A spherical hinge seat structure

Abstract

This application relates to a spherical hinge seat structure, which includes a ball head, a spherical hinge seat, an upper wear-resistant spacer, and multiple lower wear-resistant spacers. The upper wear-resistant spacer is an integral ring structure, and the lower wear-resistant spacers are circumferentially distributed arc-shaped petals, together forming a wear-resistant spherical shell to accommodate the ball head. A ball head positioning pin is provided between the ball head and the wear-resistant spherical shell, and an anti-rotation positioning pin is provided between the wear-resistant spherical shell and the spherical hinge seat. The axes of both pins pass through the center of the ball and are perpendicular to each other. The lower wear-resistant spacers include positioning pressure-bearing petals and floating pressure-bearing petals. A buffer gap is provided between adjacent petals, and the floating pressure-bearing petals can sway slightly within the buffer gap range. This application achieves the effects of limiting third-direction spin, buffering impact, and improving wear conditions through the cooperation of two orthogonal rotation axes and floating pressure-bearing petals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of mechanical connection structures, and in particular to a spherical hinge seat structure. Background Technology

[0002] Existing ball joint seats typically include a ball head, a ball socket, a pressure cap, and a bushing or wear-resistant pad located between the ball head and the ball socket. The ball head can swing in multiple directions within the ball socket, thus adapting to angular changes in the moving mechanism during operation. To reduce friction between the ball head and the ball socket, some structures incorporate wear-resistant materials or inject grease into the ball socket; for ease of assembly, a pressure cap is also used to limit the movement of the ball head by engaging with the ball joint seat.

[0003] However, in high-precision motion mechanisms, spherical hinge seats do not always require complete three-way rotational degrees of freedom. If the ball joint has unconstrained redundant spin degrees of freedom in addition to the necessary oscillating degrees of freedom, the ball joint and its connected actuator may rotate unexpectedly under reciprocating motion, off-center loading, impact loads, or nonlinear friction. Since this unexpected rotation changes the direction of force transmission and the contact area, it may lead to uneven distribution of internal forces in the components, further amplifying the positional deviation of the end effector and reducing trajectory repeatability and platform attitude control accuracy.

[0004] Furthermore, in existing ball joint seats, the contact between the ball head and the socket is mostly a large-area sliding contact. Under heavy loads or frequent oscillations, the grease in the contact area is easily squeezed out, and new grease cannot enter the high-pressure load area in time, leading to local dry friction, abrasive wear, or motion jamming. If the wear-resistant bushing or wear-resistant pad lacks proper positioning, floating, and buffering fit with the ball joint seat, the contact load may also be concentrated in a local area, causing uneven wear of the wear-resistant parts, which in turn affects the fit clearance and positioning accuracy.

[0005] Furthermore, after prolonged use, the grease in ball joint seats may age, dry out, or be lost, and wear-resistant parts may also wear out. If the main wear parts in the structure are not easy to disassemble and replace individually, maintenance often requires disassembling a large area of ​​the moving mechanism, increasing maintenance time and potentially affecting the positioning consistency after reassembly.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing ball joint seat to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the issue that existing spherical hinge seats struggle to simultaneously limit third-direction spin, balance pressure resistance and wear resistance, maintain lubrication, and cushion movement when transmitting loads and allowing necessary oscillations, this application provides a spherical hinge seat structure.

[0008] The spherical hinge seat structure provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: A spherical hinge seat structure includes a ball head, a ball hinge seat, an upper wear-resistant spacer, and multiple lower wear-resistant spacers; The upper wear-resistant septum is an integral ring structure, and the multiple lower wear-resistant septums are arc-shaped petals and distributed circumferentially, together with the upper wear-resistant septum to form a wear-resistant spherical shell that accommodates the ball head. A ball head positioning pin is provided between the ball head and the wear-resistant ball shell. The axis of the ball head positioning pin passes through the center of the ball head and forms the first rotation axis of the ball head relative to the wear-resistant ball shell. An anti-rotation positioning pin is provided between the wear-resistant ball shell and the ball joint seat. The axis of the anti-rotation positioning pin passes through the center of the ball head and forms a second rotation axis of the wear-resistant ball shell relative to the ball joint seat. The first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are perpendicular to each other to limit the ball head from spinning about a third direction perpendicular to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis. Multiple lower wear-resistant shims include positioning pressure-bearing petals that are limited by ball joint seats and floating pressure-bearing petals located between adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals. A buffer gap is reserved between adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals and the floating pressure-bearing petals, and the floating pressure-bearing petals can make slight swaying within the range defined by the buffer gap.

[0009] Furthermore, the lower wear-resistant septum is provided in four parts, including two oppositely arranged positioning pressure-bearing petals and two oppositely arranged floating pressure-bearing petals; The positioning pressure-bearing flap is penetrated and confined to the inner wall of the ball joint seat by the anti-rotation positioning pin. The two opposite ends of the upper wear-resistant spacer are positioned by the two ends of the ball head positioning pin that passes through the center of the ball head. The floating pressure-bearing flap is in a free state that is not penetrated by the pin.

