Ball joint

• US 5,178,482 A
• Filed: 01/22/1992
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Wood, Ruey E.
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNDRAT, ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US07/823,852
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 403/133, 403/137, 403/140, 403/130, 156/334
• US Class Current: 403/130
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0633 the linings being made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0652 combined with a damper other than elastic linings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0695 Mounting of ball-joints, e.g. fixing them to a connecting rod
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/20 Sliding surface consisting mainly of plastics F16C33/22 - F16C33/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 7/02 Constructions of connecting-rods with constant length
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 7/08 made from sheet metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32696 Nonmetallic part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32721 Elastomeric seat
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32778 Completely spacing the members

Abstract

A ball joint 10 comprises a ball stud 14 having a ball portion 40 and a shank 42 extending from the ball portion 40. A thermoplastic plastic layer 16 encapsulates the ball portion 40 of the ball stud 14 and is adhered to the ball portion 40 of the ball stud 14. A synthetic elastomeric bushing 18 encapsulates the plastic layer 16 and the ball portion 40 of the ball stud 14. The bushing 18 is adhered to the plastic layer 16.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a metallic ball stud having a ball portion and a shank extending from said ball portion;

a plastic layer encapsulating said ball portion of said ball stud, said plastic layer adhering to said ball portion of said ball stud and being formed of a first composition consisting essentially of a thermoplastic material; and

a synthetic elastomeric bushing encapsulating said plastic layer and said ball portion of said ball stud, said bushing being formed of a second composition comprising particles of an elastomeric material dispersed in a thermoplastic material, said particles of elastomeric material being included in said second composition in an amount which is effective to render said second composition substantially elastomeric, said bushing being bonded t said plastic layer by at least a portion of said thermoplastic material in said bushing which is fused with at least a portion of said thermoplastic material in said plastic layer.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said thermoplastic materials is polypropylene.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said particles of elastomeric material are formed of ethylenepropylene diamine monomer.