Patent ID: 8505204
Filing Date: 2013-08-13
Classification: B29C,F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a ball joint assembly, which comprises, in succession: a first step of providing a ball joint centerpiece so as to have an exterior surface in a form of a truncated sphere; a second step of fitting the centerpiece into a metal tubular sleeve having a cylindrical interior surface and a cylindrical exterior surface; a third step of applying force to the exterior surface of the sleeve to urge the interior surface of the sleeve against the exterior surface of the centerpiece until the sleeve is shaped to complement the exterior surface of the centerpiece such that both the interior surface and the exterior surface of the sleeve change from their initial cylindrical geometries to truncated spherical geometries; and a fourth step of molding an external body made of a plastic matrix composite material around the exterior surface of the sleeve in such a way that the sleeve forms an insert and the exterior surface of the sleeve is fixedly attached to the external body so as to form an interface by way of which stresses can be transmitted between the insert and the external body, wherein, at the end of the third step and prior to the fourth step at least one groove is formed in the exterior surface of the sleeve, and wherein during the fourth step, the at least one groove is filled with the composite material of the external body.