Ball Socket Cover Plate Pressed Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball socket assemblies for vehicle suspension and steering systems face challenges due to high costs and complexity in manufacturing, particularly with self-tapping grease fittings and the formation of loose metal shavings during the tapping process, which complicates the assembly and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A ball socket assembly design featuring a cover plate assembly with an inner piece made of a harder material than the outer piece, allowing for a secure interference fit without secondary fixation mechanisms, and a method of construction that involves pressing the cover plate assembly to create a radial expansion and contraction, facilitating a sealed and locked engagement without the need for additional sealing or fixation steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a self-tapping grease fitting is used in the cover plate, then the grease fitting can be easily installed, but the manufacturing cost increases and the installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive self-tapping grease fittings with a simple pin plug that is inserted into a pre-formed opening in the cover plate. The pin plug is a simple, inexpensive component that does not require self-tapping threads, thereby reducing both manufacturing cost and installation complexity while maintaining ease of grease fitting installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the self-tapping thread feature from the grease fitting installation process by using a pre-formed opening in the cover plate. This separates the grease fitting installation from the complex self-tapping process, allowing for a simpler, more cost-effective solution that reduces both device complexity and installation difficulty.
2Ease of manufacture
If an opening is tapped after the cover plate has been flattened, then the opening can be created for grease fitting, but metal shavings are produced that may contaminate the inner bore
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming the opening in the cover plate before the flattening process. The pre-formed opening is created in the non-flattened cover plate, ensuring that no metal shavings are generated during the flattening operation. This eliminates the contamination risk while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional sequence of operations by creating the opening before flattening rather than after. This reversal of the process sequence prevents metal shaving contamination while maintaining manufacturing efficiency, as the opening is formed in the easier-to-machine non-flattened state.
3Manufacturing precision
If a pin is held in the pre-formed opening during the pressing operation, then the opening size is maintained, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing the cover plate with a pre-formed opening that maintains its size and shape automatically during the flattening process, without requiring a pin to be held in place. The opening geometry is designed to withstand the pressing operation, eliminating the need for additional assembly steps and reducing overall assembly process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-formed opening is created with dimensions and geometry that are optimized to maintain their size during the subsequent flattening operation. This preliminary design consideration eliminates the need for additional components like pins to maintain opening size, thereby reducing assembly complexity while preserving manufacturing precision.
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 solution reduces manufacturing costs and complexity by eliminating the need for self-tapping grease fittings and secondary fixation mechanisms, ensuring a reliable seal and long-lasting assembly with reduced risk of metal shavings inside the inner bore.
Implementation Method 1
pressing the cover plate assembly to create a radial expansion and contraction, facilitating a sealed and locked engagement
Implementation Method 2
pressing the cover plate assembly to create a radial expansion and contraction, facilitating a sealed and locked engagement
Data Source
AI summary
A ball socket assembly and method of construction thereof is provided. The ball socket assembly includes a housing having an inner surface surrounding an inner bore. The inner bore extends from an open first end to an open second end. A groove extends into the inner surface adjacent the second end. A ball stud having a ball portion is disposed in the inner bore with a shank portion of the ball stud extending through the open first end. A cover plate assembly is fixed to the housing. An outer piece of the cover plate assembly has an outer periphery and a through opening. The outer periphery is fixed in the groove. An inner piece of the cover plate assembly is fixed in the through opening. The inner piece includes an opening configured for receipt of a lubricant fitting.