[0010] Furthermore, the back of the floating pressure-bearing petal is in contact with the inner spherical surface of the ball joint seat. When the ball head swings in the first direction and / or the second direction, the floating pressure-bearing petal is dragged by the frictional force of the ball head surface, generating alternating slight swaying in the buffer space formed by the upper wear-resistant pad and the two positioning pressure-bearing petals, so that the buffer seams located at both ends of its circumference undergo periodic volume compression and expansion.

[0011] Furthermore, the buffer gap is pre-filled with grease, and the cross-section of the buffer gap is an asymmetrical tapering nozzle shape, with the width of the grease inlet end near the ball joint seat being greater than the width of the grease outlet end near the ball head spherical surface. When the floating pressure-bearing flap deflects to one side and instantly squeezes the buffer gap on that side, the grease is accelerated by the convergence of the gradually narrowing nozzle shape and is injected into the high-pressure bearing area of ​​the ball head spherical surface in a jet state from the grease outlet end.

[0012] Furthermore, the positioning pressure-bearing flap and / or floating pressure-bearing flap are provided with multiple flow-blocking ribs staggered along the grease flow direction on the side wall surface near the buffer gap; When the floating pressure-bearing flap deflects in the opposite direction, causing the buffer slit on that side to expand and generate negative pressure, the flow-blocking ridge creates a flow resistance difference between the grease outlet end and the grease inlet end, forcing the buffer slit to mainly draw in new grease from the grease inlet end.

[0013] Furthermore, the bottom of the ball joint seat is provided with a connected oil storage groove and an oil injection hole, the oil injection hole is provided with an oil injection cup, and the oil storage groove is connected to the grease inlet end of each of the buffer gaps; When the ball head swings, new grease is drawn into the buffer gap from the bottom oil reservoir and sprayed into the ball surface, squeezing out the aged grease on the ball surface along the circumferential grease discharge gap reserved on the upper wear-resistant septum.

[0014] Furthermore, the buffer gap has a first limiting surface and a second limiting surface respectively located on the floating pressure-bearing petal and the positioning pressure-bearing petal, and there is a predetermined angular clearance between the two. After the load borne by the ball head overcomes the oscillating friction, the floating pressure-bearing petal sways slightly until the first limiting surface and the second limiting surface rigidly abut against each other. Then, the floating pressure-bearing petal and the positioning pressure-bearing petal jointly bear the load of the overall structure.

[0015] Furthermore, the positioning pressure-bearing flap is integrally formed with a first positioning ear, one end of the anti-rotation positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning ear and the other end is inserted into the inner wall of the ball joint seat, and the outer end is locked by a limiting screw screwed to the ball joint seat; the upper wear-resistant septum has a first clearance groove at one end near the positioning pressure-bearing flap that is adapted to the outer contour of the first positioning ear. The upper wear-resistant septum has a second positioning ear integrally formed at one end near the floating pressure-bearing flap, and the two ends of the ball-head positioning pin are respectively inserted into the two second positioning ears; the floating pressure-bearing flap has a second clearance groove at one end near the upper wear-resistant septum with an opening width greater than the outer contour of the second positioning ear.

[0016] Furthermore, a self-aligning bushing to prevent over-constraint is provided between the ball-head locating pin and the mating hole of the second locating ear, and / or between the anti-rotation locating pin and the mating hole of the first locating ear. The outer peripheral surface of the self-aligning bushing is drum-shaped and can be deflected to fit into the groove of the corresponding hole wall to adaptively release the jamming internal stress caused by the non-absolute orthogonality of the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.

[0017] Furthermore, it also includes a ball joint cap, which is locked to the open end of the ball joint seat by fasteners; The bottom surface of the ball joint cap axially presses against the top surface of the upper wear-resistant septum, restricting the axial displacement of the plurality of lower wear-resistant septums, and providing top anti-detachment guidance when the floating pressure-bearing flap makes a slight sway.

