Ball pin and ball joint

US9175720B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG · DE

Inventors

• Dirk Adamczyk · Bermatingen, DE
• Wolfgang Kleiner · Wagenfeld, DE
• Klaus Pape · Hannover, DE
• Wolfgang Eulerich · Osnabrück, DE
• Martin Rechtien · Damme, DE
• Thomas Wiegmann · Osnabrück, DE
• Manfred Heidemann · Vehrte, DE
• Jochen Kruse · Osnabrück, DE
• Johannes Tabor · Damme, DE
• Rainer Jasper · Rastede, DE
• Ulrich Schefzyk · Osnabrück, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 30, 2012
• Grant date: Nov 3, 2015
• Expiry date: Aug 30, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T403/32631
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A ball joint with a ball pin and a steel ball pin with a joint ball. The ball joint and ball pin are suitable for use when, for example, solid-on-solid friction predominates under high static pre-loading or high operational loads and with small joint movements. A portion of the surface of the ball pin has surface layer hardening in order to increase a fatigue strength of the ball pin. The ball pin and the ball joint, on portion of the ball pin without the any surface layer hardened, includes a nitrided layer as wear protection. The ball pin and the ball joint provide an advantageous combination of high fatigue strength, good corrosion protection and high wear-resistance. The nitrided layer of ball joints, previously only regarded as improving corrosion protection, also functions as a wear protection. Thus, these ball pins overcome the mutual exclusion between surface layer hardening and nitriding.