Segmented Dust Boot Ribs for Socket Assembly Lubricant Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dust boots for socket assemblies, such as ball joints, face challenges in efficiently allowing lubricant flow during initial greasing and regreasing while preventing contaminant ingress, and in reducing torsional stresses and rotation restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A dust boot made from an integral elastomeric material with a first sealing feature featuring circumferentially spaced ribs and grooves, including relief valves that allow lubricant passage while restricting contaminants, and a second sealing feature extending 360 degrees, along with a Belleville washer for biasing force, facilitating high lubricant flow and contaminant exclusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single grease relief passage is used in conventional dust boots, then the structure is simple, but the volumetric flow rate of lubricant is limited during initial greasing and regreasing
Solution Approach 1:
The first sealing feature is segmented into multiple circumferentially spaced ribs and grooves, creating multiple relief valves instead of a single passage. This segmentation allows parallel flow paths for lubricant, significantly increasing the volumetric flow rate during greasing operations while maintaining a relatively simple integrated boot structure.
2Ease of operation
If conventional sealing features are used, then the manufacturing is simple, but torsional stresses are high and rotation is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential grooves between ribs create segmented sealing zones that can deform independently during rotation and articulation. This segmentation allows the dust boot body to accommodate torsional stresses more effectively, reducing restriction to ball stud rotation while maintaining sealing integrity through the distributed rib structure.
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 enables increased volumetric flow of lubricant, reduced torsional stresses, and improved articulation and rotation of the ball stud, while maintaining a contaminant-free environment within the socket assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of relief valves that are located in the grooves and extend away from the first end portion for allowing a lubricant to pass the first sealing feature in one direction and for restricting the passage of contaminants past the sealing feature in an opposite direction
Implementation Method 2
a Belleville washer is at least partially overmolded in the first end portion of the dust boot body. The Belleville washer may apply a biasing force against one or more components in the socket assembly
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The improved dust boot (24) includes a dust boot body (46) which is made as one integral piece of an elastomeric material and extends from a first end portion to a second end portion (60). The second end portion of the dust boot body includes a first sealing portion (62) and a second sealing portion (64) which is spaced from the first sealing portion. The first sealing portion includes a plurality of ribs (66) that are spaced circumferentially from one another by a plurality of grooves (68) and includes a plurality of relief valves (70) that are located in the grooves and extend away from the first end portion for allowing a lubricant to pass the first sealing portion in one direction and for restricting the passage of contaminants past the sealing portion in an opposite direction.