Patent ID: 7441979

Claim:
A ball and socket joint comprising: a ball and socket joint housing having a joint opening; a ball pivot including a joint ball portion arranged in the ball and socket joint housing, said ball pivot extending through the joint opening and with which a shaft is made integral; a support ring arranged on the shaft of the ball pivot; a sealing bellows extending from said ball and socket joint housing to said support ring, wherein one end of said sealing bellows engages said support ring; a connection component surrounding said shaft, said connection component comprising a through bore receiving said shaft of said ball pivot; and an annular sealing element, which is arranged between the support ring and said connection wherein said sealing element comprises an elastically and/or plastically deformable profiled body having an effective cross section, which is free from the effect of forces, that is limited by a continuously extending, curved contour, which is subject to deformation in an installed state, as a result of which at least a partial area of said contour is in contact with adjoining areas that are to be sealed, wherein one portion of said sealing element extends generally axially and is radially arranged within said through bore, between said shaft of said ball pivot and said connection component in a radial direction of said ball pivot, and another portion of said sealing element extends radially and is axially arranged on a side of said support ring opposite said sealing bellows between said support ring and said connection component in an axial direction of said ball pivot, said connection component being located at a first axial distance from said joint ball portion, said support ring being located at a second axial distance from said joint ball portion, said first axial distance being greater than said second axial distance.