Patent ID: 7600940

Claim:
A ball joint, comprising: a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface providing a cavity extending between an open end and a closed end of said housing, said inner surface having a cylindrical wall extending from adjacent said closed end to an annular flange extending radially inwardly from said cylindrical wall adjacent said open end, and a substantially spherical inner bearing surface; a stud having a cylindrical outer surface extending into said cavity through said open end; an inner bearing element having a cylindrical bore configured for close sliding movement with said cylindrical outer surface of said stud and a substantially spherical outer bearing surface configured for relative pivotal sliding against said substantially spherical inner bearing surface of said housing; an outer bearing element having an outer surface configured for close sliding movement relative to said cylindrical wall of said housing and a substantially spherical inner bearing surface configured for relative pivotal movement with said outer bearing surface of said inner bearing element; a spring member received in said cavity; and an annular cup disposed between said closed end of said housing and said outer bearing element, said annular cup having a rigid body with an outer surface configured for close sliding movement relative to said cylindrical wall of said housing and an inner surface configured to receive said stud for free relative axial movement radially inwardly therefrom, said spring member imparting a bias force on said rigid body to bare against said outer bearing member thereby biasing said inner bearing surface of said outer bearing element into a preload against said outer bearing surface of said inner bearing element.