area of bearing shell and gasket further improved and beyond cost savings can be achieved both in the production of the ball and socket joint and during its assembly.

This object is achieved according to the invention in conjunction with the generic features of claim 1 by the technical teaching disclosed in the characterizing part.

Essential to the invention is that the gaskets and the bearing shell are integrally formed from different, the respective application requirements adapted materials.

The one-piece design between the gasket and the bearing shell is produced by a multi-component injection molding process. In this case, the connecting regions of the sealing sleeves are connected to the adjacent regions of the bearing shell in such a way that penetration of moisture and / or contamination is precluded. In addition, there is for the inventive design the advantage that can be dispensed with additional fasteners in the range of bearing shell and gasket, such as clamping rings or the like, which leads to cost savings both montagetechnisch and in terms of reducing the components.

An additional advantage of the construction according to the invention is also the fact that the gaskets can be made of an optionally highly elastic rubber-like material, whereas the bearing shell is made of tough elastic plastics, such as PA or POM. A compound of the materials used for the gaskets and bearing shell in multi-component injection molding process is unproblematic.

Particular embodiments of the subject matter of the invention will become apparent to the technical teaching of claim 1 also from the features of the back to the main claim dependent claims.

For increased load requirements on the ball joints according to the invention, it may be advantageous according to a first development of the inventive idea to fix the bearing shell axially in the joint housing by at least one rolling edge. If changing axial forces are to be absorbed in the direction of the ball sleeve longitudinal axis, the rolling edge is provided on the joint housing on both sides. In addition, additional forces can be absorbed in the axial direction by arranging a locking ring between the rolling edge, the joint housing and the corresponding contact surface on the bearing shell.

According to an expedient embodiment of the ball and socket joint according to the invention, it is also possible to provide that an anti-rotation element is arranged on the outer circumference of the bearing shell. The anti-rotation element can be designed as at least one protruding over the outer circumference cam member which engages in a corresponding recess on the inner surface of the bearing shell enclosing the joint housing.

On the outer circumference of the bearing shell while three cam elements can be rotationally symmetrical. The anti-rotation element in general and in the special embodiment described in addition serves in addition to the determination of the joint housing on the bearing shell by, for example, a rolling process and also exclude a rotation of the bearing shell within the housing and thus the corresponding degrees of freedom of movement of the ball sleeve joint on the relative movement between inner sleeve or Spherical bearing surface of the inner sleeve and the bearing surface surrounding the bearing shell definitely limit. The dimensions of the cam element as anti-rotation element can be chosen so that the cam element in its length corresponds approximately to the width of the bearing shell.

It has also proven to be expedient if the gasket has a W-shaped cross section in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ball and socket joint. The W-shaped cross section increases the relative mobility or pivoting of the inner sleeve to the bearing shell or the joint housing and possibly reduced by a certain rigidity of

Seal sleeve material caused restoring forces due to large deflection of the inner sleeve within the bearing shell.

A further advantageous embodiment of the subject invention provides that the bearing shell has in the transition region to the respective sealing sleeve in the axial longitudinal direction of the ball sleeve joint projecting radially encircling connecting ring, which is enclosed by the material of the gaskets. Due to the described embodiment, the connecting surface between the bearing shell and gasket is increased in the region of the transition between the two components, so that the connection between the two components is improved and adapted to increased force requirements.

According to a further embodiment of the invention may also be provided that the bearing shell is held in the joint housing by a locking device. This locking device can be configured such that it has a plurality of on the outer circumference of the bearing shell radially outwardly projecting locking lugs, which come in the assembled state of the ball sleeve joint to an outer axial contact surface of the joint housing to the plant. This embodiment uses in principle the mechanical elastic properties of the material used for the bearing shell by the assembly process can be carried out by a Einschnappbewegung the joint housing within a designated outer circumferential annular gap of the bearing shell. Here are the on the bearing shell radially moved outwardly projecting locking lugs during the assembly process of the joint housing to the center axis of the ball sleeve joint until the joint housing has left the area of the locking lugs again. Then snapping these locking lugs on the basis of their elastic properties again outward and provide an axial securing of the joint housing on the outside of the bearing shell. The locking connection can be arranged on both sides axially on the bearing shell, wherein on the opposite side of the locking connection to the outside standing circumferential groove serves as an axial bearing surface of the joint housing. In addition, the latching connection can also be arranged on both sides of the outer side of the bearing shell, in which case no longer has to be paid to the side correct placement of the bearing shell during the assembly process of the joint housing during assembly.

