Patent ID: 7121757

Claim:
A ball and socket joint comprising: a ball pivot; a bearing shell; a first ball and socket joint housing part; a second ball and socket joint housing part, wherein said second ball and socket joint housing part has an outer, front-side support surface, on which lies an outer, front-side support surface of said first ball and socket joint housing part, and said second ball and socket joint housing part has a front-side, outer contact surface, with which an outer, front-side contact surface of said first ball and socket joint housing part is in contact; a connecting piece with an annular flange portion wider than the diameter of said ball pivot, attached to either one of said first and second ball and socket joint housing parts after said ball pivot has been clasped between said first and second ball and socket joint housing parts; wherein said connecting piece is fitted in between said first and second ball and socket joint housing parts such that said connecting piece is in contact with said first outer surface of said first ball and socket joint housing part and with said second outer surface of the second ball and socket joint housing part; and a connection between said first ball and socket joint housing part, said second ball and socket joint housing part and said connecting piece, said connection holding said first ball and socket joint housing part with said second ball and socket joint housing part and said connecting piece in a positive-locking manner by providing a substance connection on the outer surface of at least one of said first and second ball and socket joint housing parts and said connecting piece or the outer surface of said first ball and socket joint housing part is connected to the outer surface of said second ball and socket joint housing part and to the outer surface of said connecting piece by a connection in substance, wherein said connecting piece is stationarily connected with said second ball and socket joint housing part via said connection in substance between a support surface of the connecting piece and said outer surface of said second ball and socket joint housing part.