Ball joint

A ball joint (1) with variable friction resistance, the ball joint comprising:

• a ball stud (2) having a joint ball (3) which is held in a joint housing (4) in order to move relative thereto in an articulated manner,
• the joint housing (4) comprising static and movable housing parts (5, 6) that can move relative to one another, and which engage on opposite sides of the ball joint (3),
• a transmission (7), by which at least the movable housing part (6) being movable so as to exert a variable pressure on the joint ball (3),
• the transmission (7) having first and second transmission elements (8, 9) on each of which a respective ball track (11, 12), of helical shape relative to a rotational axis (10), being formed,
• the first and the second transmission elements (8, 9) resting against one another in an axial direction which defines a rotational axis (10) via at least one ball (13) that is guided between the ball tracks (11, 12) of the first and the second transmission elements (8, 9), and
• the first transmission element (8) is mounted to move axially and can be brought into pressing contact with the movable housing part (6), the second transmission element (9) being mounted so as to rotate about the rotational axis (10), such that rotation of the second transmission element (9) axially moves the first transmission element (8) so as to exert an axial force (F) on the movable housing part (6).

A transmission (7) for a ball joint (1), having a ball stud (2) having a joint ball (3), which is held in a joint housing (4) in order to move relative thereto in an articulated manner,

• the joint housing (4) comprising static and movable housing parts (5, 6) that can move relative to one another, and which engage on opposite sides of the ball joint (3),
• a transmission (7), by which at least one of the movable housing parts (6) is movable so as to exert a variable pressure on the joint ball (3),
• the transmission (7) having first and second transmission elements (8, 9), and a respective ball track (11, 12) of helical shape, relative to a rotational axis (10), being formed on each of the first and the second transmission elements (8, 9),
• the first and the second transmission elements (8, 9) resting against one another in an axial direction which is coincident with the rotational axis (10) via at least one ball (13) that is guided between the ball tracks (11, 12) of the first and the second transmission elements (8, 9), and
• the first transmission element (8) being mounted to move axially and can be brought into pressing contact with the movable housing part (6), the second transmission element (9) being mounted so as to rotate about the rotational axis (10), such that rotation of the second transmission element (9) axially moves the first transmission element (8) so as to exert an axial force (F) on the movable housing part (6), and
• the first transmission element (8) being mounted so that the first transmission element (8) can move axially whereas the second transmission element (9) being mounted so that the second transmission element (9) can rotate about the rotational axis (10) in such manner that, by rotating the second transmission element (9), the first transmission element (8) being axially displaced.

A ball joint with variable friction resistance for a vehicle, the ball joint comprising:

• a ball stud having a joint ball, the joint ball being received within a joint housing which defines a central axis, the ball stud and the joint ball being rotatable and pivotable relative to the joint housing, the joint housing having a static housing part, and a movable housing part, the joint ball being received between the static housing part and the movable housing part such that movement of the movable housing part, along the central axis toward the static housing part, increasing a pressure placed on the joint ball by the joint housing, and movement of the movable housing part along the central axis, away from the static housing part, reducing the pressure placed on the joint ball by the joint housing;
• a transmission having first and second transmission elements, each of the first and the second transmission elements having a surface formed as a helical plane, and the first and second transmission elements being coaxially aligned along the central axis such that the surface of the first transmission part and the surface of the second transmission part facing each other, and the surfaces of the first and the second transmission elements each having a respective ball track that is helical in shape relative to the central axis;
• at least three balls being located axially between the first and the second transmission elements, each of the at least three balls being received by the ball tracks of the first and the second transmission elements such that the first and the second transmission elements axially contacting each other via the at least three balls;
• and
• the first transmission element being axially movable to contact the movable housing part and the second transmission element being rotatable about the central axis so that movement of the at least three balls, within the ball tracks of the first and the second transmission elements, due to rotation of the second transmission element biases the first transmission element, via the at least three balls, to exert an axial force on the movable housing part and increase the pressure on the joint ball.