Furthermore, it may of course be appropriate to make the locking lugs as a continuous circumferential locking projection, which increases the axial load capacity of the locking device.

In order to increase the carrying capacity of the bearing shell in addition, it may also be advantageously provided to embed one or more reinforcing rings in the bearing shell.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the subject invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows in detail:

1 shows a cross-sectional view through a first embodiment variant of the ball sleeve joint according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment variant of the ball and socket joint of FIG. 1 with a modified attachment of the joint housing to the bearing shell, FIG. 3 shows a ball and socket joint according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 with additionally increased axial load capacity,

FIG. 4 shows a design variant of the ball and socket joints of FIGS. 1 to 3 with a modified bearing shell,

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional configuration of an inventive

Ball sleeve joint with a locking device between the bearing shell and joint housing,

Figure 6 shows the perspective view of a cut portion of a ball and socket joint according to the invention arranged there against rotation

and

Figure 7 shows a further embodiment variant of a rotation between

Bearing shell and joint housing in a perspective exterior view.

All ball sleeve joints shown in cross section in FIGS. 1 to 5 in their entirety consist of an inner sleeve 1 and a bearing shell 2 arranged on the outer side of the inner sleeve, which in turn is accommodated in a joint housing 3. The inner sleeve 1 has a central through hole 4 and is designed substantially cylindrical. On the outside of the inner sleeve 1 is located in the middle region, a spherical bearing surface 5, with which the inner sleeve is received in the bearing shell 2. For this purpose, the bearing shell 2 is formed as an annular component and adapted to the inside of the outer shape of the bearing surface 5. Due to the combination of the spherical bearing surface 5 in conjunction with the bearing shell 2, an inclined position of the inner sleeve 1 relative to the joint housing 3 is possible.

Such ball and socket joints are usually used for connection between components that should perform pivoting and tilting each other. For this purpose, according to a preferred application, the inner sleeve 1 by means of her Through hole 4 attached to the steering or suspension element of a motor vehicle, whereas the joint housing 3 is fixed to the body side at an attachment point. In order to ensure the function of the ball sleeve joint permanently, it is necessary to protect the gap between the bearing surface 5 and the inside of the bearing shell 2 from contamination and / or moisture. For this purpose, a respective sealing sleeve 6 and 7 is disposed between the outer side of the bearing shell 2 and the outer side of the inner sleeve 1, in each case on opposite sides of the bearing shell 5. The gaskets 6, 7 are fixed to the outside of the inner sleeve 1 in a manner known from the prior art, for example by means of one or more spring rings 8, which reinforce the contact forces of the gaskets 6, 7 on the inner sleeve 1 and thus increase the sealing effect.

The inventive feature of the ball sleeve joint shown in Figures 1 to 5 is that the gaskets 6 and 7 are configured integrally with the bearing shell 2, so that between the components no sealing gap exists and results in an absolutely tight connection between the components. The one-piece design can be realized for example in the context of a multi-component injection molding process.

An advantage of this design is in particular that on the one hand previously conventional fastening components for connection of the respective gasket 6 and 7 can be omitted from the bearing shell 2, and that moreover both bearing shell 2 and the gaskets 6 and 7 optimally adapted to the respective application requirements in terms of choice of material can be. It is therefore now possible to produce the bearing shell 2, for example, from a tough elastic plastic, such as PA or POM, to ensure a corresponding life and load capacity of the ball sleeve joint.

