Patent ID: 8714862

Claim:
A ball joint comprising: a housing having an inner cavity defined inward of a seat end, a side wall and a closure end having an opening, an edge about the opening in an assembly position extending upwardly; a ball stud having: a lower ball end with an outer convex spherical surface, a middle portion, and a connector end; a first bearing, slidably housed within the cavity, having an inner concave spherical surface; a retention plate, housed within the cavity inward of the edge about the opening, wherein the edge of the opening extends inwardly engaging an outer surface of the retention plate in a closed position; a first disc annular recess disposed inward of a peripheral annular shoulder in at least one of: an outer surface of the first bearing; and an inner surface of the retention plate, and a first disc spring disposed in the first disc annular recess, an inner circular edge of the first disc annular recess laterally restraining an outer circular edge of the first disc spring during compression of the first disc spring, and the peripheral annular shoulder axially limiting axial movement, between the outer surface of the first bearing; and the inner surface of the retention plate, thereby limiting compression of the first disc spring.