Receptacle for universal ball joint, joint arrangement and control arm

Abstract

A receptacle for a universal ball joint mounted in a body-side joint seat of a control arm, in particular a suspension arm, is described. The receptacle has a first pipe piece, a second pipe piece arranged concentrically in the first pipe piece, the second pipe piece preferably having a shorter length than the first pipe piece, and a plastic piece between the first pipe piece and the second pipe piece. The plastic part completely surrounds the second pipe part in the radial direction and arranges and fixes the second pipe part in the first pipe part in such a way that the second pipe part is completely installed in the first pipe part. The first pipe has an outer dimension suitable for close fit in a body-side joint seat of the control arm, preferably by press fit. The second pipe has an internal dimension suitable for a fixed but detachable seat of the universal ball joint, in particular by a press fit, and the plastic member has a predetermined hardness to provide damping of relative movement between the pipes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing for a universal ball joint, the housing being used for mounting in a body-side joint housing of a control arm, particularly a suspension arm, and also to a joint arrangement and a control arm. Background Technology

[0002] In automotive engineering, control arms, particularly suspension arms supporting steerable wheels, are known to have joints on both the body side and wheel side. Rubber bearings are used for the body-side joints. These rubber bearings are pressed into designated joint seats on the control arm, for example, in the form of holes. Movement occurs here within the rubber. The outer ring and inner sleeve of the rubber bearing are non-rotatable, which places high demands on the flawless connection between the rubber (elastomer body) and the metal. Rotational movement in these joints is typically limited to an angular range of approximately ±20 degrees, while vertical or lateral movement is limited to a distance range of ±1 mm. This joint design relies primarily on the vibration damping and sound damping properties of the rubber.

[0003] During operation, the rubber is subjected to continuous impact and torsional loads, including loads caused by the rotation and lateral movement of the control arm. Therefore, the rubber used typically represents a trade-off between shock absorption and sufficient rotational and torsional capacity. During operation, the rubber wears in a known manner, thus impairing the joint's function. Specifically, the torsional forces caused by the rotation and lateral movement of the control arm lead to accelerated wear of the rubber. Because the rubber is partially disintegrated from the inside by torsional forces, wear is often only noticed when the joint is completely damaged. Therefore, such joints sometimes require replacement, which is very expensive.

[0004] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to mitigate or eliminate at least one of the disadvantages of the rubber joints used to connect control arms, particularly suspension arms, to the vehicle body. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to the present invention, a housing for a ball joint according to claim 1, a joint arrangement according to claim 9, or a control arm according to claim 12 or 14 is provided.

[0006] Specifically, a housing for a ball joint is provided for mounting in a body-side connector seat of a control arm, particularly a suspension arm. The housing comprises: a first tube; a second tube concentrically arranged within the first tube, wherein the second tube preferably has a shorter length than the first tube; and a plastic element located between the first and second tubes, the plastic element completely surrounding the second tube in the radial direction and arranging and securing the second tube within the first tube in such a manner that the second tube is fully mounted within the first tube. The first tube has external dimensions suitable for a tight fit, preferably by press-fit, in the body-side connector seat of the control arm. The second tube has internal dimensions suitable for a fixed but removable seat for a ball joint, particularly by press-fit mounting. The plastic element has a predetermined hardness for providing damping for relative movement, preferably radial relative movement, between the tubes.

[0007] This type of housing allows for the installation of ball joints in such a manner that the movement of the joint is provided by the ball joint, while shocks are absorbed / suppressed by the plastic components. Motion and damping are thus decoupled and can be optimized accordingly. Some movements are also decoupled from each other, meaning they do not interfere with each other.

[0008] Preferably, the first and / or second fittings are made of metal, providing the necessary strength while enabling easy assembly. In one embodiment, the second fitting is shorter than the first fitting, and / or the second fitting is centered in the longitudinal direction of the first fitting.

[0009] To better secure the plastic component and / or increase the damping path, the first tube has a profile on its inner circumference for at least partially mounting the plastic component, particularly in the form of a circumferential groove. Alternatively or additionally, the second tube may have a profile on its outer circumference for at least partially mounting the plastic component, particularly in the form of a circumferential groove. The corresponding profile is preferably centered in the longitudinal direction of the seat. The profile on the inner circumference of the first tube extends to cover the entire length of the second tube.

