Ball and socket joint assembly with self-centering retainer ring
AssigneeDana Corporation
InventorsGregory R. Atkins, Garth B. Maughan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inventive ball and socket joint has a metallic socket with a cavity that receives a semi-rigid annular bearing, a ball stud, and an annular rigid metallic retainer ring. The retainer ring is self-centering within the socket cavity. It includes a lower wedge portion that is received in a corresponding pocket formed between an upper stepped portion of the bearing and inner surface of the socket. Besides being self-centering, the retainer ring also acts as a wedge between the socket and bearing to provide a compression pre-load to the bearing which is controllably released as the bearing wears during use.
Claims12
A ball and socket joint assembly comprising:
- a rigid metallic socket with an inner surface defining a cavity about an axis of symmetry;
- a semi-rigid annular bearing disposed with said socket cavity, said bearing including a spherical inner seat face, a nose portion with an outer surface conforming to said inner surface of said socket and a stepped upper portion spaced away form said inner surface of said socket and terminating at an axial end of said bearing, an annular pocket defined between said stepped upper portion and said inner surface of said socket;
- a ball stud with a spherical stud head and shank, said stud head engaging said spherical inner seat face of said hearing;
- and
- an annular rigid metallic retainer ring having a radially inner surface, a radially outer surface conforming to said inner surface of said socket, and an end wall defining an aperture at an upper end to receive said stud shank, said radially outer and inner surfaces of said ring defining a wedge portion received within said annular pocket to center said ring between said bearing and said housing;
- said end wall extending radially inward so as to overlap said axial end of said bearing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.