Patent ID: 7537407
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: B60G,B62D,F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A ball joint comprising: a ball stud having a spherical head portion and a shaft portion; a socket receiving the spherical head portion therein; and a ball seat having a hollow spherical resin element, a first annular resin element, and a second annular resin element, and a plurality of slits formed through the spherical resin element and the first annular resin element; the spherical resin element being disposed between the socket and the head portion and having a top end with an opening receiving the ball stud therethrough and a bottom end supporting a bottom of the head portion, the spherical resin element allowing the ball stud to turn in relation to the socket about the spherical center of the head portion; the first annular resin element being disposed in the top end of the spherical resin element between the spherical resin element and the spherical head portion; the second annular resin element being disposed in the bottom end of the spherical resin element between the spherical resin element and the socket; the first and second annular resin elements having a higher coefficient of friction than the spherical resin element such that rotation of the ball stud causes the spherical resin element to deform in a rotational direction about the center of the head portion before the spherical head portion starts sliding in relation to the annular resin elements.