[0010] Preferably, the plastic part extends substantially to cover the entire length of the first tube and contacts the inner circumference, wherein the plastic part has a uniform thickness over the length of the second tube and / or is tapered in the region of the longitudinal end.

[0011] In one embodiment, the plastic part has a substantially axially symmetrical shape, with two radially inwardly projecting stops formed in at least one end region, which can serve as anti-tilting pins. For good damping characteristics, the plastic part is made of a polymer, particularly polyurethane, and / or has a Shore A hardness of 60-85°, preferably 70-80°, especially 73-75°, and particularly preferably about 74°. Preferably, the plastic part also has a material thickness greater than the material thickness of the first and / or second tubular parts.

[0012] The joint arrangement for the body-side connector seat of the control arm, particularly the suspension arm, specifically features the following characteristics: a housing of the type described above, and, in particular, a universal ball joint fixed but removable in a second tube by press fitting, wherein the universal ball joint has a central through-hole for receiving and guiding fasteners, wherein the through-hole is tiltable relative to the tilt point and rotatable about its longitudinal axis. This joint arrangement provides the aforementioned advantages.

[0013] In one embodiment, the ball joint has a length shorter than that of the first pipe fitting, wherein the joint arrangement further includes two end caps that can be placed at opposite ends of the ball joint, each end cap having a through-hole that, when in place, aligns with the through-hole in the ball joint to provide an extended through-hole. The end caps have external dimensions that fit into the inner circumference of the first pipe fitting with a clearance fit and are sized such that the end caps protrude longitudinally beyond the length of the first pipe fitting during assembly. This serves, on the one hand, to move the joint portion into and thus protect the first pipe fitting, and on the other hand, to extend the through-hole to enhance the corresponding fastening. Furthermore, the end caps can be sized and selected to restrict the movement of the ball joint. For this purpose, at least one of the end caps may, for example, have an external dimension that restricts the tilting of the received leg at least within a predetermined angular range.

[0014] Control arms or forks, especially suspension arms with body-side joint seats, specifically have the type of joint arrangement described above, which is fixed in the joint seat but removable, especially by press fit. Preferably, the first tube extends through the joint seat and protrudes beyond its end.

[0015] Alternatively, a control arm, particularly a suspension arm with a body-side connector, may be provided, wherein at least one plastic component is mounted, through which a ball joint is directly or indirectly positioned and fixed in the connector. Here, motion can also be decoupled from damping, thereby allowing the first and / or second tubular components to be omitted as needed. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings show: Figure 1Schematic perspective view of a housing for a ball joint; Figure 2 according to Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the container; Figure 3 according to Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the container; Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a housing with a ball joint inserted. Figure 5 A schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an end cap placed on a ball joint; Figure 6 according to Figure 5 A schematic top view of the end cap; Figure 7 A schematic perspective view of another embodiment of an end cap placed on a ball joint; Figure 8 according to Figure 7 A schematic top view of the end cap; Figure 9 A schematic cross-sectional view of a bracket with a ball joint and an attached end cap inserted. Figure 10 A schematic top view of an exemplary support arm; Figure 11 A schematic side view of the support arm; and Figure 12 A schematic end view of an exemplary support arm. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The relative terms used in the following description, such as left, right, top, and bottom, refer to the accompanying drawings and are not intended to limit the application in any way, even if they may indicate a preferred arrangement. The term "substantially" is intended to cover normal deviations within a range of no more than 5%, and with respect to angular ranges, deviations up to 2° should be included.

[0018] Figures 1 to 3 First, the structure of the housing 1 for the universal ball joint is described, which is not in... Figures 1 to 3 As shown in the image. Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of the container is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Schematic cross-sectional views are shown along different sections.

[0019] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 The most clearly visible part is that the container 1 has a first outer tube 3, a second inner tube 5, and a plastic part 7.

