JPH0534523B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a wear indicating ball joint used in front suspensions of automobiles, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-30520 to improve the sealing performance of a wear indicator ball joint by covering the wear indicator with a dust cover made of an elastic material.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The above-mentioned ball joint has the drawback that, since the dust cover is fixed by a garter spring, the dust cover easily falls off, making it impossible to guarantee the sealing of the wear indicator.

In order to prevent the dust cover from falling off,
It is also conceivable to fix the dust cover to the closing plate or socket by baking. However, for ball joints in which the wear indicator protrudes outward as the ball joint wears, if a dust cover is baked onto the closing plate or socket in advance, the state shown in Figure 1 will occur. There is a problem in which it is impossible to assemble the ball joint.

In this regard, as shown in FIG. 2, the inner diameter of the through hole 24b formed in the closing plate 9b is
If the outer diameter is larger than 2b, it becomes possible to assemble the ball joint, but if the lower bearing 7b moves in the direction of the ball stud due to wear of the ball joint, the protruding member 21b will not fit through the through hole as shown by the two-dot chain line. I passed through 24b,
There is a problem in that the device no longer functions as a wear indicator.

Means for solving the problem: An annular washer in which a hole with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the flange is formed, and a ring-shaped washer is integrally baked on the side surface of the washer to cover the protruding member and isolate the inside and outside of the ball joint. A protective cover made of an elastic coating such as rubber that rises due to the protrusion of the protruding member is superimposed on the outer surface of the closing plate and fixed by caulking at the edge of the large opening of the socket.

Function: The hole in the washer allows the protruding member to move forward and backward, and the protective cover is caulked and fixed together with the closing plate.

Embodiment The configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows a tension type ball joint 1 used in a front suspension. In the figure, 2 is a ball stud, 5 is a socket, 6 is an upper bearing, and 7 is a lower bearing.

This ball joint 1 includes a ball joint spherical head 4, a bearing 6 which is a head holding member,
7, in order to display the wear due to use, the rubber ring part 8, the closing plate 9, the washer 11 and the elastic coating 13.
A protective cover 16, a spring 17, a guide protrusion 18 integrally formed with the lower bearing 7, and a protruding member 21 are provided.

The closing plate 9 has a flange portion 10 on its inner diameter side, and the inner diameter of the flange portion 10 is smaller than the outer diameter of the collar portion 22 of the protruding member 21 in order to prevent the protruding member 21 from passing through. .

The elastic coating 13 is integrally baked onto the washer 11 and covers the protruding member 21 .

Therefore, the inside and outside of the ball joint 1 are completely shut off, and no dirt, water, etc. can enter into the ball joint 1. Further, an uneven bellows portion 15 is formed in the center of the elastic coating 13, and is provided with a sufficient membrane length that can be raised in preparation for the protrusion of the protrusion member 21, which will be described later. Further, a protective portion 14 is formed on the elastic coating 13 to be considerably thicker than the bellows portion 15, and protects the protruding member 21 from being hit by flying stones or the like.

Next, the assembly of the wear indicator in assembling the ball joint 1 will be explained based on FIG. 5.

After the rubber ring part 8 and the closing plate 9 are assembled into the socket 5 in this order, the spring 17 is housed in the recess of the guide protrusion 18, and the protruding member 21 is formed on the guide protrusion 18 through the through hole 24 of the closing plate 9. The protruding member 21 is pushed into the position where the protrusion 19 on the proximal side engages with the locking convex ring 23 of the protruding member 21. Next, a protective cover 16 consisting of a washer 11 and an elastic coating 13 is installed so that the washer 11 comes into close contact with the closing plate 9, and is caulked and fixed at the edge of the socket 5.

Next, the operation of the wear indicator of the ball joint 1 will be explained.

The locking convex ring 23 formed on the protruding member 21 is
In the initial state before use of the ball joint 1, it is engaged with a protrusion 19 formed on the guide protrusion 18 on the base side, as shown in FIG. As wear progresses due to use of the ball joint 1, the locking convex ring 23 of the protruding member 21 climbs over the protrusion 19 on the base side and engages with the protrusion 20 on the distal side as shown in FIG. This prevents it from falling out.

Therefore, when the wear of the ball joint 1 exceeds a limit, the protruding member 21 is pressed by the spring 17 and protrudes significantly downward from the initial mounting position shown in FIG. 3, and is locked in the position shown in FIG. 4. That will happen.

When the protruding member 21 protrudes in this manner, the bellows portion 15 of the elastic coating 13 is pressed by the protruding member 21 and protrudes as shown in FIG. 4.

Therefore, the protrusion of the elastic coating 13 is an indication of wear of the ball joint 1.

Effects As described above, according to the present invention, the hole in the washer allows the protruding member to move forward and backward, and the protective cover is caulked and fixed together with the closing plate, so wear can be displayed without hindering the ease of assembling the ball joint. A protective cover can be fixed to the part. Further, the elastic coating is firmly bonded to the ball joint, and the joint between the protective cover and the ball joint body is completely sealed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are sectional plan views of essential parts of a conventional wear-indicating ball joint. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of a wear indicating ball joint representing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the ball joint shown in FIG. 3 in a state where wear has progressed. FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of essential parts showing a state in which the ball joint of FIG. 3 is being assembled. (Explanation of symbols), 1...Ball joint. 5
...Socket. 9... Closing plate. 11...Washer. 1
3...Elastic film. 15...Protective cover. 21...
Projecting member. 22...Tsubabe. 23...Through hole. 25...
...Large opening.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a ball joint 1 having a wear indicator that protrudes outward from a through hole 24 of a closing plate 9 caulked to a large opening 25 of a socket 5 of the ball joint 1 as wear progresses on the ball joint 1, The protruding member 21 of the wear indicator is provided with a flange 2 having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 24 of the closing plate 9.
2, the flange 22 is disposed outside the closing plate 9, and the annular washer 11 is provided with a hole 12 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the flange 22.
and a protective cover 16 consisting of an elastic coating 13 such as rubber, which is integrally baked on the side surface of the washer 11 and covers the protrusion member 21 to block the inside and outside of the ball joint 1, and which rises due to the protrusion of the protrusion member 21. A wear indicating ball joint characterized in that the closure plate 9 is superimposed on the outer surface of the closure plate 9 and fixed by caulking at the edge of the large socket opening 25.