Patent ID: 7731446

Claim:
An articulated joint comprising: a joint bushing comprising an end face having inner and outer sides having a bore longitudinally extending between the inner and outer sides and having an inner diameter; a joint pipe comprising an outer surface along a longitudinal length of the joint pipe having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the bore to define an annular bearing gap between the outer surface of the joint pipe and the bore when the joint pipe is longitudinally inserted into and rotatably mounted with radial play in the bore; a unitarily formed play compensation element for compensating the radial play between the joint pipe and the joint bushing, the play compensation element comprising: a base body comprising an annular flange having a peripheral contact surface bearing against the outer side of the end face surrounding the bore and having a first side facing the joint bushing and a second side axially opposite to the first side, the flange having an opening longitudinally extending between the first and second sides of the base body and having an edge configured for receiving the joint pipe; a plurality of curved tab-shaped clamping springs circumferentially spaced around and radially inwardly extending from the edge of the opening, the clamping springs axially protruding from the second side of the base body, an outer surface of each clamping spring engaging the bore and an inner surface of each clamping spring engaging the outer surface of the joint pipe; and a plurality of tongue-shaped bent springs circumferentially spaced around the edge of the opening and arranged between the clamping springs, the bent springs radially inwardly extending from the edge of the opening and axially protruding from the second side of the base body, an inner surface of each bent spring engaging the outer surface of the joint pipe to axially secure the joint pipe with the joint bushing; wherein the bent springs are formed by bending the bent springs around from the second side of the base body through said opening of the base body to the first side of the base body such that a first portion of each of the bent springs protrudes from the edge of the opening on the second side of the base body and axially extends away from the base body, a bent portion of the bent spring extends from the first portion and bends radially inward, and a second portion of the bent spring axially extends from the bent portion toward the base body and through the opening to protrude from the first side of the base body.