Slotted Ball Socket Structure for Stable Ball Joint Geometry
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Slotted ball sockets in prior art designs fail to maintain closure under high loads, leading to material deformation and changes in the ball joint's geometry and bearing properties.
Innovation Solution
A slotted ball socket design where the second ball socket body half can be deformed to close the slot during assembly, with a concave counterface in the joint housing causing the inside peripheral surface to rest on the spherical surface, ensuring the slot is closed and maintaining the ball joint's geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a slot is provided in the ball socket body to facilitate assembly or manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but under high loads the material flows into the slot area causing geometry changes and loss of bearing properties
Solution Approach 1:
The ball socket body is designed with a pre-formed slot that is intentionally positioned and shaped during manufacturing. The slot is designed with specific geometric characteristics (width, depth, positioning) that allow it to be closed under operational loads, transforming the initially open slot into a closed structure that prevents material flow while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the ball socket body, specifically designing the slot with dimensions and positioning that enable it to close under load. The slot is designed with a width and depth that allow material flow to close it under high loads, transforming the structure from open to closed state and preventing further material deformation.
2Reliability
If the ball socket body is designed with a closed structure to prevent material flow, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball socket body is segmented by introducing a slot that divides the structure into distinct regions. This segmentation allows the body to be manufactured more easily while the slot itself is designed to close under load, providing the necessary reliability without requiring a fully closed complex structure from the beginning.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball socket body transitions from a static closed structure to a dynamic structure where the slot can open and close based on load conditions. The slot is designed to be open during low-load conditions (facilitating assembly and manufacturing) and closes under high loads (preventing material flow), providing adaptive structural behavior.
3Ease of operation
If the slot extends over the full height of the ball socket to facilitate assembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the slot remains open under load causing material to flow into it
Solution Approach 1:
The slot is pre-formed during manufacturing with specific geometric characteristics that enable it to close under load. The slot is intentionally designed with a width and depth that allow it to be open during assembly (facilitating ease of operation) but close when subjected to high loads, preventing geometry changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the slot, designing it with specific width, depth, and positioning that enable closure under load. The slot dimensions are optimized to be open during assembly operations but close when subjected to operational loads, maintaining geometry stability while facilitating assembly.
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 effectively prevents material flow into the slot under high loads, maintaining the ball joint's geometry and bearing properties, enhancing its durability and performance.
Implementation Method 1
the second ball socket body half can be deformed and the slot thereby closed, after which the second inside peripheral surface half preferably rests against the surface of the ball
Data Source
AI summary
A socket for a ball joint having a socket body with an opening and a hollow space, which comprises a concave inside peripheral surface that delimits the hollow space and extends around a longitudinal axis, and which is axially divided into two body halves which merge together in a transition zone, each of which comprises an inside peripheral surface half. A first body half comprises a first inside peripheral surface half which lies on a spherical surface and is closed, in the circumferential direction, and a second body half which comprises the socket opening, at least one slot extending axially and a second inside peripheral surface half which is closed in the circumferential direction, or closed apart from the slot. The second body half is designed such that the second inside peripheral surface half lies outside the spherical surface at least an axial distance away from the transition zone.