[0018] In summary, the beneficial technical effects of this application are as follows: 1. By ensuring that the axes of the ball head positioning pin and the anti-rotation positioning pin both pass through the center of the ball and are perpendicular to each other, a series of two-axis rotational constraints are formed between the ball head and the wear-resistant ball shell, and between the wear-resistant ball shell and the ball joint seat. This achieves the retention of necessary swinging degrees of freedom and the restriction of third-direction spin, thus improving the problem of decreased positioning accuracy caused by unexpected rotation of the ball head and its connecting mechanism. Compared with the existing technology that relies solely on the free swinging of the spherical pair, the solution of this application can better constrain redundant rotational degrees of freedom. 2. The wear-resistant spherical shell is formed by the integrated ring-shaped upper wear-resistant septum and multiple arc-shaped lower wear-resistant septums, so that the main wear between the ball head and the ball hinge seat is concentrated on the replaceable wear-resistant septum, thereby realizing the isolation between the pressure support and wear, and improving the problem of difficult maintenance after the main body of the ball head or ball hinge seat is worn. 3. By dividing the lower wear-resistant septum into a positioning bearing segment and a floating bearing segment, and reserving a buffer gap between the two, the positioning bearing segment provides a stable reference bearing, while the floating bearing segment compensates for contact errors and buffers impacts within a limited range. This achieves a balance between bearing stability and micro-adaptive properties, and improves the problem of local over-constraint or uneven wear that is prone to occur in rigid segmented structures. 4. By pre-filling the buffer gap with grease and setting the buffer gap as an asymmetrical tapering nozzle with a wide inlet and a narrow outlet, the floating pressure-bearing flap can periodically pump grease into the high-pressure bearing area of ​​the ball head when it oscillates slightly. This achieves passive lubrication replenishment by utilizing the mechanism's own oscillation, improving the problem of grease not being able to enter the high-pressure friction area in a timely manner. Compared with the existing technology that simply sets up an oil storage space, this solution can achieve automatic grease replenishment with the oscillation of the ball head, which is more conducive to improving the ability of grease to reach the effective contact area. 5. By setting baffles, oil reservoirs, oil filling holes, oil cups, and circumferential grease discharge slots, the buffer slots can preferentially draw in new grease when expanding and spray grease onto the ball head surface when compressing, while also promoting the discharge of aged grease. This achieves directional grease renewal and improves the problem of increased friction caused by aging, drying, or retention of grease. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present application along the axis of the ball-head locating pin; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure along the axis of the anti-rotation positioning pin in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of an embodiment of this application; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the mating structure between the ball head and the wear-resistant ball shell according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of part A in the middle; Figure 8 This is an exploded structural diagram of the wear-resistant septum according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a self-aligning bushing provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Ball head; 2. Ball joint seat; 21. Oil reservoir; 22. Oil filling hole; 23. Oil filling cup; 3. Install wear-resistant pads; 4. Lower wear-resistant septum; 41. Positioning pressure-bearing flap; 42. Floating pressure-bearing flap; 43. Buffer joint; 431. Grease inlet end; 432. Grease outlet end; 44. Flow-blocking rib; 451. First limiting surface; 452. Second limiting surface; 51. Ball-head locating pin; 52. Second locating lug; 53. Second clearance groove; 61. Anti-rotation positioning pin; 62. First positioning ear; 63. Limiting screw; 64. First clearance groove; 7. Self-aligning bushing; 8. Ball joint cap. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of this application will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] This application discloses a spherical hinge seat structure. (Refer to...) Figures 1-9 It includes a ball head 1, a ball joint seat 2, an upper wear-resistant spacer 3, and multiple lower wear-resistant spacers 4.

[0023] The upper wear-resistant septum 3 is an integral ring structure, and multiple lower wear-resistant septums 4 are arc-shaped lobes distributed along the circumference, together with the upper wear-resistant septum 3 forming a wear-resistant spherical shell that accommodates the ball head 1.

[0024] A positioning pin for ball head 1 is inserted between ball head 1 and wear-resistant spherical shell. The axis of the positioning pin for ball head 1 passes through the center of ball head 1 and forms the first rotation axis of ball head 1 relative to wear-resistant spherical shell, which can enable ball head 1 to swing around the axis in the first direction.

[0025] An anti-rotation positioning pin 61 is provided between the wear-resistant ball shell and the ball joint seat 2. The axis of the anti-rotation positioning pin 61 passes through the center of the ball head 1 and forms the second rotation axis of the wear-resistant ball shell relative to the ball joint seat 2, which can cause the ball head 1 to swing around the axis in the second direction. The first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are perpendicular to each other to limit the ball head 1 from spinning around a third direction perpendicular to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.

[0026] Multiple lower wear-resistant pads 4 include positioning pressure-bearing petals 41 that are limited and matched with ball joint seats 2 and floating pressure-bearing petals 42 located between adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals 41. A buffer gap 43 is reserved between adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals 41 and floating pressure-bearing petals 42. The floating pressure-bearing petals 42 can make a slight sway within the range defined by the buffer gap 43.

[0027] Therefore, the ball head 1 serves as the load-bearing input end connected to the external motion mechanism, and the ball joint seat 2 serves as the load-bearing output end connected to the fixed mechanism or platform base. The ball head 1 and ball joint seat 2 do not form a direct exposed friction pair; instead, they are isolated and supported by a wear-resistant spherical shell formed by an upper wear-resistant pad 3 and multiple lower wear-resistant pads 4. The load is transmitted from the ball head 1 to the wear-resistant spherical shell, and then through the positioning pressure-bearing petals 41, the floating pressure-bearing petals 42, and the ball joint seat 2 to the external structure. Motion is achieved by the first rotation of the ball head 1 relative to the wear-resistant spherical shell and the second rotation of the wear-resistant spherical shell relative to the ball joint seat 2. Furthermore, since the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are perpendicular to each other, this structure can form a two-degree-of-freedom oscillating relationship similar to a universal joint, while suppressing redundant spin around a third direction.

[0028] It should be noted that this spherical hinge seat can be used in six-degree-of-freedom platforms, electric cylinder end connections, attitude adjustment mechanisms, or other mechanical connection scenarios that require limiting reasonable rotational degrees of freedom. External drives, controllers, and platform control algorithms are not necessary components for the spherical hinge seat to achieve limiting and lubrication; this structure mainly relies on the cooperation between the mechanical pin, wear-resistant spherical shell, floating pressure-bearing flap 42, and buffer gap 43 to achieve passive limiting, pressure buffering, and improved lubrication.

