Ball joint

A ball joint comprising a ball stud and a socket for rotatably mounting a ball of the ball stud, the ball joint being configured to be inserted into an opening formed in a panel, the socket comprising:

• a base portion that is annular about an axis extending in an insertion direction;
• multiple first protruding parts that each protrude from the base portion in the insertion direction, each first protruding part being joined together to form an end tip of the socket;
• and
• second protruding parts that protrude from the base portion in the insertion direction or from extension ends of the first protruding parts in a direction opposite to the insertion direction, each second protruding part being positioned between adjacent ones of the first protruding parts,
• wherein the second protruding parts rotatably hold the ball in cooperation with the tips of the first protruding parts,
• the first protruding parts are each provided with an extension part, each extension part extending laterally from its respective first protruding part in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction,
• an outer surface of each extension part is provided with an engagement part that is configured to engage with an edge part of the opening, and
• the first protruding parts and the second protruding parts are each capable of deforming to bend in a radial direction with respect to the axis,
• wherein tips of the second protruding parts extend further along the insertion direction than side edges of the extension parts,
• wherein the base portion is provided with access passages which penetrate the base portion in the radial direction, the access passages corresponding with the extension parts such that each access passage is aligned with and overlapped by a corresponding one of the extension parts in the radial direction, and
• wherein each access passage is elongated in the radial direction from a radially outer surface of the base portion to an inner surface of the base portion near the corresponding extension part, thereby allowing access to the corresponding extension part.