Patent ID: 7367743

Claim:
A ball joint assembly adapted for use in a chassis steering arrangement comprising: a component having an opening, a first side and a second side; a ball joint having a housing in which a ball stud is arranged, said housing having a closed end, an opposite opened end and a weld section defined as an encircling flange extending from said housing, said component and said housing being formed from materials capable of being joined together by welding, said housing configured to be inserted into said opening of said component such that said weld section and said closed end of said housing are disposed adjacent said first side of said component, and said ball stud and said open end of said bellows extend through said opening to said second side of said component; a sealing bellows provided on an outside of said housing to provide a seal between said ball stud and said housing, said sealing bellows having a clamping section extending into said opening and clamped securely between said housing and an inner wall portion of said opening; an exposed weld seam formed between said weld section and said first side of said component when said housing is disposed adjacent said first side of said component and after said sealing bellows is provided on said outside of said housing and said clamping section is clamped securely on said housing; and a weld provided along said exposed weld seam to connect said component and said housing together and securely clamp said clamping section of said sealing bellows on said housing.