[0029] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The upper wear-resistant spacer 3 can be made into an integral ring structure, located on the upper part of the ball head 1 or near the opening side of the ball joint seat 2, and together with multiple lower wear-resistant spacers 4, it forms an approximately spherical support space. The integral ring structure of the upper wear-resistant spacer 3 provides continuous support and assembly reference in the circumferential direction, reducing relative misalignment caused by the assembly of multiple segmented parts. The multiple lower wear-resistant spacers 4 are made into arc-shaped segments and distributed circumferentially, facilitating segmented assembly when the ball head 1 is installed into the ball joint seat 2, and also facilitating individual replacement after localized wear.

[0030] In some embodiments, the upper wear-resistant septum 3 and the lower wear-resistant septum 4 may be made of copper, such as a copper alloy suitable for sliding friction pairs, to reduce direct wear between the ball head 1 and the ball joint seat 2. Alternatively, wear-resistant materials or surface treatments commonly used in the art may be selected based on the load level, lubrication conditions, contact pressure, and maintenance cycle. The ball head 1 and the ball joint seat 2 may be made of conventional metal materials suitable for withstanding tensile, compressive, and impact loads; their specific materials, heat treatment conditions, and surface roughness can be determined according to actual working conditions.

[0031] The inner surface of the wear-resistant spherical shell is adapted to the spherical surface of the ball head 1, and the outer surface is adapted to the inner spherical surface of the ball joint seat 2. It should be noted that "adaptation" here does not require a completely clearance-free fit, but rather allows for an appropriate fit clearance based on the lubrication film thickness, assembly precision, and swing damping requirements. Since the wear-resistant spherical shell bears the main sliding wear, when any wear-resistant septum reaches the maintenance condition, the corresponding wear-resistant septum can be replaced first, without having to directly replace the main components of the ball head 1 or ball joint seat 2, thus reducing maintenance workload.

[0032] In addition, refer to Figures 2-5 A locating pin for ball head 1 passes between ball head 1 and wear-resistant spherical shell, with its axis passing through the center of ball head 1. Because this pin creates a rotatable constraint between ball head 1 and wear-resistant spherical shell along their corresponding axial directions, ball head 1 primarily oscillates around the first rotation axis relative to the wear-resistant spherical shell. An anti-rotation locating pin 61 passes between the wear-resistant spherical shell and ball joint seat 2, with its axis also passing through the center of ball head 1, forming a second rotation axis for the wear-resistant spherical shell relative to the ball joint seat 2. Furthermore, when the first and second rotation axes are perpendicular to each other, ball head 1 can achieve spatial oscillation through two stages of relative rotation, but its spin around a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second rotation axes is restricted.

[0033] It should be understood that if ball head 1 attempts to spin around a third direction, the locating pin of ball head 1 will create a torsional constraint between ball head 1 and the wear-resistant spherical shell in that direction, while the anti-rotation locating pin 61 will constrain the wear-resistant spherical shell and the ball joint seat 2 in the corresponding direction. The two sets of pins are not isolated limiting components, but together form a series rotational constraint chain of "ball head 1 - wear-resistant spherical shell - ball joint seat 2". Thus, this structure retains the two swing degrees of freedom required by the motion mechanism, while reducing attitude drift and load deflection caused by redundant spin.

[0034] Preferably, the lower wear-resistant spacer 4 is configured as four, including two opposing positioning pressure-bearing petals 41 and two opposing floating pressure-bearing petals 42. The two positioning pressure-bearing petals 41 can be located near both ends of the second rotation axis and are penetrated or limited to the inner wall of the ball joint seat 2 by the anti-rotation positioning pin 61; the two floating pressure-bearing petals 42 are located between adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals 41 and are in a free state without being penetrated by the pin. The free state here does not mean that they are completely free from constraints, but rather that the floating pressure-bearing petals 42 are not rigidly penetrated by the ball head 1 positioning pin or the anti-rotation positioning pin 61, and their position is still limited by the spherical surface of the ball head 1, the inner spherical surface of the ball joint seat 2, the upper wear-resistant spacer 3, and the adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals 41.

[0035] It is worth noting that the positioning bearing flap 41 and the floating bearing flap 42 perform different but complementary functions. Specifically, the positioning bearing flap 41 forms a stable positioning relationship with the ball joint seat 2 through the anti-rotation positioning pin 61, providing reference support and torsional limiting; the floating bearing flap 42, taking advantage of its characteristic of not being penetrated by the pin, generates a slight sway within the allowable range of the adjacent buffer gap 43. Compared with a structure where all the lower wear-resistant pads 4 are rigidly fixed, this arrangement can reduce the risk of over-constraint caused by machining errors, assembly errors, or uneven spherical contact, and allows local loads to be mitigated by the slight displacement of the floating bearing flap 42.

[0036] In some embodiments, the back surface of the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 is in contact with the inner spherical surface of the ball joint seat 2. When the ball head 1 swings about the first or second rotation axis, there is friction between the spherical surface of the ball head 1 and the inner surface of the floating pressure-bearing petal 42. The floating pressure-bearing petal 42 is dragged by the frictional force, generating alternating slight swaying in the buffer space formed by the upper wear-resistant septum 3 and the two positioning pressure-bearing petals 41. This slight swaying causes the buffer gaps 43 at both circumferential ends of the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 to undergo periodic volume compression and expansion.

