Ball and socket joint

• US 5,755,526 A
• Filed: 05/23/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Stanevich, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, HARRY CHONG HYUN
• Application Number:
  US08/651,265
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 403/122, 403/114, 403/115, 403/76, 403/90, 403/315, 403/319, 403/316, 248/481, 248/484
• US Class Current: 403/122
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/69 Redundant disconnection blocking means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0604 Construction of the male part
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0638 characterised by geometrical details
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/106 for ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32565 Ball and socket with restricted movement about one axis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32631 Universal ball and socket

Abstract

A ball and socket joint (10) includes a socket (20) having a chamber (120). A ball stud (40) includes a ball end (50). The ball end (50) is movable relative to the socket (20) in a first direction (186) into the chamber (120) in the socket. The socket (20) has first portions (142, 144, 152, 154) engageable with the ball end (50) for blocking rotation of the ball end about a first axis (56) during movement of the ball end into the chamber (120). A resilient retainer (180) is deflected during movement of the ball end (50) into the chamber (120). When the ball end (50) is in the chamber (120), the retainer (180) straightens to rotate the ball end into an operating position in the chamber. The socket (20) has second portions (130, 146, 162, 166) engageable with the ball end (50) for blocking movement of the ball end out of the chamber (120) when the ball end is in the operating position. The engagement of the retainer (180) in a retainer opening (100) in the socket (20) blocks rotation of the ball end (50) out of the operating position.

Claims

1. A ball and socket joint comprising:

a socket having a chamber; and

a ball stud including a ball end;

said ball end being movable relative to said socket in a first direction into said chamber in said socket, said socket having first portions engageable with said ball end for blocking rotation of said ball end about a first axis during movement of said ball end into said chamber;

means for rotating said ball end in said chamber relative to said socket about said first axis after said ball end is located in said chamber into an operating position in which said ball end is rotatable about second and third axes extending transverse to said first axis;

said socket having second portions engageable with said ball end for blocking movement of said ball end out of said chamber when said ball end is in the operating position in said chamber;

wherein said means for rotating said ball end in said chamber into the operating position comprises a resilient member connected with said ball end and movable between a free condition and a deflected condition in response to the application of a force greater than a predetermined force, said resilient member being moved into the deflected condition during movement of said ball end into said chamber, said resilient member returning from the deflected condition to the free condition upon movement of said ball end into the operating position in said chamber, said ball end rotating in said chamber into the operating position in response to movement of said resilient member from the deflected condition to the free condition.

2. A ball and socket joint comprising:

a socket having a chamber; and

a ball stud including a ball end;

said ball end being movable relative to said socket in a first direction into said chamber in said socket, said socket having first portions engageable with said ball end for blocking rotation of said ball end about a first axis during movement of said ball end into said chamber;

means for rotating said ball end in said chamber relative to said socket about said first axis after said ball end is located in said chamber into an operating position in which said ball end is rotatable about second and third axes extending transverse to said first axis;

said socket having second portions engageable with said ball end for blocking movement of said ball end out of said chamber when said ball end is in the operating position in said chamber;

said joint further comprising means for blocking rotation of said ball end relative to said socket from the operating position to the assembly position, said means for blocking rotation comprising a retainer having a first end portion fixed for rotation with said ball end about said first axis and a second end portion resiliently deflectable relative to said first end portion between a free condition and a deflected condition in response to the application of a force greater than a predetermined force, said socket having a retainer opening for receiving said second end portion of said retainer when said ball end is in the operating condition to block rotation of said ball end in said chamber from the operating position.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said retainer extends parallel to said first axis when in the free condition, said retainer opening extending axially through a radially extending portion of said socket.

4. A ball and socket joint comprising:

a socket having a chamber; and

a ball stud including a ball end;

said ball end being movable relative to said socket in a first direction into said chamber in said socket, said socket having first portions engageable with said ball end for blocking rotation of said ball end about a first axis during movement of said ball end into said chamber;

means for rotating said ball end in said chamber relative to said socket about said first axis after said ball end is located in said chamber into an operating position in which said ball end is rotatable about second and third axes extending transverse to said first axis;

said socket having second portions engageable with said ball end for blocking movement of said ball end out of said chamber when said ball end is in the operating position in said chamber;

wherein said ball end has a spherical outer bearing surface with a diameter, said second portions of said socket comprising a plurality of lips on said socket which are spaced apart by a distance which is less than the diameter of said ball end, said lips blocking movement of said ball end out of said chamber in said first direction and in a second direction opposite to said first direction when said ball end is in the operating position in said chamber.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said lips at least partially define an insertion channel through which said ball end is movable in said first direction into said chamber;

said insertion channel being angularly offset from said retainer opening by a predetermined number of degrees;

said ball end rotating by said predetermined number of degrees to the operating position;

said retainer moving from the deflected condition to the free condition during rotation of said ball end in said chamber into the operating position.

