Ball-and-socket joint connection

• US 7,384,209 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stabilus GmbH (Stabilus S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Stabilus GmbH (Stabilus S.A.)
• Inventors: Stein, Andre, Mintgen, Rolf, Born, Frank, Schwab, Wilhelm, Muders, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola; Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garcia; Ernesto
• Application Number:
  US10/842,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20050013658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 403/56, 403/114, 403/115, 403/122, 403/131, 403/157, 403/393, 403/128, 248/288.31, 248/288.51, 248/481, 248/482
• US Class Current: 403/115
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0609 made from two or more parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0614 the female part of the joint being open on two sides
• 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: Y10T 403/32032 Plural ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32573 Ball stud passes through confining opening
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32631 Universal ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32704 Stud extends into ball
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32918 fork and tongue

Abstract

A ball-and-socket joint connection has a retaining part which has a fastening point for fixedly mounting the retaining part to a structure, and a rod part which is arranged pivotably in a pivoting-angle region in a pivoting plane via a ball-and-socket joint on the retaining part. The fastening point and the ball-and-socket joint are situated approximately in the pivoting plane and the rod part protrudes from the ball-like component out of a journal slot which extends radially to the ball seat in a sector-like or sectional manner at least corresponding to the pivoting angle and has a width at least corresponding to the thickness of the rod part to reduce a bending moment and loading on the retaining part.

Claims

1. A pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection for mounting to a structure, comprising:

a retaining part having a fastening point for fixedly mounting the retaining part to the structure, the retaining part also having a journal slot therein;

a ball-and-socket joint connected to the retaining part and comprising;

a ball-shaped component; and

a ball socket having a spherical-cap-shaped recess located therein for rotatably receiving the ball shaped component, a radially directed first opening for introducing the ball-shaped component into the spherical-cap-shaped recess, and a bearing shoulder for retaining the ball-shaped component in the spherical-cap-shaped recess; and

a rod part protruding from the ball-shaped component and out of the journal slot so that the rod part is pivotable relative to the ball socket in a pivoting plane along the journal slot,

wherein the journal slot and the first opening are separate and configured so that the rod part is prevented from reaching the first opening when pivoting relative to the ball socket in the pivoting plane along the journal slot,

wherein the fastening point and the ball-and-socket joint are situated approximately in the pivoting plane of the rod part so that a force flux of a force to be transmitted by the ball-and-socket joint connection is directed largely toward the pivoting plane to reduce a bending moment and loading on the retaining part,

wherein the first opening extends non-parallel and non-coplanar to the pivoting plane of the rod part, and

wherein the ball-shaped component has a recess which opens radially outwards and extends approximately coaxially to the first opening.

2. The pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection of claim 1, wherein the first opening has a longitudinal axis extending approximately normal to the pivoting plane of the journal slot.

3. The pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection of claim 1, wherein the rod part comprises a piston rod of a piston/cylinder unit.

4. The pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection of claim 1, wherein the first opening extends substantially perpendicular to the pivoting plane of the rod part.

5. A pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection for mounting to a structure, comprising:

a retaining part having a fastening point for fixedly mounting the retaining part to the structure, the retaining part also having a journal slot therein;

a ball-and-socket joint connected to the retaining part and comprising;

a ball-shaped component; and

a ball socket having a spherical-cap-shaped recess located therein for rotatably receiving the ball shaped component, a radially directed first opening for introducing the ball-shaped component into the spherical-cap-shaped recess, and a bearing shoulder for retaining the ball-shaped component in the spherical-cap-shaped recess; and

a rod part protruding from the ball-shaped component and out of the journal slot so that the rod part is pivotable relative to the ball socket in a pivoting plane along the journal slot, the rod part extending radially from the ball-shaped component and having a threaded end,

wherein the ball-shaped component has a radially directed threaded hole into which the rod part is screwed,

wherein the journal slot and the first opening are separate and configured so that the rod part is prevented from reaching the first opening when pivoting relative to the ball socket in the pivoting plane along the journal slot,

wherein the fastening point and the ball-and-socket joint are situated approximately in the pivoting plane of the rod part so that a force flux of a force to be transmitted by the ball-and-socket joint connection is directed largely toward the pivoting plane to reduce a bending moment and loading on the retaining part, and

wherein the first opening extends non-parallel and non-coplanar to the pivoting plane of the rod part.

6. A pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection for mounting to a structure, comprising:

a retaining part having a fastening point for fixedly mounting the retaining part to the structure, the retaining part also having a journal slot therein;

a ball-and-socket joint connected to the retaining part and comprising;

a ball-shaped component; and

a ball socket having a spherical-cap-shaped recess located therein for rotatably receiving the ball shaped component, a radially directed first opening for introducing the ball-shaped component into the spherical-cap-shaped recess, and a bearing shoulder for retaining the ball-shaped component in the spherical-cap-shaped recess; and

a rod part protruding from the ball-shaped component and out of the journal slot so that the rod part is pivotable relative to the ball socket in a pivoting plane along the journal slot,

wherein the journal slot and the first opening are separate and configured so that the rod part is prevented from reaching the first opening when pivoting relative to the ball socket in the pivoting plane along the journal slot,

wherein the fastening point and the ball-and-socket joint are situated approximately in the pivoting plane of the rod part so that a force flux of a force to be transmitted by the ball-and-socket joint connection is directed largely toward the pivoting plane to reduce a bending moment and loading on the retaining part,

wherein the first opening extends non-parallel and non-coplanar to the pivoting plane of the rod part, and

wherein the ball socket comprises a locking cage which is inserted into a recess of the retaining part or a ball-socket holder.

7. The pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection of claim 6, wherein the locking cage has retaining arms which protrude away freely from the ball socket and which are arranged along a circle, the retaining arms being radially moveable and also extendable in the direction of the first opening.

8. The pivoting ball-and-socket joint connection of claim 6, wherein the locking cage has, at at least one end thereof, radially outwardly directed catches which grip behind a mouth region of the recess of the retaining part.