[0037] Specifically, when the ball head 1 moves in a certain swing direction, the buffer slot 43 on one side of the floating pressure-bearing flap 42 is compressed, while the buffer slot 43 on the other side expands accordingly; when the ball head 1 swings in the opposite direction, the compression and expansion states of the buffer slots 43 on both sides are exchanged. The width, angular clearance, and sidewall inclination angle of the buffer slot 43 can be determined according to the diameter of the ball head 1, the load-bearing capacity, the fluidity of the lubricant, and the allowable sway amplitude. This configuration allows the floating pressure-bearing flap 42 to both participate in bearing pressure and absorb impact and compensate for contact errors within a limited range, thereby improving the problem of localized wear concentration in wear-resistant parts.

[0038] Furthermore, referring to Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7Within the buffer gap 43, a first limiting surface 451 and a second limiting surface 452 can be formed on the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 and the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41, respectively, with a predetermined angular clearance between the two limiting surfaces. Initially, the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 undergoes slight oscillation within the angular clearance range for buffering, clearance adjustment, and driving grease flow. When the load borne by the ball head 1 overcomes the oscillating friction and causes the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 to deflect to its extreme position, the first limiting surface 451 and the second limiting surface 452 rigidly abut against each other. Subsequently, the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 and the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 jointly bear the overall structural load. In this way, the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 will not lose its load-bearing capacity due to its detached configuration, nor will it oscillate indefinitely under high load conditions.

[0039] Specifically, in embodiments where auxiliary lubrication is achieved through the swinging motion of the ball head 1, the buffer slit 43 is pre-filled with grease. The cross-section of the buffer slit 43 can be configured as an asymmetrical tapering channel, wider near the ball joint seat 2 and narrower near the spherical surface of the ball head 1. The side near the ball joint seat 2 serves as the grease inlet end 431, primarily used to draw in new grease from the oil reservoir 21 or surrounding grease reservoir area when the buffer slit 43 expands and generates negative pressure. The side near the spherical surface of the ball head 1 serves as the grease outlet end 432, primarily used to replenish grease to the inlet side or adjacent area of ​​the bearing contact area of ​​the spherical surface of the ball head 1 when the buffer slit 43 is compressed and the pressure inside the slit increases. It should be noted that the tapering channel itself is not equivalent to a one-way valve, and it does not solely determine the grease flow direction. The actual grease flow direction is jointly determined by the pressure difference inside and outside the buffer slit 43, the backflow resistance between the grease inlet end 431 and the oil reservoir 21, the oil film pressure at the grease outlet end 432, and the transient receiving gap formed by the swinging motion of the ball head 1.

[0040] During operation, when the ball head 1 swings and drags the floating pressure-bearing valve 42 slightly to one side through friction, the volume of the buffer slit 43 on that side decreases, and the grease inside the slit is squeezed, resulting in a transient pressure increase. Since the space between the grease inlet end 431 and the oil reservoir 21 is usually filled with high-viscosity grease and has a certain flow resistance, and the grease outlet end 432 is adjacent to the relative motion interface between the ball head 1 and the wear-resistant septum, the sweeping motion of the spherical surface of the ball head 1 can form a small oil film space near the grease outlet end 432 that can receive grease. Therefore, during the period when the pressure inside the slit is higher than the local oil film pressure on the outlet side, at least a portion of the grease can be directionally squeezed out along the narrower grease outlet end 432. The narrower grease outlet end 432 plays a role in constricting and locally accelerating this portion of the grease flow, so that the grease is replenished into the bearing contact area of ​​the spherical surface of the ball head 1 in the form of a pulsed grease flow or an approximate jet. Even if a small amount of grease is squeezed back to the grease inlet end 431 under certain operating conditions, this portion of grease can re-participate in the grease replenishment cycle when the buffer gap 43 subsequently expands; thus, the buffer gap 43 is more inclined to draw in new grease from the grease inlet end 431 and discharge grease from the grease outlet end 432 to the spherical surface of the ball head 1, thereby forming a more reliable periodic lubrication renewal effect.

[0041] Furthermore, referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7 On the sidewalls of the positioning pressure-bearing flap 41 and / or floating pressure-bearing flap 42 near the buffer gap 43, multiple flow-blocking ridges 44 can be staggered along the grease flow direction, and the multiple flow-blocking ridges 44 on both sides are also staggered along the extension direction of the buffer gap 43. The flow-blocking ridges 44 can be small protrusions, oblique protrusions, or other structures that can change the local flow resistance. Their specific cross-sectional shape and height can be determined according to the processing capacity, grease viscosity, and channel size. For example, the flow-blocking ridge 44 is set as a ridge with an equilateral triangular cross-section, with its pointed surface facing the grease inlet end 431 of the buffer gap 43 and its flat surface facing the grease outlet end 432 of the buffer gap 43. That is, the resistance of the grease flowing from the grease inlet end 431 to the grease outlet end 432 of the buffer gap 43 is much smaller than the resistance of the grease flowing from the grease outlet end 432 to the grease inlet end 431 of the buffer gap 43. Furthermore, the flow-blocking rib 44 is provided on the constricted inclined surface of the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 and / or the floating pressure-bearing petal 42. When the first limiting surface 451 and the second limiting surface 452 are planar and in contact, the flow-blocking rib 44 does not contact or interfere with the flow-blocking rib 44 on the opposite surface or the constricted inclined surface. Alternatively, the flow-blocking rib 44 is made of elastic rubber and has an embedded elastic metal sheet, which can significantly avoid collision failure between the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 and the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41, while ensuring the effect of adjusting flow resistance. In this embodiment, the adjacent sides of the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 and the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 are provided with flow-blocking ribs 44, and the multiple flow-blocking ribs 44 on both sides are staggered in the thickness direction of the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 and the extension direction of the buffer gap 43. The protruding height of the flow-blocking rib 44 is greater than half of the maximum width of the grease inlet end 431 when the buffer gap 43 is closed.