[0020] The first tube 3 is preferably made of metal, but may also be made of another suitable material suitable for mechanical loads in the control arm, particularly the suspension arm. Non-exhaustive examples include high-strength plastics, glass fiber reinforced plastics, and carbon fiber composites. The first tube 3 has external dimensions suitable for a tight fit, preferably by press-fit, in the body-side connector of the control arm, particularly the suspension arm. Alternatively, the first tube 3 may also have external threads at each of its longitudinal ends, for example, by which the first tube can be secured in the connector of the control arm. Other fastening options are also possible. In this case, the corresponding fastening of the first tube 3 in the body-side connector of the transverse member should preferably be designed to be removable. The term "removable" means removal without damaging at least the body-side connector.

[0021] The first pipe fitting has a recess 9 on its inner circumference, which is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center plane, that is, with respect to the plane that intersects the first pipe fitting 3 centrally in the longitudinal direction. The recess 9 preferably has a length greater than the length of the second pipe fitting 5, as shown.

[0022] The second fitting 5 is also preferably made of metal, but may also be made of another suitable material. Specifically, the first fitting 3 and the second fitting 5 may be made of the same material. The second fitting 5 has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the first fitting 3. The inner diameter of the second fitting 5 is set to accommodate a ball joint, preferably by press fit, as will be described in more detail below. The second fitting 5 preferably has a length shorter than the length of the first fitting 3, as shown.

[0023] The plastic component 7 is located between the first tube 3 and the second tube 5, contacts both, and arranges the second tube 5 within the first tube 3. The plastic component 7 contacts the first tube 3 along its entire inner circumference and specifically extends into a recess 9 on the inner circumference of the first tube 3. The plastic component 7 also contacts the second tube 5 along its entire outer circumference. The second tube 5 is concentrically positioned within the first tube 3 by the plastic component 7. Furthermore, the plastic component 7 positions the second tube 5 substantially symmetrically with respect to the aforementioned longitudinal center plane of the first tube 3. While contact along the entire inner / outer circumference of the respective tubes 3, 5 is desirable, it is not absolutely necessary.

[0024] The plastic part 7 is preferably manufactured by injection molding and directly injected into the space formed between the first tube and the second tube 5, which is sealed by other corresponding elements.

[0025] At the longitudinal end of the plastic part 7, the plastic part 7 tapers tapering from the longitudinal end of the second tube 5 towards the corresponding longitudinal end of the first tube 3. The corresponding tapered portion is shown at 11. Figure 2At the left end shown, the tapered portion 11 of the plastic part 7 is circularly symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the receiver 1. At the right end, the plastic part 7 deviates from the circularly symmetrical shape on the left and has two protrusions 13 that are offset from each other by 180° in the circumferential direction of the plastic part 7. Figure 3 Protrusion 13 is shown in cross-section. Figure 2 Only one of the protrusions 13 is shown schematically. The protrusions can be, for example, casting burrs produced during the injection molding process. However, they can also be formed in other ways. As will be explained in more detail below, the protrusion 13 serves as a stop or anti-tilting pin.

[0026] The plastic material of the plastic part 7 is selected based on its damping characteristics and is preferably composed of polymers, particularly polyurethane. The material forming the plastic part 7 should have a Shore A hardness of 60 to 85°, preferably 70 to 80°, especially 73 to 75°, and particularly preferably about 74°. The plastic part has a material thickness greater than that of the first and / or second tubular parts, especially in the region between them. The combination of material thickness, material selection, and material hardness essentially defines the damping characteristics of the reservoir 1.

[0027] Although not shown in the figures, the second tube 5 may have a profile on its outer circumference that at least partially accommodates the plastic part, such as a circumferential groove, or a profile that at least partially extends into the plastic part, such as a circumferential protrusion. For example, circumferential ribs may be provided on the outer circumference of the second tube. These provide a particularly secure fixation of the second tube 5 relative to the first tube 3.

[0028] Figure 4 The container 1 is shown again in cross-section, similar to... Figure 3 The device receives an exemplary ball joint 15. When the ball joint 15 is received in the second pipe fitting as shown, especially when it is press-fitted with the latter, these elements together form a joint arrangement for mounting the lateral link, especially the support arm, to the body side joint.

[0029] The universal ball joint 15 shown by way of example only essentially includes a pipe 17, a bearing 18, a ball 19, a through member 20, and a sleeve 22.

