Patent ID: 8376647

Claim:
A ball joint comprising: a longitudinally extending support bar, said support bar comprising: a bar portion formed at a central portion of said support bar, a flange portion formed at a leading end portion of said support bar distal to said bar portion, said flange portion comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending protruding portions, said protruding portions projecting radially outward so as to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced ridges around said flange portion, and a columnar straight portion formed between said bar portion and said flange portion, wherein said bar portion, said straight portion, and said flange portion are of substantially the same outer diameter; a housing connected to said support bar, said housing being made of injection-molded resin and comprising: a ball seat made of resin and having a spherical recess portion for receiving a ball stud, and a boss portion formed adjacent said ball seat, said boss portion comprising an opening portion formed at a side surface of said housing, wherein said housing is formed by injecting resin in such a manner that said opening portion of said boss portion covers a periphery of said protruding portions of said flange portion; and a ball stud, said ball stud comprising: a columnar stud portion having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, and a ball portion connected to said stud portion, said ball portion having a spherical side surface, with a center of said spherical side surface being aligned with said longitudinal axis of said stud portion, wherein said ball portion is rotatably and slidably fitted into said ball seat of said housing.