Ball Joint Sealing Bellows Fastening with Spaced Retaining Ring

The patent introduces a non-metallic intermediate element (sealing bellows or protective coating) between the retaining ring and joint housing to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact. This intermediary layer eliminates the corrosion pathway while preserving the mechanical fastening function, as the retaining ring deforms the intermediate layer rather than contacting the housing directly.

The patent employs a sacrificial sealing bellows made of softer, non-metallic material that can be replaced if damaged. This disposable intermediate element protects the expensive metal retaining ring and joint housing from corrosion, accepting its own degradation as a protective measure.

The patent divides the clamping function into multiple discrete contact points around the circumference rather than using continuous slot edges. This segmentation distributes the clamping force and eliminates concentrated stress at slot edges, preventing bellows damage while maintaining assembly simplicity.

The patent replaces sharp slot edges with curved or rounded contact surfaces on the clamping ring. This curvature distributes contact pressure over a larger area and eliminates stress concentration points that would otherwise cut or damage the bellows material during assembly.

The patent applies different geometric properties to different parts of the clamping ring: the body remains simple and槽状 for ease of manufacture, while the contact surfaces are specifically engineered with curved profiles to distribute force uniformly. This local differentiation achieves both simplicity and force uniformity.

The patent modifies the contact surface geometry parameters (curvature radius, contact angle) of the clamping ring to optimize force distribution. By adjusting these parameters, the ring maintains structural simplicity while achieving uniform retaining force through mathematical optimization of the contact profile.