[0030] Fitting 17 is made of a suitable rigid material, especially metal, and has an outer circumference suitable for, preferably by press-fit, installation in the second fitting 5. However, other types of fastening of the ball joint 15 within the second fitting 5 are also conceivable and possible, such as screwing. The outer circumference of fitting 17 is also profiled in such a way that it tapers from a central region to the ends, then forms a region with a constant diameter and a protrusion at the very end. This forms a substantially circumferential groove at the end region for receiving the end region of one of the sleeves 22, as shown.

[0031] The inner circumference of fitting 17 also forms a profile and has a circumferential recess, especially in the central region. This is used to accommodate bearing 18, such as... Figure 4 As can be seen in the image. In addition, the inner circumference of the fitting 17 widens slightly towards its end.

[0032] The bearing element is mounted in a recess on the inner circumference of the tube 17 and has an inner contour that at least partially conforms to the contour of the ball 19. The bearing element 18 is made of a material that allows the ball 19 to slide smoothly relative to the bearing element 18.

[0033] The ball 19 is preferably made of metal or another suitable material and has a through hole in which the through member 20 is accommodated. The through member 20 can be fixed in the through hole of the ball 20 in any way.

[0034] The through member 20 is preferably made of metal and has two radially extending protrusions 25 at each of its opposite ends, which form a mounting seat between them for the end region of the respective one of the sleeves 22.

[0035] The sleeve 22 is made of a suitable plastic material. A sleeve 22 is provided at each end of the universal ball joint 15, such that one end of the sleeve 22 is fixed to the outer circumference of the pipe fitting 17, for example by a corresponding clamp (not shown), and the other end is fixed to the through member 20, also for example by a clamp (not shown), such as a clamping ring. The sleeve 22 seals the space between the outer circumference of the through member 20 and the inner circumference of the pipe fitting 17, in which the ball member 19 is also accommodated. This space serves, for example, as a reservoir for a lubricant, such as grease.

[0036] like Figure 4 As can be seen in the illustration, the through member 20 is essentially free to tilt relative to the center point of the ball member 19. The movement is limited only by the inner circumference of the tube member 17. However, in addition, the through member 20 can also rotate about its longitudinal central axis as the ball member 19 rotates accordingly in the bearing member 18.

[0037] Figure 4The joint arrangement shown is intended for use with lateral links, particularly body-side joints supporting the links. The mobility of the through-joint 20 is provided by the ball joint 15, through which the corresponding body mounting member can extend, while shock absorption is provided by the plastic member 7. Because the corresponding torsional force is absorbed by the bearing characteristics of the ball joint without impairing its functionality, fatigue phenomena, such as those occurring in pure rubber bearings, are prevented, especially due to rotational and torsional forces within the rubber bearing. On the other hand, shock damping is essentially absorbed by the plastic member 7, which can be optimized for these characteristics because it does not necessarily allow rotational and / or torsional motion. Therefore, damping is essentially completely decoupled from mobility, and they do not affect each other. Simultaneous rotational and / or torsional motion also has no negative impact and does not affect each other.

[0038] like Figure 4 It can be seen that the universal ball joint has a length greater than that of the second fitting 5 but shorter than that of the first fitting 3.

[0039] To extend the central opening formed by the through member 20 beyond the pipe member 3, an optional end cap is provided, as shown below. Figures 5 to 9 Let us explain it in more detail.

[0040] Figure 5 and Figure 6 A first end cap 30 is shown, which has a substantially circularly symmetrical shape. The end cap 30 has a first flat side 32 and opposing contoured sides 33. Furthermore, the end cap 30 has a through-hole 34, the inner diameter of which is substantially equal to the through-hole of the through member 20. A circularly symmetrical protrusion 35 is provided on side 33, surrounding the through-hole 34. The circularly symmetrical protrusion 35 is sized so that it can be placed on one of the protrusions 25 on the through member 20, preferably in a manner that allows it to be placed by hand and initially held in that position without the application of external force.

[0041] Figure 7 and Figure 8 Another end cap 40 is shown, having two circular segments 42 and a flat segment 44 connecting the circular segments 42 on the outer circumference. End cap 40, also referred to as anti-tilting filler 40, also has a through-hole 45, the diameter of which is essentially equal to the diameter of the through-hole in the through-piece 20. End cap 40 also has a first flat side 46 and a contoured second side 47. The second side 47 has an annular protrusion 48, which can be placed on one of the protrusions 25 on the through-piece 20, preferably in such a way that end cap 40 is initially held in that position without force being applied. This serves as a pre-assembly, as with end cap 30.

