# US 10,371,195 B2 · Socket assembly and method of making a socket assembly

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- Number: US 10,371,195 B2
- Document ID: US10371195B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/170,600
- Filed: 2016-06-01
- Published: 2017-12-07
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-01
- Assignees: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLC
- Applicants: Federal-Mogul Motorsports Corporation
- Inventors: Glen C. Parker; Kurt R. Bretz; Brennan Sugg; Eric M. Kopsie
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371195B2

## CPC

- F16C 11/08: with resilient bearings
- F16C 11/0623: {Construction or details of the socket member}
- F16C 11/0628: {with linings}
- F16C 11/0647: {Special features relating to adjustment for wear or play; Wear indicators}
- F16C 11/0652: {combined with a damper other than elastic linings}
- F16C 11/0671: {allowing operative relative movement of joint parts due to flexing of the sealing means}
- F16C 11/0685: {Manufacture of ball-joints and parts thereof, e.g. assembly of ball-joints}
- F16C 25/04: self-adjusting
- F16C 11/068: {Special features relating to lubrication}
- F16C 2326/05: Vehicle suspensions, e.g. bearings, pivots or connecting rods used therein
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

The socket assembly has a housing with an inner bore which extends from a first end to a second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and presents a curved bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with the ball portion. A first spring biases the backing bearing against the ball portion. The socket assembly also includes an exit bearing with a cylindrical portion that is in contact with an equator of the ball portion and a semi-spherical portion that is in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere from the first bearing surface. A second spring biases the exit bearing into a predetermined location established by the housing. The exit bearing is movable from the predetermined location in a direction towards the second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A socket assembly, comprising:
a housing with an inner bore that extends along an axis from a wall at a generally closed first end to an open second end;
a ball stud having a ball portion which is received in said inner bore of said housing and having a shank portion which projects out of said inner bore through said open second end;
a backing bearing disposed in said inner bore and presenting a curved first bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with an outer surface of said ball portion of said ball stud;
a first spring disposed in said inner bore and biasing said first bearing surface of said backing bearing against said ball portion of said ball stud;
an exit bearing disposed in said inner bore of said housing and presenting a second bearing surface with a cylindrical portion in contact with an equator of said ball portion of said ball stud and with a semi-spherical portion in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere of said ball portion of said ball stud from said first bearing surface of said backing bearing, said cylindrical portion having a constant diameter and extending axially past said equator of said ball portion of said ball stud;
a second spring biasing said exit bearing into a predetermined location established by said housing; and
said exit bearing being movable from said predetermined location in a direction towards said open second end of said housing against a biasing force of said second spring.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said exit bearing has an outer surface that is frustum of a cone shaped with a first diameter nearest said open second end of said housing and a second diameter nearest said first closed end of said housing and wherein said first diameter is greater than said second diameter and wherein said outer surface is seated against a tapered inner surface of said housing when said exit bearing is in said predetermined location.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said exit bearing is in an interference fit connection with said housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said exit bearing has an outer surface which presents a plurality of axially extending ridges that are spaced circumferentially from one another.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 3 further including a dust boot sealed with said housing and sealed with said ball stud for retaining a lubricant within said inner bore of said housing and for keeping contaminants out of said inner bore of said housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said second spring is at least partially embedded in an elastic body of said dust boot.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first spring is a Belleville washer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wall at said closed first end of said housing presents a lubricant opening for receiving a lubricant into said inner bore of said housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first bearing surface of said backing bearing presents at least one lubricant channel for conveying the lubricant from said lubricant opening in said housing into a gap between said backing and exit bearings.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said second bearing surface of said exit bearing presents at least one lubricant channel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second spring is a Belleville washer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing presents a shoulder which faces towards said open second end of said housing and wherein said exit bearing abuts said shoulder when in said predetermined location.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a cover plate disposed in said inner bore of said housing adjacent said open second end.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The socket assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said housing at said second open end is bent inwardly to trap said cover plate in said inner bore of said housing.

### Claim 15

A method of making a socket assembly, comprising the steps of:
preparing a housing with an inner bore which extends along an axis from a wall at a generally closed first end to an open second end;
inserting a first spring into the inner bore of the housing;
inserting a backing bearing with a first bearing surface into the inner bore of the housing such that the backing bearing is movable in a radial direction relative to the housing within the inner bore;
inserting a ball portion of a ball stud into the inner bore of the housing such that a shank portion of the ball stud projects out of the inner bore though the open second end and wherein a curved outer surface of the ball portion is in sliding contact with the first bearing surface of the backing bearing;
preparing an exit bearing which has a second bearing surface with a cylindrical portion and a semi-spherical portion, the cylindrical portion having a constant diameter that extends in an axial direction;
inserting the exit bearing into the inner bore of the housing such that the cylindrical portion of the second bearing surface of the exit bearing is in sliding contact with and extends axially past an equator of the ball portion of the ball stud and such that the semi-spherical portion of the second bearing surface is in sliding contact with an opposite hemisphere of the ball portion from the first bearing surface of the backing bearing; and
inserting a second spring into the inner bore of the housing and biasing the exit bearing towards a predetermined location established by the housing while allowing the exit bearing to move from the predetermined location in a direction towards the open second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method as set forth in claim 15 further including the step of inserting a cover plate into the inner bore of the housing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method as set forth in claim 16 further including the step of deforming the housing adjacent the open second end to trap the cover plate, the first spring, the backing bearing, the ball portion of the ball stud, the exit bearing and the second spring in the inner bore of the housing.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the second spring is a Belleville washer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the second spring is at least partially embedded within an elastic body of a dust boot.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the first spring is a Belleville washer.