JPH0712622U - Ball joint - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To improve the assembling property of the pressing means and reduce the cost of the product by reducing the number of parts while ensuring the performance of applying the pressing force. [Structure] The end plate 15 is made to have elasticity, and the end plate 15 presses the sliding surface 7 of the joint pin 1 against the sleeve 3.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The ball joint of the present invention is used in a state where it is incorporated in a bearing portion of a steering device for an automobile.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 For example, a ball joint as shown in FIG. 3 is attached to a drag rod that connects a pitman arm and a tie rod arm, which form a steering device for an automobile, so that the positional relationship between the drag rod and the tie rod arm is changed as the steering wheel is operated. The above-mentioned changing arms are connected so that force can be freely transmitted between them.

This ball joint is configured by combining a joint pin 1, a housing 2, a sleeve 3, a pressing piece 4, a compression spring 5, and an end plate 6. A sliding portion 7 whose outer surface is a spherical convex surface is formed at the base end portion (lower end portion in FIG. 3) of the joint pin 1, and the housing 2 holds the sliding portion 7 so as to be swingable. A support hole 9 is provided for this purpose. The support hole 9 has a spherical concave receiving surface 10 on one side (upper side in FIG. 3) of the inner peripheral surface and a cylindrical fitting surface 11 on the remaining portion. Reference numeral 12 is a step portion for fixing the end plate 6.

A hollow cylindrical sleeve 3 made of a slippery material such as oil-impregnated metal or Delrin or other synthetic resin has an inner peripheral surface on the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion 7 and an outer peripheral surface thereof. The surface is closely contacted with the inner peripheral surface of the receiving surface 10, and is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion 7 and the inner peripheral surface of the support hole 9. 13 is a slit formed at a plurality of positions at equal intervals on the circumference so that the sliding portion 7 formed at the base end portion of the joint pin 1 can be inserted into the sleeve 3. Is. Similarly to the sleeve 3, the pressing piece 4 made of a slippery material is housed inside the fitting surface 11, and the inner surface (upper surface of FIG. 3) is the end surface of the sliding portion 7 (FIG. 3). Bottom surface).

The end plate 6 is formed in a plate shape by pressing a steel plate or the like, and is fixed to the step portion 12 by caulking.

Further, the compression spring 5 is provided between the pressing piece 4 and the end plate 6. The elastic force of the compression spring 5 elastically presses the pressing piece 4 toward the sliding portion 7 to prevent the sliding portion 7 from rattling.

That is, in the conventional ball joint, the pressing means is configured by combining the pressing piece 4, the compression spring 5, and the end plate 6. Then, the pressing means generates a pressing force (preload) in the direction of the arrow A toward the receiving surface 10 side of the housing 2 to push up the joint pin 1 and preload the sliding portion 7. As a result, regardless of the initial gap between the sliding portion 7 and the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 3 in contact with the sliding portion 7 and the increase in the gap due to the wear of the members 7 and 3, It prevents the joint pin 1 from rattling. This pressing force is set so that the joint pin 1 does not rattle during use. If the pressing force becomes excessive, the rotating torque and the swinging torque of the joint pin 1 increase, which is not preferable.

[0008]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 The ball joint of the present invention is intended to improve the assembling property and reduce the cost of the product by reducing the number of parts constituting the pressing means while ensuring the performance of applying the pressing force.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 Like the conventional ball joint described above, the ball joint of the present invention is provided through the housing and this housing, and the inner diameter of the opening end on one side is smaller than the inner diameter of the opening end on the other side. The formed support hole and a joint pin having a spherical convex outer surface, which is inserted into the support hole with its center axis aligned with the center axis of the support hole, at its base end. A sleeve made of a slippery material that is fitted and supported between the inner peripheral surface of the support hole and the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion, and an end that closes the other opening end of the support hole. It consists of a plate.

In particular, in the ball joint of the present invention, the end plate is formed at the outer peripheral edge of the end plate, which is fixed to the other opening edge of the support hole, and at the central portion thereof. And a resilient supporting portion that connects the securing edge and the fixed edge to each other. The elasticity of the resilient supporting portion presses the pushing portion against the sliding portion. It is characterized by things.

[0011]

[Action]

 In the ball joint of the present invention configured as described above, since the pressing means for pressing the joint pin toward the sleeve is composed of the end plate, the conventionally required parts such as the pressing piece and the compression spring can be omitted. .

[0012]

【Example】

 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those of the conventional structure described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the overlapping description will be omitted. Hereinafter, the joining pin pressing means, which is a characteristic part of the present invention, will be described.

The end plate 15 formed by press-molding an elastic metal plate such as a stainless steel plate is fixed to the step portion 12 of the housing 2 by caulking a part of the housing 2. The end plate 15 presses the joint pin 1 in the direction of the arrow B in this fixed state.

That is, a pressing portion 16 that abuts the sliding portion 7 is formed at the center of the end plate 15. Further, a corrugated portion 17, which is an elastic support portion, is formed continuously from the pressing portion 16 outward in the diametrical direction. The corrugated portion 17 is formed by forming a plurality of concentric concavo-convex portions centering on the pressing portion 16 so that the cross-sectional shape in the diametrical direction is corrugated. The corrugated portion 17 has elasticity in the direction of pushing the pressing portion 16 toward the sliding portion 7. Further, a fixing edge 18 for fixing the end plate 15 to the housing 2 is formed outside the corrugated portion 17. The end plate 15 may be made of a metal plate such as a stainless steel plate or a spring steel plate as described above, or may be made of a synthetic resin. Incidentally, reference numeral 19 in the drawing denotes a dustproof boot.

[0015]

[Effect of device]

 Although the ball joint of the present invention is configured as described above, the conventional pressing means, which is composed of a plurality of parts, can be composed of the end plate, so that the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced to reduce the cost. Can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a ball joint of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an end plate.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a conventional ball joint.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Joint pin 2 Housing 3 Sleeve 4 Pressing piece 5 Pressing spring 6 End plate 7 Sliding part 9 Support hole 10 Receiving surface 11 Fitting surface 12 Step part 13 Slit 14 Pressing means 15 End plate 16 Pressing part 17 Corrugated part 18 Fixed edge 19 boots

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A housing, a support hole penetrating through the housing, and an inner diameter dimension of an opening end on one side smaller than an inner diameter dimension of an opening end on the other side, and a central axis of the supporting hole. A joint pin having a sliding portion having a spherical convex surface on the outer surface, which is inserted into the supporting hole in a state of being aligned with the central axis of the supporting pin, an inner peripheral surface of the supporting hole, and the sliding portion. In a ball joint comprising a sleeve made of a slippery material, which is fitted and supported in a portion between the outer peripheral surface of and and an end plate which closes an opening end on the other side of the support hole, the end plate is A fixed edge formed on the outer peripheral edge of the support hole and fixed to the other opening edge of the support hole; a pressing portion formed in the central portion of the pressing hole to abut the sliding portion; and the pressing portion and the fixed edge. And an elastic support part that connects A ball joint, wherein the pressing portion is pressed against the sliding portion by the elasticity of the support portion.