[0042] Figure 9 Showing according to Figure 4 The connector arrangement includes an attached end cap. End cap 30 is based on... Figure 9Attached to the left side, that is, the side without protrusion 13. End cap 40 is Figure 9 The through-piece 20 is positioned on the right side and attached in such a way that the circular section 42 on the outer circumference is aligned with the protrusion 13 on the plastic part 7. This restricts the tilting movement of the through-piece 20 relative to the center point of the sphere 19 within this section, such as... Figure 9 This is clearly visible. Specifically, the upward or downward tilting of the through member 20 is significantly limited. The tilting of the through member 20 in the direction perpendicular to the upward / downward movement is not limited by the protrusion 13, and is possible to a greater extent, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0043] Figures 10 to 12 Top, side, and rear views of the support arm 50 are shown, but are only schematically illustrated. The support arm 50 is made of a suitable material and has a body side joint 51, a wheel side joint 53, and an optional shock absorber mount 55.

[0044] The structure of the corresponding support arm is well known and will not be described in further detail. The dimensions of the body-side connector 51 are set to fit snugly around the first tubular element 3 of the housing 1. Specifically, the housing 1 is preferably press-fitted into the body-side connector 51 of the control arm 50. During installation, the protrusion 13 should be aligned such that it is at the top or bottom, or in other words, in the normal orientation of the support arm, the protrusion 13 is substantially on the vertical axis.

[0045] According to Figure 10 The diagram schematically illustrates the ball joint component of the universal joint, with a support arm capable of lateral pivoting about the ball joint and extending longitudinally therein, as indicated by arrow A. This corresponding pivoting of the support arm is achieved through the tilting movement of the through member 20 in the universal joint 15, as those skilled in the art will recognize.

[0046] Figure 11 This illustrates how the support arm 50 can move up and down about the center point of the ball joint 19, which is schematically shown. This corresponding up-and-down movement of the support arm can also be referred to as torsional movement, which is achieved through the rotational movement of the ball joint 19 relative to the bearing member 18. This corresponding movement is indicated by arrow B.

[0047] Figure 12 The rear view shown illustrates the lateral tilting movement of the support arm. This is again achieved through the tilting / rotation of the through member 20 of the ball joint 15. The corresponding tilting / rotation movement is... Figure 12 Arrow C in the diagram indicates that the corresponding tilt is again made around the center point of the ball 19. If the joint arrangement is as follows... Figure 9 As shown in the diagram, with proper installation, protrusions 13 will each be positioned on the vertical axis, causing end cap 40 to be severely restricted according to... Figure 12The corresponding tilting movement. Therefore, according to the corresponding movement of arrow C, if any, it will only be possible within a small angle range of ±1° to ±3°, and preferably about ±2°, from the center position of the joint arrangement.

[0048] Again, according to Figure 11 The rotational or torsional movement of arrow B is not inherently limited by the universal joint 15, but is generally limited by other parts of the vehicle to ±5° to ±20° from the center position of the joint arrangement, especially to about ±10°.

[0049] The rotational movement indicated by arrow A is limited by the shape of the end caps 30 and 40 to ±5° to ±10°, particularly approximately ±7°, from the center position of the joint arrangement, outside the range of the protrusion 13 of the plastic part 7. Of course, other limitations on rotational, torsional, or tilting movements may also be provided; specifically, the limitations may also be asymmetrical relative to the center position.

[0050] The invention has been described in detail above using preferred embodiments, but is not limited to the specific embodiments. In particular, the structure of the universal ball joint 15 may differ from the structure shown. Figures 10 to 12 The shape of the control arm is also only illustrative and not intended to be limiting. In particular, the control arm may also have only one body-side connector and one wheel-side connector, or additional connectors in addition to those shown illustratively.

[0051] Contrary to the claims, the first tube 3 may also be omitted, such that the plastic part 7 is preferably inserted directly into the control arm together with the tube 5 (e.g., by injection molding). Alternatively or additionally, the second tube 5 may also be omitted, such that the tube 17 of the ball joint is in direct contact with the plastic part 7. While this would make component replacement more difficult, it would still provide the advantage of optimized functionality in terms of damping and motion.

