Ball Joint Housing With Closing Force Absorber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball joints for motor vehicle chassis struggle to reliably absorb and transfer closing forces during assembly without exceeding the permissible stress levels on the housing, leading to potential deformation and inaccurate positioning.
Innovation Solution
A ball joint design featuring a housing with a trough-like recess for absorbing closing forces, which includes a rotationally symmetrical closing force absorber with a centrally arranged penetration and a flat axial contact surface, ensuring precise force transfer to the locking device without overstressing the housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing is closed by deforming the peripheral forming edge during assembly, then the joint ball is enclosed in the housing and can rotate and pivot, but the closing force may stress the housing beyond permissible levels causing deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a body portion and a closing force absorber portion. The closing force absorber is designed as a separate functional element that can deform elastically to absorb closing forces, while the housing body maintains its structural integrity. This segmentation allows the housing to withstand closing forces without exceeding permissible stress levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing force absorber is pre-designed with elastic properties and positioned to receive closing forces before they can be transmitted to the housing body. This beforehand cushioning mechanism ensures that closing forces are absorbed and dissipated through controlled elastic deformation of the absorber, preventing stress concentration in the housing.
2Ease of manufacture
If the closing force is introduced into the housing during assembly, then the peripheral forming edge can be deformed to close the housing, but the housing may deform and positioning accuracy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The closing force absorber serves as an intermediary element between the closing device and the housing body. It receives and absorbs closing forces through its elastic properties, acting as a mediator that protects the housing from direct stress. This ensures accurate positioning of the housing during assembly while enabling the closing operation to proceed.
3Reliability
If the housing is designed to absorb closing forces, then reliable force transfer to the locking device is achieved, but the housing structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The closing force absorber is merged with the housing to form an integrated component. The absorber is designed as an integral part of the housing structure, combining the housing's structural function with the closing force absorption function. This merging approach achieves reliable force transfer to the locking device while minimizing additional structural complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a ball joint (20, 120), in particular for a chassis of a motor vehicle. The ball joint (20, 120) has a housing (21, 121) having a first opening (24, 124), wherein the first opening (24, 124) is surrounded by a circumferential forming edge (33, 133). According to the invention the housing (21, 121) has at one end opposite the first opening (24, 124) a clamping force absorber (39, 139) which extends in a trough shape towards the interior of the housing in the direction of the first opening (24, 124) in order to absorb a clamping force (F) necessary for transforming the circumferential forming edge (33, 133). The invention further relates to a method for fitting a ball joint (20, 120), which method is characterised in that during closure of the housing (21, 121) a counter-holder (183) of a closing device (180) is received and enclosed by the clamping force absorber (39, 139).