Ball joint forming method and apparatus therefor

• US 4,290,181 A
• Filed: 10/22/1979
• Issued: 09/22/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Bendix Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Bendix Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Derrington, James H.
• Application Number:
  US06/087,597
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 264/242, 264/264, 29/441, 29/434, 29/458, 29/149.5 B
• US Class Current: 29/458
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14754 being in movable or releasable engagement with the coating, e.g. bearing assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 6/12 Separation of polymers from solutions
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0633 the linings being made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49659 by molding or casting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling

Abstract

A method for constructing ball joints includes positioning a ball within a ball joint socket. Plastic-bearing material is then allowed to congeal in the socket while in contact with the ball. A positioning fixture maintains the ball in the desired spaced position in the socket while also maintaining a seal between the ball and the socket housing so that the bearing material may be pressurized as it congeals.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a ball joint comprising the steps of:

forming an open-ended ball-receiving cavity in a housing;

inserting a ball with a stud projecting therefrom through said open end of said cavity and into said cavity to a position in which the ball cooperates with the wall of the cavity to define a chamber therebetween and in which the stud projects away from the housing;

engaging said ball and said housing with a fixture to control the dimension of said chamber, said fixture including a shoulder extending from said ball to said housing;

injecting a pressurized plastic bearing material into said chamber to engage said plastic bearing material with said fixture shoulder and completely fill said chamber;

allowing said plastic bearing material to congeal in said chamber with the ball in contact with the bearing material;

rotating said ball on said fixture as said bearing material congeals while maintaining said bearing material under pressure;

attaching a retaining ring to said housing adjacent said open end of said cavity to retain said ball and said bearing material within said cavity.