Ball and socket joint with sensor device and process for wear measurement

A ball and socket joint for a motor vehicle, the ball and socket joint comprising:

• a joint housing comprising a cover opening and a ball pivot opening having an interior space therebetween, said joint housing including a housing cover, said housing cover closing said cover opening;
• a ball shell arranged in said interior space of said housing comprising an essentially circumferential projection which is in contact with said housing cover;
• a ball pivot comprising a ball and a pivot stem, said ball being accommodated in said ball shell in a slidingly movable manner and said pivot stem extending through said ball pivot opening;
• a flexurally elastic sensor printed circuit board held in said joint housing in a flexurally mobile manner, said elastic sensor printed circuit board engaging said ball shell by means of a locking projection arranged on said ball shell, wherein said sensor printed circuit board is fully suspended without contacting said housing or said housing cover, said elastic sensor printed circuit board being spaced from said housing cover by said circumferential projection, said elastic sensor printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being located opposite said ball, said second surface being located opposite said housing cover;
• and
• a sensor device for determining forces or loads, said sensor device being arranged on said second surface of said flexurally elastic sensor printed circuit board, said sensor device being located opposite said housing cover, wherein said sensor device measures deflections or mechanical stresses of said sensor printed circuit board, said locking projection of said ball shell transmitting a force or a bending moment into said sensor printed circuit board during a deformation of said ball shell.