Patent ID: 6776552
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
A ball joint, comprising:a housing, the housing being cylindrical in shape and having a longitudinal axis X, a transverse axis Y, an outside diameter, an inside diameter, and a rear face, wherein the rear face includes a flange having a shoulder which projects inwardly from the outside diameter toward the longitudinal axis X, and wherein the housing has three holes which are perpendicular to the outside diameter and located on the transverse Y axis of the housing at 120 degree intervals around the circumference of the outside diameter; a least one liner ring wherein the at least one liner ring has an offset at a distal end, the offset being sized to match the dimensions of the shoulder of the housing, wherein the at least one liner ring has an arcuate interior surface that lies within a spherical envelope having a radius R, and wherein the at least one liner ring has an annular groove located at the distal end, the annular groove having a radial surface and being sized such that the radial surface is in alignment with the rear face of the housing when the at least one liner ring is installed into the housing, and wherein the at least one liner ring has an annular groove located at a proximal end of the at least one liner ring; a ball and pin element comprising a ball having a radius Râ€² that is slightly smaller than the radius R, and wherein the ball and pin element includes has a first pin and a second pin, and wherein the ball is substantially spherical and has a center axis Y, and wherein the ball has at least one annular raceway located on the circumference of the ball, the annular raceway having a first cross sectional curvature, and wherein the first pin and the second pin include means for connecting the first pin and the second pin to a machine component in which the ball joint is installed; and at least one set of spherical rollers wherein all spherical rollers are of the same size and organized into at least one row, wherein the at least one set of spherical rollers are configured to match the radius R and to match the at least one annular raceway of the ball, and wherein the spherical rollers have a second cross sectional curvature matching the first cross sectional curvature of the annular raceway of the ball such that when the spherical rollers are installed onto the ball, the spherical rollers lie within the spherical envelope having the radius R.