In contrast, the gaskets 6 and 7 can be made of highly elastic rubbery material, whereby any restoring forces, which result in stronger deflection of the inner sleeve 1 of the ball sleeve joint relative to the joint housing 3, are minimized.

From the figure 1 it can be seen that in the region of the connection of the gaskets 6 and 7 on the axial outer sides of the bearing shell 2 according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention in the axial longitudinal direction of the ball sleeve joint projecting radially encircling connecting ring 9 can be arranged. This connecting ring 9 is enclosed by the sealing sleeve material, increases the connecting surface between the two components and thus the affinity of the components.

As already mentioned above, the bearing shell 2 is received in the joint housing 3 in a recess 16, 18. For special requirements, in particular with regard to the axial load capacity of the ball sleeve joint, there are several ways to increase this capacity by additional measures.

According to FIG. 2, it can be advantageous, for example, for a ball-and-socket joint, which in principle corresponds to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, to be provided on the outside of the joint housing 3 with one or two rolling edges 10 and 11 in the present case. In this way, a movement of the bearing shell 2 in the axial longitudinal direction is excluded relative to the joint housing 3 of the ball sleeve joint.

As an alternative to the two rolling edges 10 and 11 on the outside of the joint housing 3 shown in Figure 2, it is of course also possible to provide the hinge housing 3 in the manufacturing process with a projection corresponding to one of the rolling edges 10 and 11 and during the assembly process, the bearing shell 2 in the Insert recess of the joint housing 3. Subsequently, the corresponding roll edge 10 or 11 is then generated on the side facing away from the projection of the joint housing 3 by the rolling process. A further increased axial load capacity can be achieved by the design variant of a ball and socket joint according to the invention shown in FIG. In the illustration it can be seen that between the bearing shell 2 and the housing 3 respectively arranged on the housing 3 rolling edges 10, 11 which are arranged circumferentially, a respective locking ring 12 is inserted.

The cross-sectional view of Figure 5 it can be seen that the bearing shell 2, which in principle corresponds in structure to the embodiments of Figures 1 to 4 may be provided to increase their carrying capacity with reinforcing rings 13, which are inserted into the bearing shell material, and thus the rigidity of the bearing shell 2 increase. The reinforcing rings 13 can have different shapes, in the illustrated embodiment of Figure 5, these are designed substantially at right angles.

All variants of FIGS. 1 to 5 have in common that the sealing collars 6, 7 have a substantially W-shaped cross-section in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ball-and-socket joint. The wave-shaped configuration of the cross section can contribute to, on the one hand the mobility of the gaskets 6 and 7 is increased, moreover, in such gaskets 6 and 7, the use of different length dimensions of the inner sleeve 1 is possible because the gaskets 6 and 7, of course, due to their special design in turn allow a corresponding length compensation.

In the embodiment of Figure 5 is shown as an expedient development of the subject invention, a special connection between the bearing shell 2 and joint housing 3. The connection technology is used in particular for easier assembly between the bearing shell 2 and the surrounding joint housing 3. The connection technology provides a locking device, wherein the locking device has a plurality on the outer circumference of the bearing shell 2 radially outwardly projecting locking lugs 14 which in the assembled state of the ball sleeve joint at an outer axial contact surface 18 of the joint housing. 3 come to the plant. In the embodiment of the latching connection, it is conceivable that this serves only one side for fixing the joint housing 3 on the bearing shell 2, in which case the arranged at the opposite end fixing the joint housing 3 is carried out by a projection which need not have elastic properties in its design ,

In addition, of course, also conceivable that formed on the bearing shell 2 individual locking lugs 14 are combined together to form a circumferential locking projection. Such a design increases the holding forces that serve to connect the joint housing 3 and bearing shell 2. Of course, the latching lugs 4 can be varied in number, wherein for the reception of only small axial forces and two locking lugs 14 may be sufficient, which are arranged on both axially opposite edge regions of the bearing shell 2.