[0042] Therefore, when the floating pressure-bearing valve 42 deflects in the opposite direction during a slight sway, causing the buffer slit 43 on that side to expand and generate negative pressure, the flow-blocking rib 44 creates a significant obstruction to the grease flowing back from the grease outlet 432, while the grease entering the buffer slit 43 from the grease inlet 431 experiences relatively less flow resistance. Consequently, during the expansion phase, the buffer slit 43 tends to draw in new grease from the grease inlet 431 rather than simply drawing back the aged grease on the spherical surface of the ball head 1.

[0043] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3The ball joint seat 2 has an interconnected oil reservoir 21 and an oil filling hole 22 at its bottom, with an oil filling cup 23 installed at the oil filling hole 22. The oil reservoir 21 is connected to the grease inlet end 431 of each buffer gap 43. The oil filling cup 23 is used to replenish grease to the oil reservoir 21 during maintenance, or the oil filling cup 23 can be directly connected to an external oil tank to further extend the maintenance cycle. The sealing structure of the oil filling cup 23 and the oil filling hole 22, as well as the grease replenishment tool, are conventional structures in the art, and those skilled in the art can select them according to the actual maintenance method, so there is no need to elaborate. The type of grease can also be determined according to the load, temperature, oscillation frequency, etc.

[0044] When the ball head 1 swings, new grease enters the grease inlet 431 of the buffer slit 43 from the bottom oil reservoir 21, and is then sprayed onto the spherical surface of the ball head 1 from the grease outlet 432 under the periodic compression of the floating pressure-bearing valve 42. The aged grease in the spherical contact area, after being squeezed by the new grease, can overflow along the circumferential grease discharge slit reserved on the upper wear-resistant septum 3. This circumferential grease discharge slit can be set as a circumferential narrow slit, an annular groove, or a grease discharge gap communicating with the non-load-bearing area. Its specific size and arrangement can be determined according to the grease discharge resistance and sealing requirements, which is existing technology and can be fully implemented by those skilled in the art, so there is no need to elaborate. This forms a lubrication renewal path of "grease replenishment in the oil reservoir 21—grease absorption in the buffer slit 43—grease discharge from the nozzle—old grease discharge through the grease discharge slit," which helps reduce the risk of grease aging and drying due to long-term retention.

[0045] Furthermore, preferably, refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 8 The positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 has an integrally formed first positioning ear 62. One end of the anti-rotation positioning pin 61 passes through the first positioning ear 62, and the other end passes through the inner wall of the ball joint seat 2. The outer end can be locked by the limiting screw 63 screwed to the ball joint seat 2. The first positioning ear 62 provides a clear installation reference for the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41, and the limiting screw 63 is used to prevent the anti-rotation positioning pin 61 from loosening. In addition, the upper wear-resistant spacer 3 has a first clearance groove 64 at the end near the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 that matches the outer contour of the first positioning ear 62, so as to avoid interference between the upper wear-resistant spacer 3 and the first positioning ear 62 during assembly or swinging.

[0046] In conjunction with this, the upper wear-resistant spacer 3 can be integrally formed with a second positioning ear 52 at one end near the floating pressure bearing flap 42. Both ends of the ball head 1 positioning pin are respectively inserted into the two second positioning ears 52. The floating pressure bearing flap 42 has a second clearance groove 63 at one end near the upper wear-resistant spacer 3, with an opening width larger than the outer contour of the second positioning ear 52. The second positioning ear 52 provides a support position for the ball head 1 positioning pin, enabling it to stably form the first rotation axis. The large opening width of the second clearance groove 63 ensures that the floating pressure bearing flap 42 will not rigidly interfere with the second positioning ear 52 during slight shaking. Thus, the first positioning ear 62, the second positioning ear 52, and the corresponding clearance groove not only serve for assembly clearance and convenient assembly but also jointly ensure the axial position and movement space of the two sets of pins.

[0047] In other embodiments, reference is made to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 9 A self-aligning bushing 7, designed to prevent over-constraint, can be fitted between the mating hole of the ball head 1 locating pin and the second locating ear 52, and / or between the mating hole of the anti-rotation locating pin 61 and the first locating ear 62. The outer circumferential surface of the self-aligning bushing 7 is drum-shaped and can be deflected into the groove of the corresponding hole wall. Since the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis may not be perfectly orthogonal during actual machining and assembly, and the pin hole position may also have slight deviations, the self-aligning bushing 7 can release the pin bending stress and jamming internal stress through its own micro-angle deflection.

[0048] It should be clarified that the self-aligning bushing 7 does not eliminate the pin positioning; rather, while maintaining the function of the pin in defining the axis of rotation, it allows for a small range of adaptive adjustment between the pin and the positioning lug wall. Compared to a rigid hole-shaft fit, this structure helps reduce assembly difficulties, wobbling, and localized stress concentration caused by hole position errors.

