Patent ID: 6092954
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
A bearing seat comprising:an opening and a bottom portion in said bearing seat;an outer portion of said bearing seat including a cylindrical portion near said opening at a first end of said bearing seat, and a generally conical portion near said bottom portion of said bearing seat;a plurality of load bearing receiving ribs formed on at least an outer surface of said conical portion;said plurality of load bearing receiving ribs extending outward a first distance from said outer surface of said conical portion;adjacent ones of said plurality of load bearing receiving ribs being spaced a substantial distance apart;a plurality of auxiliary load receiving ribs extending outward a second distance from said outer surface of said conical portion;each of said auxiliary load receiving ribs being disposed between adjacent ones of said load bearing receiving ribs;said second distance being less than said first distance;at least one of said auxiliary load receiving ribs is arranged between each adjacent ones of said plurality of load bearing receiving ribs;recesses between said load bearing receiving ribs and said auxiliary load receiving ribs do not contact said inner chamber when said ball joint is heavily loaded; andsaid bearing seat being of a material having a resilience sufficient to permit said bearing seat to elastically flex and said load bearing receiving ribs to elastically compress such that said auxiliary load receiving ribs are flexed outward into supportive positions when heavily loaded.