Ball Joint Housing Structure for High-Load Lining Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball joint manufacturing techniques face challenges in withstanding large loads and high temperatures, as the lining can break at sharp edges or disengage under axial force, especially when made from heat-sensitive materials.
Innovation Solution
A ball joint design with a housing featuring structural elements such as surface roughness, grooves, and knurling to securely clamp a lining between the housing and bearing shell, allowing for increased load-bearing capacity and thermal resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the lining is injected into the gap between the bearing shell and housing using conventional methods, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the lining breaks at sharp edges under large axial loads especially at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The housing inner surface is preliminarily treated with roughening, grooves, or recesses before lining injection. This preliminary surface preparation creates a more favorable bonding interface that prevents lining breakage under axial loads at high temperatures, while maintaining the simplicity of the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing inner surface is modified locally at specific locations where the lining contacts the housing. Surface roughening, grooves, or recesses are applied only in the regions where enhanced bonding is needed, rather than changing the entire housing structure, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving lining strength.
2Reliability
If the inner wall of the housing is roughened or serrated to secure the bearing shell, then the bearing shell is securely held, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Surface roughening, grooves, or recesses are applied only to specific local regions of the housing inner surface where the lining contacts the housing, rather than the entire inner wall. This localized treatment secures the bearing shell reliably while minimizing the increase in manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If a closing element made of very hard and durable material is injected to secure the bearing shell, then the bearing shell is securely held, but large axial loads can break the closing element
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on a hard closing element that is prone to breaking, the invention changes the approach by using surface roughening, grooves, or recesses in the housing inner surface. This creates a more durable securing mechanism that distributes axial loads across a larger area, preventing closing element breakage while maintaining reliable bearing shell securing.
4Reliability
If the diameter of the housing is reduced sharply in the tensile direction to secure the lining, then the lining is held firmly, but the lining breaks when pulled
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of sharply reducing the housing diameter which creates stress concentration points, the invention applies surface roughening, grooves, or recesses locally on the housing inner surface. This localized treatment provides firm lining holding through increased surface area and mechanical interlocking, while avoiding the stress concentrations that cause lining breakage under tensile loads.
Data Source
AI summary
In the present invention, a housing includes a first opening in a first edge region facing a pin of a ball stud, the ball stud protrudes from the first opening, a gap is provided between an inner wall of a cavity and an outer wall of a bearing shell, a lining is injected into the gap, and the housing further includes a second opening in a second edge region opposite from the first opening for injecting the lining through the cavity, and one or more structural elements for clamping the lining to the inner wall of the second opening.