Patent ID: 8734044
Filing Date: 2014-05-27
Classification: F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A ball joint comprising a housing, a bearing shell which is arranged in the housing, and a ball pin having a ball head which is arranged in the bearing shell, the housing having a mounting opening to receive the bearing shell and the ball head, the mounting opening being closed by a housing cover which is fastened to the housing, wherein the bearing shell has a side wall and an end wall, the end wall having a first end and an opposite second end, the first end connected to the side wall by a first reinforcement portion and the second end having a second reinforcement portion extending therefrom, the second reinforcement portion including generally parallel, radially extending inner and outer surface portions; and wherein the first and second reinforcement portions are configured to not contact the ball head but only contact at least a portion of the cover, wherein the end wall includes an outer surface portion which is disposed adjacent an inner surface portion of the cover and an inner surface portion which is disposed directly adjacent to and is curved in opposition relative to an outer surface portion of the ball head, wherein the outer surface portion of the end wall is curved and has an initial, constant radius of curvature between the first and second reinforcement portions in a non-deformed initial state, wherein the outer surface portion of the end wall is configured to be spaced apart to not contact the inner surface portion of the cover and the curved in opposition inner surface portion of the end wall only contacts the outer surface portion of the ball head in an assembled state whereby the end wall is deformed elastically by the ball head such that the end wall provides a restoring force resulting from the deformation which urges the ball head away from the housing cover, and wherein the second reinforcement portion of the bearing shell has a central opening, a rim of the opening forming a circumferentially extending ring-shaped cover contact surface with the housing cover in the assembled state of the ball joint.