IP Library Granted Patent US 8,256,980
Granted Patent B2
US 8,256,980 · App. 12/279,902 · Granted Sep 4, 2012

Assembly comprising a carrier part and a ball joint housing

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,256,980
App. No.
12/279,902
Granted
Sep 4, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An assembly comprises a carrier part and a ball joint housing. The housing is provided with an attachment projection which is formed integrally with the housing on an outer surface of the housing. The carrier part is formed as a double-layer structure, and the attachment projection is held between two layers of the carrier part.

Claims (22)

1. A vehicle suspension assembly comprising:

a ball joint housing having an interior receiving space for swivelably supporting a ball stud in the ball joint housing, the ball joint housing having an attachment projection which is formed integrally with the ball joint housing on a cylindrical outer surface thereof, the attachment projection being formed as an annular collar which encircles the ball joint housing and which extends radially outwardly from the ball joint housing; and

a suspension control arm comprising a carrier part for connecting a wheel carrier to a vehicle chassis, the carrier part having fastening means for fastening the carrier part to the vehicle chassis and being formed as a double-layer structure comprising spaced apart opposing first and second plates, each of the first and second plates having a through opening for receiving the ball joint housing, the through openings being axially aligned;

wherein the cylindrical outer surface of the ball joint housing is concentrically arranged within each respective through opening of the first and second plates, and the attachment projection is sandwiched between spaced apart opposing inner surfaces of the first and second plates of the carrier part such that the cylindrical outer surface of the ball joint housing is spaced from an edge of the through openings;

wherein the attachment projection is provided with two opposing annular weld surfaces which are arranged on opposite sides of the annular collar and which are welded to the opposing inner surfaces of the first and second plates of the carrier part; and

wherein the through openings of the first and second plates are each defined by an enclosed circular opening or an open recess in the form of a circular segment along an edge of each respective plate.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the receiving space has a central axis, the annular collar defining a plane which is perpendicular to the central axis of the receiving space.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the central axis of the ball joint housing is perpendicular to a plane of the first and second plates of the carrier part.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the receiving space has a central axis, the annular collar defining a plane which is oblique to the central axis of the receiving space.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the central axis of the ball joint housing stands obliquely on a plane of the first and second plates of the carrier part.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment projection is flow-pressed.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opposing inner surfaces of the first and a second plates are connected to the weld surfaces of the attachment projection by capacitor discharge welding.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the carrier part is a bent sheet metal part.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each through opening of the carrier part defines a circular opening having a diameter which is greater than an external diameter of the ball joint housing such that the two plates of the carrier part are configured to hold therebetween only the attachment projection of the housing.

10. A vehicle suspension assembly comprising:

a ball joint housing having an interior receiving space for swivelably supporting a ball stud in the ball joint housing, the ball joint housing having an attachment projection which is formed integrally with the ball joint housing on a cylindrical outer surface thereof, the attachment projection being formed as an annular collar which encircles the ball joint housing and which extends radially outwardly from the ball joint housing; and

a suspension control arm comprising a carrier part for connecting a wheel carrier to a vehicle chassis and a reinforcement part attached to the carrier part, the carrier part having fastening means for fastening the carrier part to the vehicle chassis, a double-layer structure being formed by a first plate of the carrier part and a spaced apart opposing second plate of the reinforcement part, each of the first and second plates having a through opening for receiving the ball joint housing, the through openings being axially aligned;

wherein the cylindrical outer surface of the ball joint housing is concentrically arranged within each respective through opening of the first and second plates, and the attachment projection is sandwiched between spaced apart opposing inner surfaces of the first and second plates of the carrier part and the reinforcement part such that the cylindrical outer surface of the ball joint housing is spaced from an edge of the through openings;

wherein the attachment projection is provided with two opposing annular weld surfaces which are arranged on opposite sides of the annular collar and which are welded to the opposing inner surfaces of the first and second plates of the carrier part and the reinforcement part; and

wherein the through openings of the first and second plates are each defined by an enclosed circular opening or an open recess in the form of a circular segment along an edge of each respective plate.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the reinforcement part is welded to the carrier part.

12. The assembly of claim 10 wherein each through opening of the carrier part and the reinforcement part defines a circular opening having a respective diameter which is greater than an external diameter of the ball joint housing such that the two plates of the carrier part and the reinforcement part are configured to hold therebetween only the attachment projection of the housing.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jan 15, 2019
From: THK RHYTHM AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: THK RHYTHM AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 048077/0262 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Aug 29, 2018
From: THK RHYTHM AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: THK RHYTHM AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 048148/0880 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 6, 2016
From: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: THK RHYTHM AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 039639/0327 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2009
From: WALTER, HARALD; LEVESQUE, STEVEN P.
To: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 022140/0694 →