[0049] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The spherical hinge seat also includes a spherical hinge cover 8, which is locked to the open end of the spherical hinge seat 2 by fasteners. The bottom surface of the spherical hinge cover 8 axially presses against the top surface of the upper wear-resistant spacer 3, while simultaneously restricting the axial displacement of multiple lower wear-resistant spacers 4. The spherical hinge cover 8 and the spherical hinge seat 2 can be positioned using a stop and then connected by bolts to improve assembly coaxiality and disassembly consistency. The fasteners, anti-loosening washers, stop structures, and clamping screws required for assembly can all be implemented using conventional methods in the art.

[0050] Specifically, when the ball joint cap 8 is pressing the wear-resistant septum 3, it should not completely and rigidly clamp the floating pressure-bearing petal 42. Instead, it should provide top guidance and a small amount of swaying space for the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 while ensuring anti-detachment and pressure-bearing safety. In this way, the ball joint cap 8 can prevent the wear-resistant septum from coming out of the opening end of the ball joint seat 2, and will not destroy the function of the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 to make a small deflection using the buffer gap 43.

[0051] During assembly, the ball head 1 positioning pin can be pre-installed with the corresponding positioning parts of the ball head 1 and the upper wear-resistant spacer 3, so that the ball head 1 forms the first rotation axis relative to the upper wear-resistant spacer 3; then the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 and the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 are arranged circumferentially on the outside of the ball head 1, so that it and the upper wear-resistant spacer 3 together form a wear-resistant spherical shell; then the assembled ball head 1 and wear-resistant spherical shell are placed into the inner spherical surface of the ball joint seat 2, and the first positioning ear 62 of the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 is aligned with the pin hole on the inner wall of the ball joint seat 2; then the anti-rotation positioning pin 61 is inserted and locked by the limit screw 63, and finally the ball joint cover 8 is installed and locked by the fastener.

[0052] During maintenance, grease can be added to the oil reservoir 21 through the grease cup 23. After grease replenishment, the grease enters the grease inlet 431 of each buffer gap 43 through the oil reservoir 21. If the wear-resistant shims are worn to the point of replacement, the corresponding upper wear-resistant shim 3 or lower wear-resistant shim 4 can be removed after removing the ball joint cover 8. Since the main wear occurs on the replaceable wear-resistant shims, this structure helps to reduce extensive disassembly of the ball head 1, ball joint seat 2, and external motion mechanism.

[0053] The implementation principle of a spherical hinge seat structure in this application embodiment is as follows: After initial assembly, the upper wear-resistant spacer 3 and multiple lower wear-resistant spacers 4 form a wear-resistant spherical shell, and the ball head 1 is housed within the wear-resistant spherical shell. A positioning pin for the ball head 1 passes through the center of the ball head 1, forming a first axis of rotation between the ball head 1 and the wear-resistant spherical shell. An anti-rotation positioning pin 61 passes through the center of the ball head 1, forming a second axis of rotation between the wear-resistant spherical shell and the ball joint seat 2. The two axes of rotation are perpendicular to each other. When the external motion mechanism drives the ball head 1 to swing, the ball head 1 can swing relative to the wear-resistant spherical shell around the first axis of rotation, and the wear-resistant spherical shell can swing relative to the ball joint seat 2 around the second axis of rotation, thereby achieving the required two-degree-of-freedom attitude compensation. When the ball head 1 exhibits a tendency to spin around a third direction, the two sets of pins form a series anti-torsional constraint, limiting redundant spin transmission.

[0054] During the oscillation process, the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41 maintains a limited pressure-bearing relationship with the ball joint seat 2 through the anti-rotation positioning pin 61. The floating pressure-bearing petal 42, not penetrated by the pin, is dragged by the spherical friction of the ball head 1, resulting in alternating slight swaying within the range defined by the adjacent buffer gap 43. When the buffer gap 43 is compressed, the pre-filled grease enters the high-pressure bearing area of ​​the ball head 1 through the gradually narrowing nozzle-shaped channel; when the buffer gap 43 expands, the flow-blocking rib 44 increases the backflow resistance of the grease outlet 432, allowing the buffer gap 43 to preferentially draw in new grease from the oil reservoir 21. When the external load is large, the floating pressure-bearing petal 42 deflects to the position where it abuts the limiting surface and shares the load with the positioning pressure-bearing petal 41. Thus, this structure achieves load-bearing buffering, lubrication renewal, and wear improvement while ensuring bidirectional oscillation and third-directional anti-spinning.

