Ball and Socket Joint Housing Anchoring Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball and socket joints in motor vehicles face issues with anchoring, prestress, and tightness due to continuous elevations and depressions on the inner jacket surface of the joint housing, leading to premature failure and increased wear, especially under dynamic loads and exposure to corrosive media.
Innovation Solution
The inner jacket surface of the joint housing is split into two functional sections, with a smooth cylindrical design on one side and elevations and depressions on the other, ensuring better anchoring and sealing, and these features are integrated into the extrusion process for precise manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous elevations and depressions are arranged on the inner jacket surface of the joint housing, then anchoring of the ball shell is improved, but tightness and sealing are worsened due to dirt and water entry
Solution Approach 1:
The inner jacket surface is segmented into two distinct functional sections: a first section with elevations and depressions for anchoring, and a second smooth section for sealing. This segmentation allows each section to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between anchoring and sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
Different local qualities are applied to different sections of the inner jacket surface. The first section has a rough quality with elevations and depressions for mechanical anchoring, while the second section has a smooth quality for tight sealing. This local differentiation allows both anchoring and sealing requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
2Reliability
If elevations and depressions are arranged over the entire height of the joint housing, then positive-locking connection is improved, but manufacturing precision is worsened due to subsequent shaping operations
Solution Approach 1:
The elevations and depressions are formed during the extrusion process itself, before the joint housing is completed and assembled. This preliminary formation eliminates the need for subsequent shaping operations that would compromise dimensional accuracy, while still achieving the required positive-locking connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The formation of elevations and depressions is merged with the extrusion process for manufacturing the joint housing. By combining these features into a single extrusion operation, the patent eliminates separate shaping steps and maintains high dimensional accuracy throughout the housing.
3Reliability
If the ball shell is pressed into the joint housing with oversize, then anchoring is improved, but manufacturing cost is worsened due to additional shaping processes
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring features (elevations and depressions) are prepared in advance during the extrusion process, before assembly. This allows the ball shell to be pressed in directly without requiring additional shaping operations, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining anchoring strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the anchoring function from the ball shell itself and transfers it to the joint housing structure. By forming elevations and depressions in the housing, the anchoring capability is provided by the housing rather than requiring an oversize ball shell, reducing material costs and simplifying manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
A ball and socket joint, for example, for an axle system of a motor vehicle, as well as to a process for manufacturing a joint housing for a ball and socket joint. The ball and socket joint has an essentially annular joint housing (3), in the cylindrical interior space of which a ball shell (1) can be arranged. The ball (2) of a ball pivot can be accommodated in the ball shell (1) in a slidingly movable manner. The joint housing is of a smooth cylindrical design in the area of a housing cover-side functional section (14), while elevations (10) and/or depressions (15) are arranged in the area of a ball pivot-side functional section (13) of the inner jacket surface of the joint housing.