Claims

1. A housing for a universal ball joint, for mounting in a body-side joint housing of a control arm, particularly a suspension arm, said housing comprising: First pipe fitting; The second pipe fitting is arranged concentrically within the first pipe fitting; as well as A plastic member is placed between the first and second pipe fittings, the plastic member completely surrounding the second pipe fitting in the radial direction, and positioning and securing the second pipe fitting within the first pipe fitting in such a manner that the second pipe fitting is fully installed within the first pipe fitting. The first tube has external dimensions suitable for a secure fit in the body-side connector seat of the control arm, the second tube has internal dimensions suitable for a fixed but removable seat of the ball joint, and the plastic part has a predetermined hardness to provide damping for relative movement between the tubes.

2. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the second tube has a shorter length than the first tube.

3. The housing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the external dimensions of the first tube are press-fitted to securely fit in the body-side connector seat of the control arm.

4. The receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal dimensions of the second tube are adapted to the fixed but removable seat of the ball joint by press fitting.

5. The receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and / or second tubular fitting is made of metal.

6. The receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second tube has a shorter length than the first tube, and / or the second tube is centered in the longitudinal direction of the first tube.

7. The receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first tube has a profile on its inner circumference for at least partial mounting of the plastic part.

8. The receiver according to claim 7, wherein the contour for at least partially receiving the plastic part is formed in the shape of a circumferential groove.

9. The receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second tube has a profile on its outer circumference for at least partially receiving the plastic piece.

10. The receiving seat according to claim 9, wherein the contour on the outer circumference of the second tube is formed in the form of a circumferential groove.

11. The receiver according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the contour for receiving the plastic part is centered in the longitudinal direction.

12. The receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic element extends substantially to cover the entire length of the first tube and contacts the inner circumference, wherein the plastic element has a uniform thickness over the length of the second tube and / or tapers in a region at the longitudinal end.

13. The housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic part has a substantially axially symmetrical shape, wherein two radially inwardly projecting stops are formed in at least one end region.

14. The container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic part is composed of a polymer.

15. The container according to claim 15, wherein the polymer is composed of polyurethane.

16. The housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic part has a Shore A hardness of 60-85°, preferably 70-80°, especially 73-75°, and particularly preferably about 74°.

17. The container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic part has a material thickness greater than the material thickness of the first and / or the second tubular part.

18. A joint arrangement for a vehicle body side joint seat for a lateral link, particularly a support link, said joint arrangement comprising: The accommodation according to any one of the preceding claims; And a ball joint, fixedly but detachably mounted in the second pipe fitting, wherein the ball joint has a central through member for receiving and guiding the legs of the fastener, wherein the through member is tiltable relative to the tilt point and rotatable about its longitudinal axis.

19. The joint arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the universal ball joint is installed in the second pipe fitting in a fixed but detachable manner by press fitting.

20. The joint arrangement of claim 18 or 19, wherein the ball joint has a length less than the length of the first pipe fitting, wherein the joint arrangement further includes two end caps disposed at opposite ends of the ball joint, wherein each end cap has a through-hole that, when the end cap is assembled, aligns with the through-hole in the ball joint to provide an extended through-hole, wherein the end cap has an external dimension that fits clearanceably into the inner circumference of the first pipe fitting, and a length such that the end cap protrudes longitudinally beyond the first pipe fitting during assembly.

21. The connector arrangement of claim 20, wherein at least one of the end caps has an external dimension that limits the tilt of the received leg at least within a predetermined angular range.

22. A control arm, particularly a suspension arm, having a joint seat on the vehicle body side, the control arm comprising a joint arrangement according to any one of claims 18 to 21, the joint arrangement being fixedly but detachably received in the joint seat.

23. The control arm according to claim 22, particularly the suspension arm, wherein the joint arrangement is press-fitted into the joint seat.

24. The control arm according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the first tube extends through the connector seat and protrudes beyond its end.

25. A control arm, particularly a suspension arm, having a joint seat on the side of a vehicle body, wherein at least one plastic component is mounted in the joint seat, and a ball joint is directly or indirectly positioned and fixed in the joint seat via the plastic component.

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