Protective cap for partially covering a pre-assembled or fully assembled vehicle component

A protective cap for partial covering of a pre-fitted or a fully fitted vehicle component,

• wherein the protective cap is made from a biogenic and/or renewable raw material;
• the protective cap comprising a hollow design having a first section, designed to radially cover a sealing bellows of a ball joint therein, and a second section, designed to radially cover part of a ball stud of the ball joint therein, and the first and the second sections merging into one another and defining a central longitudinal axis;
• the first section having an outer surface which is inclined at an angle in a range of 6° to 10° relative to the central longitudinal axis and the second section has an outer surface which is inclined at an angle in a range of 6° to 10° relative to the central longitudinal axis such that an outer contour of the protective cap has a diameter that continuously decreases along an axial extent of the first section and the second section to assist with stacking of several protective caps one on top of the another;
• and
• at least one additive is mixed with the raw material in order to modify at least one material property, and, by virtue of the at least one additive, a wear resistance, a sliding friction properties, a lubricity, a humidity resistance, a heat resistance and/or a flame resistance of the raw material is/are improved.

A protective cap for partial covering of a pre-fitted or a fully fitted control arm which comprises a tubular connecting element having opposed ends respectively fitted with a ball joint, the protective cap comprising:

• a hollow design having a first section, designed to radially cover a sealing bellows of the ball joint therein, and a second section, designed to radially cover part of a ball stud of the ball joint therein, and the first and the second sections merge into one another and defining a central longitudinal axis, the second section has a wall that is formed such that the wall has star-like cross sectional contour when viewed from the central longitudinal axis;
• an outer surface of the second section having a plurality of ribs located around a circumference thereof which extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the protective cap, and the plurality of ribs improve at least one of a rigidity and a load-bearing capacity of the protective cap;
• the first section having an outer surface which is inclined at an angle of about 8° relative to the central longitudinal axis and the second section has an outer surface which is also inclined at an angle of about 8° relative to the central longitudinal axis such that an outer contour of the protective cap has a diameter that continuously decreases along an entire axial extent of the protective cap so that several protective caps can be stacked one above another;
• the protective cap being made from a biogenic and/or renewable raw material;
• at least one additive is mixed with the raw material in order to modify at least one material property, and, by virtue of the at least one additive, a wear resistance, a sliding friction properties, a lubricity, a humidity resistance, a heat resistance and/or a flame resistance of the raw material is/are improved;
• and
• the protective cap has a wall thickness in the range of 1 mm to 3 mm.