Ball joint assembly
AssigneeFederal-Mogul Motorparts LLC
InventorJames Elterman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The ball joint assembly includes a housing that has an inner wall which surrounds an open bore that extends along a central axis. The ball joint assembly further includes a ball stud with a ball portion that is received in the open bore of the housing and with a shank portion that projects out of the open bore through an open end of the housing. At least one bearing is also disposed in the open bore. The at least one bearing has a curved bearing surface which is in slidable contact with the ball portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud and the housing to rotate and articulate relative to one another. The bearing is made as a single, monolithic piece of nylon 4/6.
Claims15
A ball joint assembly, comprising:
- a housing including an inner wall which surrounds an open bore that extends along a central axis;
- a ball stud with a ball portion that is received in said open bore of said housing and with a shank portion projecting out of said open bore through an open end of said housing;
- a bearing disposed in said open bore and having a curved bearing surface which is in slidable contact with said ball portion of said ball stud for allowing said ball stud and said housing to rotate and articulate relative to one another;
- and
- said bearing being made of a single monolithic piece of nylon 4/6.
A vehicle suspension system for a performance vehicle, comprising:
- at least one control arm and a tie rod end;
- a knuckle supporting a hub and a brake rotor;
- ball joint assemblies operably connecting said knuckle with said at least one control arm and said tie rod end, said ball joint assemblies being in close proximity to said brake rotor;
- and
- each of said ball joint assemblies including;
- a housing including an inner wall which surrounds an open bore that extends along a central axis,
- a ball stud with a ball portion that is received in said open bore of said housing and with a shank portion projecting out of said open bore through an open end of said housing,
- a bearing disposed in said open bore and having a curved bearing surface which is in slidable contact with said ball portion of said ball stud for allowing said ball stud and said housing to rotate and articulate relative to one another, and
- said bearing being made of a single monolithic piece of nylon 4/6.
A method of making a ball joint assembly, comprising the steps of:
- injection molding a single piece bearing that has a curved bearing surface out of nylon 4/6;
- inserting the bearing into an open bore of a housing that has an inner wall;
- and
- inserting a ball portion of a ball stud into the open bore such that the curved bearing surface of the bearing is in slidable contact with the ball portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud and housing to rotate and articulate relative to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.