Composite ball joint bearing for a ball joint assembly
AssigneeTRW Automotive U.S. LLC
InventorBrian A. Urbach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball joint assembly includes a housing (12) defining a socket chamber (18) and having an opening (32); a composite ball joint bearing (20) disposed within the socket chamber; a ball stud (24) supported by the composite ball joint bearing and having a shank portion (30) which projects through the opening of the housing; and a seal assembly (40) adapted to seal the opening between the ball stud and the socket chamber. The composite ball joint bearing is formed from a first plastic material (20A) and a second magnetostrictive alloy material (20B) which is adapted to change its shape when in the presence of a magnetic field to thereby change the rotational and oscillation properties of the ball joint assembly.
Claims18
A ball joint assembly adapted for use in a motor vehicle comprising:
- a housing defining a socket chamber and having an opening;
- a singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing disposed within said socket chamber;
- a ball stud supported by said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing, said ball stud having a shank portion which projects through said opening of said housing and a single spherical ball portion supported for rotation and pivoting movement about a center of oscillation of said ball joint assembly;
- and
- a seal assembly adapted to seal said opening between said ball stud and said socket chamber;
- wherein said single spherical ball portion of said ball stud is solely supported by said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing within said chamber and wherein said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing consists of a combination of a first plastic material and a second magnetostrictive alloy material, wherein solid particles of said magnetostrictive alloy material are uniformly randomly dispersed within solid particles of said plastic materials, which is adapted to change its shape when in the presence of a magnetic field applied by an electro-magnet carried within said ball joint assembly to thereby change the rotational and oscillation properties of said ball joint assembly.
A ball joint assembly adapted for use in a motor vehicle comprising:
- a housing defining a socket chamber and having an opening;
- a singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing disposed within said socket chamber;
- a ball stud supported by said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing, said ball stud having a shank portion which projects through said opening of said housing and a single spherical ball portion supported for rotation and pivoting movement about a center of oscillation of said ball joint assembly;
- a seal assembly adapted to seal said opening between said ball stud and said socket chamber;
- and
- at least one electro-magnet carried by said housing;
- wherein said single spherical ball portion of said ball stud is solely supported by said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing within said chamber and wherein said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing consist of a combination molded from a first plastic material and a second magnetostrictive alloy material, wherein solid particles of said magnetostrictive alloy materials are uniformly randomly dispersed within solid particles of said plastic material, which is adapted to change its shape when an electric current is applied to said electro-magnet to thereby change the rotational and oscillation properties of said ball joint assembly.
A ball joint assembly adapted for use in a motor vehicle comprising:
- a housing defining a socket chamber and having an opening;
- a singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing disposed within said socket chamber;
- a ball stud supported by said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing, said ball stud having a shank portion which projects through said opening of said housing and a single spherical ball portion supported for rotation and pivoting movement about a center of oscillation of said ball joint assembly;
- and
- at least one electro-magnet is carried by said housing;
- wherein said single spherical ball portion of said ball stud is solely supported by said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing within said chamber and wherein said singular wholly solid composite ball joint bearing is a one-piece integrally molded composite ball joint bearing formed from a first plastic material and a second magnetostrictive alloy material, where solid particles of said magnetostrictive alloy material are uniformly randomly dispersed within solid particles of said plastic material, which is adapted to change its shape when in the presence of a magnetic field applied by said electro-magnet to thereby change the rotational and oscillation properties of said ball joint assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.