Joint and/or bearing assembly having an elastic intermediate layer
AssigneeZF Friedrichshafen AG
InventorsChristian Losche, Hans-Gerd Brunneke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A joint assembly (1) with a joint ball (4) through which an axle body (12; 112; 212; 312) extends. The joint ball (4) is mounted in and able to rotate relative to a housing (5) that at least partially surrounds the joint ball (4) and/or one or more support rings (6) with a rubber-elastic intermediate layer (7). The joint assembly (1) is designed so that the axle body (12; 112; 212; 312) can rotate within the joint ball (4).
Claims20
A joint assembly (1) for chassis or steering components of a motor vehicle (10), the joint assembly comprising a joint ball (4), through which an axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) extends, that is mounted in and movable relative to a housing (5) that at least partially surrounds the joint ball (4), at least one support ring (6) and a rubber-elastic intermediate layer (7),
- the joint ball (4) comprises a sleeve element that forms a radially inner boundary surface of the joint ball that faces the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312), the sleeve element (4) is rigid and has an inherently stable shape, the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) is arranged and able to rotate within the sleeve element (4),
- the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) being secured in the sleeve element by axial securing means (20;
- 120) to prevent axial movement of the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) relative to the sleeve element (4), and
- the sleeve element is spaced, along an entire axial length thereof, from the axle body by a gap, and seals are located at opposite axial ends of the sleeve element radially between the joint ball and the axle body, such that the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) can be rotated freely in the joint ball (4) by a same minimal force.
A motor vehicle (10) in combination with a joint assembly (1) in chassis or steering components, in which a joint ball (4), through which an axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) extends, is mounted in and movable relative to a housing (5) that at least partially surrounds the joint ball (4), at least one support ring (6) and a rubber-elastic intermediate layer (7),
- the joint ball (4) comprises a sleeve element that forms a radially inner boundary surface of the joint ball that faces the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) the sleeve element (4) is rigid and has an inherently stable shape such that the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) is arranged and able to rotate within the sleeve element (4),
- the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) being secured in the sleeve element by axial securing means (20;
- 120) to prevent axial movement of the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) relative to the sleeve element (4), and
- the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) is spaced a radial distance away from an entire axial length of the sleeve element of the joint ball (4), and seals are located at opposite axial ends of the sleeve element radially between the joint ball and the axle body such that the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) can be rotated freely in the joint ball (4) by a same minimal force.
A chassis or steering component for a motor vehicle, with a joint assembly (1) comprising a joint ball (4), through which an axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) extends, being movable relative to a housing (5) that at least partially surrounds the joint ball (4), at least one support ring (6) and a rubber-elastic intermediate layer (7),
- the joint ball (4) comprises a sleeve element that forms a radially inner boundary surface of the joint ball that faces the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312), the sleeve element (4) is rigid and has an inherently stable shape such that the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) is arranged and able to rotate within the sleeve element (4),
- the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) comprises axial securing means (20;
- 120) that extend radially therefrom and abut axially opposite ends of the joint ball to prevent axial movement of the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) relative to the sleeve element (4), and
- the sleeve element is spaced, along an entire axial length thereof, from the axle body by a gap, and seals are located at opposite axial ends of the sleeve element radially between the joint ball and the axle body such that the axle body (12;112;212;312) can be rotated freely in the joint ball (40 by a same minimal force.
A joint assembly (1) for chassis or steering components of a motor vehicle (10), the joint assembly comprising a joint ball (4), through which an axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) extends, that is mounted in and movable relative to a housing (5) that at least partially surrounds the joint ball (4), at least one support ring (6) and a rubber-elastic intermediate layer (7),
- the joint ball (4) comprises a sleeve element that forms a radially inner boundary surface of the joint ball that faces the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312), the sleeve element (4) is rigid and has an inherently stable shape, the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) is arranged and able to rotate within the sleeve element (4),
- the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) being secured in the sleeve element by axial securing means (20;
- 120) to prevent axial movement of the axle body (12;
- 112;
- 212;
- 312) relative to the sleeve element (4), and
- the sleeve element is spaced, along an entire axial length thereof, from the axle body by a gap, and seals are located at opposite axial ends of the sleeve element radially between the joint ball and the axle body,
- wherein the axial body has a substantially constant cylindrical outer shape through an entire portion of the axial body that extends through the joint ball, the joint ball is spherical in shape, and the gap is of sufficient spacing to allow the introduction of a lubricant between the sleeve element and the axle body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.