Ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles

US4971473A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• LEMFORDER METALLWAREN AG · DE

Inventors

• Burkhard Schafer · Ganderkesee, DE
• Reinhard Buhl · Bohmte, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 24, 1989
• Grant date: Nov 20, 1990
• Expiry date: Aug 24, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T403/32778
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles includes a joint ball (1) provided on a pivot pin (2) mounted movably in a sliding shell (4) made of plastic. A zone of grooves (8) are provided for receiving lubricant on an inner surface of the sliding shell. The sliding shell is inserted into a housing (5) whose inner wall closely surrounds the outer wall of the sliding shell (4). In the zone of the grooves receiving the lubricant, flat recesses (9), which permit radial deformation of the sliding shell (4) in the direction toward the housing, are provided between the housing (5) and the sliding shell (4).