Patent ID: 7771136

Claim:
A ball and socket joint for an axle system of a motor vehicle, the ball and socket joint comprising: a joint housing comprising a pin-side housing half and a cover-side housing half, said pin-side housing half comprising a bearing shell surface defining a cavity and having a pin opening at one axial end of said pin-side housing half and a ball opening at the other axial end of said pin-side housing half, said cover-side housing half comprising a bearing shell surface defining a cavity and having a ball opening at an axial end of said cover-side housing half, one of said housing halves comprising a circumferential axial stop disposed on an outer surface of said one housing half, the other of said housing halves comprising a circumferential axial stop disposed within said cavity of said other housing half and defining a circumferential projection, said one housing half axially engaging said other housing half such that said axial stops abut each other and said circumferential projection interlockably engages said outer surface of said one housing half to define an interior space of said joint housing; a ball pivot comprising a joint ball pivotably engaging the bearing shell surfaces of said housing halves within said interior space and a ball pin extending through the pin opening of said pin-side housing half; and a ring element made of an elastic material received within an annular recess formed in one of said bearing shell surfaces, said housing halves being connected to each other such that said housing halves exert a clamping force on said ring element, wherein said ring element is under a defined prestress via said clamping force.