Ball joint link

• US 5,615,967 A
• Filed: 06/03/1994
• Issued: 04/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
• Original Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
• Inventors: Hellon, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEV, BRUCE ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US08/253,688
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 403/122, 403/128, 403/130, 403/133, 403/134, 403/140, 403/56, 403/76, 403/77, 403/141, 403/27
• US Class Current: 403/133
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14467 Joining articles or parts of a single article B29C45/14377, B29C45/14385, B29C45/14581, B29C45/14614 and B29C45/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/00 Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/416 Ball or spherical joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/11 the arm being a radius or track or torque or steering rod or stabiliser end link
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/8201 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0604 Construction of the male part
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0642 Special features of the plug or cover on the blind end of the socket
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0657 the socket member being mainly made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0671 allowing operative relative movement of joint parts due to flexing of the sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0695 Mounting of ball-joints, e.g. fixing them to a connecting rod
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2220/04 by injection-moulding of plastics in general B29C45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2300/02 General use or purpose, i.e. no use, purpose, special adaptation or modification indicated or a wide variety of uses mentioned
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 7/02 Constructions of connecting-rods with constant length
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32032 Plural ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32631 Universal ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32696 Nonmetallic part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32721 Elastomeric seat

Abstract

A ball joint link includes a center tube and a ball stud. A one-piece, thermoplastic, molded housing extends around the ball to form a ball joint and is secured to the tube. The tube and the ball of the ball stud are both insert molded in the housing in a single molding operation, and the housing is formed of a glass-filled nylon that forms the bearing surface for the ball joint.

Claims

1. A ball joint link comprising:

a tubular first element having an end;

a ball stud comprising a stud which supports a ball;

a molded housing secured to the end of the first element and extending around the ball to form a ball joint, said housing comprising a fiber-reinforced plastic material that extends continuously between a first region immediately spatially adjacent the ball and a second region adjacent the end; and

a plug in the tubular first element near the end, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic material of the housing substantially fills the tubular first element between the end and the plug, and wherein the end is insert molded in the housing the second region.

2. The ball joint link of claim 1 wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic material comprises a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material.

3. The ball joint link of claim 1 wherein the end is insert molded in the housing in the second region.

4. The ball joint link of claim 1 wherein the insert molded ball carries a lubricant.

5. The ball joint link of claim 1 wherein the first region is configured to form a socket for the ball, and wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic material forms the socket immediately spatially adjacent the ball.

6. The ball joint link of claim 1 wherein the ball defines a flattened portion opposite the stud.

7. The ball joint link of claim 1 further comprising:

a boot seal positioned around the stud; and

a retaining ring positioned around the boot seal and secured to the housing to retain the boot seal on the housing.

8. The ball joint link of claim 1 wherein the stud defines an annular recess, and wherein the ball is molded in place on the stud and fills the recess.

9. The ball joint link of claim 1 wherein the first element comprises a center section.

10. The ball joint link of claim 1 further comprising a cap secured in place to the housing adjacent a portion of the ball opposite the stud, said cap at least partially enclosing a space adjacent the ball.

11. The ball joint link of claim 10 wherein the cap is molded in place in the housing.

12. The ball joint link of claim 11 wherein the space contains a lubricant.

13. The ball joint link of claim 11 wherein the ball comprises a non-spherical surface adjacent the cap.

14. A ball joint link comprising:

a tubular first element having an end;

a plug in the tubular first element near the end;

a ball stud comprising a stud which supports a ball; and

a molded housing secured to the end of the first element and extending around the ball to form a ball joint, said first element end and said ball both insert molded in said housing in a single molding operation;

wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic material of the housing substantially fills the tubular first element between the end and the plug.

15. The ball joint link of claim 14 wherein the tubular first element comprises a metal tube, and wherein the housing comprises a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material.

16. The ball joint link of claim 15 wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material forms a recess wall positioned immediately specially adjacent to the ball.

17. The ball joint link of claim 14 wherein the first element comprises a center section.

18. The ball joint link of claim 14 further comprising a cap secured in place to the housing adjacent a portion of the ball opposite the stud, said cap at least partially enclosing a space adjacent the ball.

19. The ball joint link of claim 18 wherein the cap is molded in place in the housing.

20. The ball joint link of claim 19 wherein the space contains a lubricant.

21. The ball joint link of claim 19 wherein the ball comprises a non-spherical surface adjacent the cap.

22. A ball joint link comprising:

a tubular center section having an end;

a ball stud comprising a stud which supports a ball;

a cap positioned adjacent a portion of the ball opposite the stud, said cap at least partially enclosing a space adjacent the ball; and

a molded housing secured to the end of the center section and extending around the ball to form a ball joint, said cap insert molded in said housing;

a plug in the tubular center section near the end, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material substantially fills the tubular center section between the end and the plug.

23. The ball joint link of claim 22 wherein the space contains a lubricant.

24. The ball joint link of claim 22 wherein the ball comprises a non-spherical surface adjacent the cap.

25. The ball joint link of claim 22 wherein the housing comprises a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material.

26. The ball joint link of claim 25 wherein the ball is insert molded in the housing.

27. The ball joint link of claim 26 wherein the end is insert molded in the housing.

28. The ball joint link of claim 25 wherein the fiber-reinforced material forms a socket immediately spatially adjacent the ball.