Ball Joint Seal Structure for Large-Angle High-Speed Pivoting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal members for ball joints, such as flexible boots and ring-shaped sealing bodies, face challenges in maintaining sealing performance when the ball shank is pivoted at large angles and high speeds, leading to potential interference and impaired sealing due to deformation or interference issues.
Innovation Solution
A seal member with a conically recessed retaining portion and a lip portion that maintains sliding contact with the spherical surface of the ball shank, preventing interference and ensuring durability by avoiding deformation during high-speed pivoting, comprising a base portion fixed to the holder and a lip portion connected through the retaining portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a boot seal is used to seal the gap between the ball portion and ball receiving portion, then sealing performance is improved, but the seal member deforms during high-speed pivoting and large-angle rotation, reducing durability and creating interference issues
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is segmented into three distinct functional portions: a base portion for mounting, a retaining portion with conical recess for maintaining contact, and a lip portion for sealing. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function independently, preventing the deformation issues that affect integrated seal designs during high-speed pivoting.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing the seal member to deform to follow the pivoting motion (as in boot seals), this invention uses the conical recess structure to maintain the seal member's rigid posture while still achieving effective sealing through the geometric relationship between the conical surface and spherical ball portion.
2Duration of action of moving object
If a ring-shaped sealing body is used to maintain uniform posture during pivoting, then durability is improved, but interference occurs between the shank portion and inner peripheral edge at large pivot angles, forming gaps and reducing sealing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining portion features a conical recess that works with the spherical ball portion to maintain optimal contact geometry during pivoting. The curved conical surface allows the seal member to maintain uniform posture while accommodating large pivot angles without interference between the shank portion and sealing edge.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ball shank is pivoted repeatedly at high speed and large angles, then operational versatility is improved, but the boot seal deforms and loses sealing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member design incorporates dynamic adaptability through the conical recess geometry, which naturally accommodates the changing contact conditions during high-speed pivoting and large-angle rotation. The structure maintains stable contact without requiring deformation, enabling reliable sealing across a wide range of operational conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The seal member effectively maintains sealing performance between the ball shank and holder even at large pivot angles and high speeds, ensuring reliable contact and preventing gaps, thus extending the lifespan of the sealing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a lip portion, which is formed along an inner peripheral edge of the retaining portion so as to be held in sliding contact with one of a spherical surface of the ball portion of the ball shank and a neck portion of the ball shank
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a seal member or a ball joint capable of satisfactorily maintaining sealing performance between a ball portion of a ball shank and a ball receiving portion of a holder for a long time even when the ball shank is used under a condition that the ball shank is pivoted repeatedly with respect to the holder at a large pivot angle and at high speed. The seal member includes: a base portion having an annular ring shape and is to be fixed to the holder; a retaining portion formed on an inner peripheral side of the base portion integrally with the base portion and is recessed into a conical shape toward the holder; and a lip portion formed along an inner peripheral edge of the retaining portion so as to be held in sliding contact with a spherical surface of the ball portion of the ball shank.