Patent Publication Number: US-2009238636-A1

Title: Tie rod end with a ball joint

Description:
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/069,908 filed Mar. 19, 2008. 
     The present invention deals with a device that is capable of housing a ball joint that allows the ball joint to be quickly inspected, lubricated and replaced. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The use of ball joints and systems employing them for use in the front wheel suspensions of automobiles is well known in the art. The ball joint provides flexibility in steering. The majority of the ball joints in existence are closed units that are press fit together with grease placed within the housing before they are pressed together. The instant invention allows for quick and easy replacement of a ball joint by removal of the top or cap. This feature also allows the user the ability to inspect the ball joint for wear or to check the level of lubrication present within the housing. The grease zerk also allows the user to lubricate the ball joint without inspection when the need arises. 
     THE INVENTION 
     A ball joint comprising in combination; a ball, the ball having an elongated stem, this ball being movably housed in a ball housing, the housing has an internal surface that is partially threaded. The ball is surmounted by a housing cap wherein the housing cap has an externally threaded surface. The threads are capable of mating with and joining the threads of the housing. The housing cap has surmounted thereon, a nut fixture. This nut fixture has a centered opening therein and contained in this opening is a grease zerk. The housing cap is surmounted by a retention ring. This retention ring is held in place by a compression snap ring that is insertable into a snap ring compression groove machined into the internal surface of the ball joint housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is unassembled expanded view of the ball joint  2 . 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled side view of the ball joint  2 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a ball joint  2  secured within a tie rod end  18 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is unassembled expanded view of the ball joint  2 . The ball joint  2  is a novel device that allows easy access. The ball  12  is placed within the ball joint housing  10  and the ball joint housing top  8  is screwed down securing the ball joint  2  within the housing  10 . The ball joint housing  10  is threaded  20  on it&#39;s inside surface  24 . The ball joint housing top  8  is also threaded  22  on its outside surface  26 . After the cap  8  is screwed within the housing  10  a retaining plate  6  is placed over the top surface  28  of the top  8 . The top  8  has a nut fixture  16  that allows the top  8  to be tightened within the housing  10 . The retaining plate  6  has an opening therethrough  30  for the nut cap  16  to pass through. The opening therethrough  30  has a dodecagon shape to lock the ball joint nut cap  16  and therefore top  8  in place. This opening  30  can range from  6  sided hexagons to the dodecagon. The nut cap  16  also has a grease zerk  14  protruding from its top surface  36 . The grease zerk  14  is to provide the interior of the housing  10  with lubrication for the ball  12 . The retention plate  6  also has two tabs  32  that fit into the groove  34  in the housing  10  to add an extra degree of locking. The housing  10  also contains a groove  38  on its inside surface  24  to facilitate the snap compression ring  4 . This ring  4  is to ensure the top  8  remains in place during operation. 
       FIG. 2  is an assembled side view of the ball joint  2 .The assembled ball joint  2  shows the device in its operational mode. The ball  12  is visible through the bottom of the housing  10 . The cap  8  is visible below the retention plate  6 . Also visible is the relationship between the snap compression ring  4  and the groove  38  in the housing  10  locking the plate  6 in place. Also visible are the nut cap  16  and the grease zerk  14 . After the housing cap  8  is threaded into the housing  10  the plate slips over the nut cap  16  and the compression ring  4  snaps into the groove  38  locking everything into place. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a tie rod end  18  with a ball joint  2  secured within it. The control arm end  40  and the tie rod end  18  acts as housing in this particular embodiment. The same features apply to the control arm  40 . Visible are the retention plate  6 , the top  8 , the nut cap  16 , grease zerk  14  and snap compression ring  4 . 
     This novel ball joint  2  has the advantage that the cap  8  can be removed for easy replacement of a ball  12 . It also has a grease zerk  14  for easy maintenance. The removal of the cap  8  is also convenient for inspection of the joint or to check the amount of lubrication present within the housing  10 . It also has the added feature of the snap compression ring  4  to ensure the integrity of the securing mechanism. 
     The tie rod end with the ball joint  2  provides flexibility in steering. The majority of the ball joints in existence today are closed units that are press fit together with grease placed within the housing before they are pressed together. The instant invention allows for quick and easy replacement of a ball joint by removal of the top  8 . This feature also allows the user the ability to inspect the ball joint or the level of lubrication present within the housing. The removable grease zerk  14  also allows the user to lubricate the ball joint at any time. These properties allow the ball joint  10  to last longer due to the ability to be inspect, greased or repaired in a very limited time frame. The ability to instantly inspect makes the ball joint desirable for racing where every second counts. 
     Another unique feature of the ball joint  2  is the plate  6 . The inside opening  30  is placed over the ball joint nut cap  16  and the retaining plate tabs  32  fit into the grooves  34  of the housing locking the cap  16  into position. This opening  30  in the plate  6  can range from a hexagonal shape to a dodecagonal shape.