6. A ball and socket joint comprising:

a socket having a chamber and having a retainer opening;

a ball stud having a first axis and including a ball end centered on said first axis; and

a retainer connected for movement with said ball stud, said retainer having a free condition and being resiliently deflectable from the free condition into a deflected condition;

said ball end being movable in a first direction into said chamber in said socket, said socket having portions engageable with said ball end for blocking rotation of said ball end about said first axis during movement of said ball end into said chamber;

cam means on said socket and engageable with said retainer for deflecting said retainer from the free condition into the deflected condition and into said retainer opening during movement of said ball end into said chamber;

said ball end being rotatable in said chamber about said first axis into an operating position in which said ball end is rotatable about second and third axes extending transverse to said first axis;

said retainer on said ball stud returning from the deflected condition to the free condition during rotation of said ball end in said chamber into the operating position;

said socket having portions engageable with said ball end for blocking axial movement of said ball end out of said chamber when said ball end is in the operating position in said chamber;

said retainer blocking rotation of said ball end in said chamber from the operating position.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said socket is rigid and is formed as one piece and wherein said ball end is rigid and is formed as one piece.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said portions on said socket for blocking rotation of said ball end about said first axis during movement of said ball end into said chamber comprise planar guide surfaces on said socket which are engageable with planar surfaces on said ball end for blocking rotation of said ball end relative to said socket while said ball end is moving into said chamber, said guide surfaces on said socket being disengageable from said planar surfaces on said ball end upon movement of said ball end into said chamber to enable rotation of said ball end relative to said socket to the operating position in said chamber.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said ball end has a spherical outer bearing surface with a diameter, said portions on said socket engageable with said ball end for blocking movement of said ball end out of said chamber when said ball end is in the operating position comprising a plurality of lips on said socket which are spaced apart by a distance which is less than the diameter of said ball end, said lips blocking movement of said ball end out of said chamber in said first direction and in a second direction opposite to said first direction when said ball end is in the operating position in said chamber.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said lips at least partially define an insertion channel through which said ball end is movable in said first direction into said chamber;

said insertion channel being angularly offset from said retainer opening by a predetermined number of degrees;

said ball end rotating by said predetermined number of degrees in said chamber to the operating position;

said retainer moving from the deflected condition to the free condition during rotation of said ball end in said chamber to the operating position.

11. A ball and socket joint comprising:

a socket having generally spherical first inner surfaces defining a chamber, said socket having second inner surfaces defining a channel leading radially into said chamber from a location outside of said socket;

a ball stud including a ball end, said ball end having spherical first outer surfaces generally matching said spherical first inner surfaces of said socket, said ball end having second outer surfaces generally matching said second inner surfaces of said socket, whereby said ball stud may be inserted into said socket through said channel and may rotate in a first direction of rotation such that said spherical first outer surfaces of said ball end are received within said spherical first inner surfaces of said chamber;

resilient biasing means for biasing said ball end for rotation in said first direction of rotation upon insertion of said ball end into said channel such that said ball end is automatically engaged in said socket upon insertion of said ball end into said channel.

12. A ball and socket joint as set forth in claim 11 wherein said socket is rigid and is formed as one piece and wherein said ball end is rigid and is formed as one piece.

13. A method of assembling a ball and socket joint, said method including the steps of:

providing a socket having a chamber;

providing a ball stud including a shank and a ball end fixed for movement with the shank;

moving the ball end of the ball stud in a first direction into the chamber, said moving step including blocking rotation of the ball end about a first axis during movement of the ball end into the chamber;

rotating the ball end about the first axis into an operating position in the chamber in which the ball end is rotatable in the chamber about second and third axes extending transverse to the first axis; and

blocking movement of the ball end out of the chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the ball end is in the operating position in the chamber;

said step of providing a ball stud including the step of providing a retainer connected for movement with the shank of the ball stud, the retainer having a free condition and being resiliently deflectable into a deflected condition;

said step of moving the ball end of the ball stud in a first direction into the chamber including the step of deflecting the retainer from the free condition into the deflected condition and into the retainer opening in the socket; and

said step of rotating the ball end about the first axis into an operating position in the chamber including the step of returning the retainer on the ball stud from the deflected condition to the free condition during rotation of the ball end to the operating position.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said step of providing a socket includes providing a socket wall having an insertion channel through which the ball end is movable in the first direction into the chamber, the insertion channel being angularly offset from the retainer opening by a predetermined number of degrees; and

said step of rotating the ball end about the first axis into an operating position in the chamber includes (i) rotating the ball end in the chamber by the predetermined number of degrees to the operating position and (ii) returning the retainer on the ball stud from the deflected condition to the free condition during rotation of the ball end to the operating position.