In order to reliably exclude a rotational movement of the bearing shell 2 within the joint housing 3 for certain applications, according to an advantageous development of the subject invention, the bearing shell 2 may be equipped with an anti-rotation. For this anti-rotation element, an expedient embodiment provides a cam element 15 projecting beyond the outer circumference of the bearing shell 2, which engages in a corresponding recess 16 on the inner surface of the joint housing 3 enclosing the bearing shell 2. In this case, the described cam elements 15 can be arranged rotationally symmetrical over the circumference of the bearing shell 2, wherein in practice three anti-rotation three elements 15 have been found to be sufficient.

The cam element 15 may correspond in its length in approximately the width of the bearing shell 2, whereby a sufficient torsional strength is also provided for larger attack forces. Another possibility of preventing rotation is shown in FIG. In this figure, in turn, on the outside of the bearing shell 2, a cam member 17 is located, which engages in a recess 18 within the rolling edge 10 or 11 of the joint housing.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 inner sleeve

2 bearing shell

3 joint housing

4 through hole

5 storage area

6 gasket

7 gasket

8 spring washer

9 connecting ring

10 roll edge

11 roll edge

12 lock ring

13 reinforcement ring

14 latch

15 cam element

16 recess

17 cam element

18 recess

19 contact surface

Claims

claims 1. ball sleeve joint, consisting of a provided on its outer side with a spherical bearing surface substantially cylindrical inner sleeve, a bearing surface at least partially enclosing bearing shell which is received in a recess of a joint housing, and two between the bearing shell and the outside of the inner sleeve at opposite ends arranged, the gap between the bearing shell and stored therein bearing surface sealing flexible gaskets, characterized in that the gaskets (6, 7) and the bearing shell (2) are integrally formed of different, the respective application requirements adapted materials. 2. ball sleeve joint according to claim 1, characterized in that the bearing shell (2) in the joint housing (3) by at least one Verrollungskante (10, 11) is axially fixed. 3. ball sleeve joint according to claim 2, characterized in that between at least one Verrollungskante (10 or 11), the joint housing (3) and the corresponding contact surface on the bearing shell (2) a closure ring (12) is arranged. 4. ball sleeve joint according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that on the outer circumference of the bearing shell (2) an anti-rotation element is arranged. 5. ball sleeve joint according to claim 4, characterized in that the anti-rotation element is designed as at least one on the Außenumfanj projecting cam member (15, 17) which in a corresponding recess (16, 18) on the inner surface of the bearing shell (2) enclosing Joint housing (3) engages. 6. ball sleeve joint according to claim 5, characterized in that on the outer circumference of the bearing shell (2) three cam elements (15) are arranged rotationally symmetrical. 7. Ball sleeve joint according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the cam element (15) corresponds in its length approximately to the width of the bearing shell (2). 8. ball sleeve joint according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sealing sleeve (6, 7) in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ball sleeve joint has a W-shaped cross-section. 9. Ball sleeve joint according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that on the outside of the inner sleeve (L) adjacent free ends of the sealing sleeves (6, 7) are arranged axially displaceably on a contact region of the inner sleeve (L). 10. ball sleeve joint according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the bearing shell (2) in the transition region to the respective sealing sleeve (6, 7) in the axial longitudinal direction of the ball sleeve joint projecting radially encircling connecting ring (9), of the material of the gaskets (6, 7) is enclosed. 11. ball sleeve joint, according to claim 1 or one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the bearing shell (2) in the joint housing (3) is held by a latching device. 12. ball sleeve joint, according to claim 11, characterized in that the latching device comprises a plurality of on the outer circumference of the bearing shell (2) radially outwardly projecting locking lugs (14) which in the assembled state of the ball sleeve joint to an outer axial contact surface of the joint housing (3) come to the plant. 13. ball sleeve joint according to claim 12, characterized in that the latching lugs (14) are designed as a continuous circumferential latching projection. 14. ball sleeve joint according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the latching lugs (14) are arranged on both axial opposite edge regions of the bearing shell (2). 15. ball sleeve joint according to claims 1 to 14, characterized in that in the bearing shell (2) at least one reinforcing ring (13) is embedded.