[0055] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," "third," and similar terms used in this application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. The terms "an" or "a" and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar terms mean that the elements or objects preceding "comprising" or "including" encompass the elements or objects listed following "comprising" or "including" and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. "Above," "below," "left," "right," etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0056] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A spherical hinge seat structure, comprising a ball head, a ball hinge seat, an upper wear-resistant spacer, and a plurality of lower wear-resistant spacers, characterized in that: The upper wear-resistant septum is an integral ring structure, and the multiple lower wear-resistant septums are arc-shaped petals and distributed circumferentially, together with the upper wear-resistant septum to form a wear-resistant spherical shell that accommodates the ball head. A ball head positioning pin is provided between the ball head and the wear-resistant ball shell. The axis of the ball head positioning pin passes through the center of the ball head and forms the first rotation axis of the ball head relative to the wear-resistant ball shell. An anti-rotation positioning pin is provided between the wear-resistant ball shell and the ball joint seat. The axis of the anti-rotation positioning pin passes through the center of the ball head and forms a second rotation axis of the wear-resistant ball shell relative to the ball joint seat. The first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are perpendicular to each other to limit the ball head from spinning about a third direction perpendicular to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis. Multiple lower wear-resistant shims include positioning pressure-bearing petals that are limited by ball joint seats and floating pressure-bearing petals located between adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals. A buffer gap is reserved between adjacent positioning pressure-bearing petals and the floating pressure-bearing petals, and the floating pressure-bearing petals can make slight swaying within the range defined by the buffer gap.

2. The spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower wear-resistant septum is provided in four parts, including two oppositely arranged positioning pressure-bearing petals and two oppositely arranged floating pressure-bearing petals; The positioning pressure-bearing flap is penetrated and confined to the inner wall of the ball joint seat by the anti-rotation positioning pin. The two opposite ends of the upper wear-resistant septum are positioned by the two ends of the ball head positioning pin that passes through the center of the ball head. The floating pressure-bearing flap is in a free state that is not penetrated by the pin.

3. The spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The back of the floating pressure-bearing petal is in contact with the inner spherical surface of the ball joint seat. When the ball head swings in the first direction and / or the second direction, the floating pressure-bearing petal is dragged by the friction force of the ball head surface, and generates a slight swaying with alternating deflection in the buffer space formed by the upper wear-resistant pad and the two positioning pressure-bearing petals, so that the buffer seams located at both ends of its circumference undergo periodic volume compression and expansion.

4. The spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The buffer gap is pre-filled with grease, and the cross-section of the buffer gap is an asymmetrical tapering nozzle shape, with the width of the grease inlet end near the ball joint seat being greater than the width of the grease outlet end near the ball head spherical surface. When the floating pressure-bearing flap deflects to one side and instantly squeezes the buffer gap on that side, the grease is accelerated by the convergence of the gradually narrowing nozzle shape and is injected into the high-pressure bearing area of ​​the ball head spherical surface in a jet state from the grease outlet end.

5. The spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, On the side wall surface of the positioning pressure-bearing flap and / or floating pressure-bearing flap near the buffer gap, multiple flow-blocking ribs are staggered along the direction of the grease flow; When the floating pressure-bearing flap deflects in the opposite direction, causing the buffer slit on that side to expand and generate negative pressure, the flow-blocking ridge creates a flow resistance difference between the grease outlet end and the grease inlet end, forcing the buffer slit to mainly draw in new grease from the grease inlet end.

6. The spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom of the ball joint seat is provided with a connected oil storage tank and an oil injection hole. An oil injection cup is provided on the oil injection hole. The oil storage tank is connected to the grease inlet end of each of the buffer gaps. When the ball head swings, new grease is drawn into the buffer gap from the bottom oil reservoir and sprayed into the ball surface, squeezing out the aged grease on the ball surface along the circumferential grease discharge gap reserved on the upper wear-resistant septum.

7. The spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The buffer gap has a first limiting surface and a second limiting surface respectively located on the floating pressure-bearing petal and the positioning pressure-bearing petal, and there is a predetermined angular clearance between the two. After the load borne by the ball head overcomes the oscillating friction, the floating pressure-bearing petal sways slightly until the first limiting surface and the second limiting surface rigidly abut against each other. Then, the floating pressure-bearing petal and the positioning pressure-bearing petal jointly bear the load of the overall structure.

8. A spherical hinge seat structure according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that, The positioning pressure-bearing flap is integrally formed with a first positioning ear. One end of the anti-rotation positioning pin passes through the first positioning ear and the other end passes through the inner wall of the ball joint seat, and the outer end is locked by a limiting screw screwed to the ball joint seat. The upper wear-resistant pad has a first clearance groove at the end near the positioning pressure-bearing flap that is adapted to the outer contour of the first positioning ear. The upper wear-resistant septum has a second positioning ear integrally formed at one end near the floating pressure-bearing flap, and the two ends of the ball-head positioning pin are respectively inserted into the two second positioning ears; the floating pressure-bearing flap has a second clearance groove at one end near the upper wear-resistant septum with an opening width greater than the outer contour of the second positioning ear.

9. A spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, A self-aligning bushing to prevent over-constraint is fitted between the ball-head locating pin and the mating hole of the second locating ear, and / or between the anti-rotation locating pin and the mating hole of the first locating ear. The outer peripheral surface of the self-aligning bushing is drum-shaped and can be deflected to fit into the groove of the corresponding hole wall to adaptively release the jamming internal stress caused by the non-absolute orthogonality of the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.

10. A spherical hinge seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a ball joint cover, which is locked to the open end of the ball joint seat by fasteners; The bottom surface of the ball joint cap axially presses against the top surface of the upper wear-resistant septum, restricting the axial displacement of the plurality of lower wear-resistant septums, and providing top anti-detachment guidance when the floating pressure-bearing flap makes a slight sway.

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