Radial joint and process for manufacturing such a radial joint for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A radial joint is provided for a motor vehicle with a metallic housing ( 1 ), through the opening ( 2 ) on one side of which a ball pivot ( 3 ) can be inserted into an interior space ( 4 ) of the housing ( 1 ). The joint ball ( 5 ) of the ball pivot ( 3 ) is mounted pivotably and rotatably in a bearing area of the interior space ( 4 ), and a pivot section ( 6 ) of the ball pivot ( 3 ), which section is connected to the joint ball ( 5 ), protrudes from the housing ( 1 ) through opening ( 2 ) of housing ( 1 ). The housing ( 1 ) has, in the area of its opening ( 2 ), a section ( 7 ), which is prepared by machining and which is deformed by a cold forming process. Furthermore, a process for manufacturing a radial joint is provided that includes the steps: manufacturing of the housing blank, machining of section ( 7 ) close to the opening ( 2 ) of housing ( 1 ), inserting the joint ball ( 5 ) of ball pivot ( 3 ) into the interior space ( 4 ) of housing ( 1 ), cold forming of the opening-side edge section of housing ( 1 ) until a metallic overlap ( 13 ), which guarantees a sufficient extraction strength for the joint to be manufactured and thus makes possible a positive-locking connection between the components contacting each other, is attained between the joint ball ( 5 ) and housing ( 1 ).

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . A radial joint for a motor vehicle, the radial joint comprising:
 a ball pivot with a joint ball; and   a one-piece metallic housing, said metallic housing having an opening on one side, said joint ball of said ball pivot being inserted into an interior space of said metallic housing, wherein said joint ball of the ball pivot is mounted pivotably and rotatably in a bearing area of said interior space and a pivot section of said ball pivot, which pivot section is connected to said joint ball, protrudes from said housing through said opening of said housing, in an area of said opening of said housing, said housing having a section prepared by machining and deformed by a cold forming process.   
   
   
       21 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein said housing is manufactured by a hot forming process. 
   
   
       22 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein said hot forming process is a forging process. 
   
   
       23 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein said housing is closed by cold forming said section in the area of said opening of said housing and is at first regular cylindrical prior to cold forming. 
   
   
       24 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein said opening of said housing has a circular or oval geometry after it being closed. 
   
   
       25 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein a diameter of said joint ball is larger, after the mounting of the joint, than said opening of said housing. 
   
   
       26 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a bearing shell inserted into said interior space of said housing, said bearing shell accommodating said joint ball and mountings said joint ball movably.   
   
   
       27 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein:
 said bearing shell consists of at least one of a plastic, a plastic composite, a multicomponent material or at least partly of a plastic-metal composite.   
   
   
       28 . A radial joint in accordance with one of the  claim 26 , wherein:
 said bearing shell has a support flange;   said housing has a flange in said interior space of said housing and corresponding to said support flange, said housing flange supporting said support flange.   
   
   
       29 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein said housing comprises a shaft. 
   
   
       30 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein said shaft has a bend. 
   
   
       31 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein said housing with said shaft are manufactured together by a hot forming process. 
   
   
       32 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein said shaft is welded to remainder of said housing. 
   
   
       33 . A radial joint in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein said cold forming process is a cold extrusion process. 
   
   
       34 . A process for manufacturing a radial joint comprising a ball pivot with a joint ball and a one-piece metallic housing, said metallic housing having an opening on one side, said joint ball of said ball pivot being seated in an interior space of said metallic housing, wherein said joint ball of the ball pivot is mounted pivotably and rotatably in a bearing area of said interior space and a pivot section of said ball pivot, which pivot section is connected to said joint ball, protrudes from said housing through said opening of said housing, in an area of said opening of said housing, the process comprising the steps of:
 manufacturing a housing blank including said opening on one side;   machining a section close to the opening of housing;   inserting said joint ball of said ball pivot into said interior space of said housing;   cold forming an opening-side edge section of said housing until a metallic overlap is achieved between said joint ball and said housing, said metallic overlap being sized for guaranteeing an extraction strength sufficient for the joint to be produced and to make possible a positive-locking connection between components contacting each other.   
   
   
       35 . A process in accordance with  claim 34 , wherein said housing is closed with the formation of said metallic overlap while periodically or permanently measuring the force and/or the pressure being applied. 
   
   
       36 . A process in accordance with  claim 34 , wherein said housing is closed with the formation of said metallic overlap while periodically or permanently measuring the torque necessary for deflecting and/or rotating the ball pivot. 
   
   
       37 . A process in accordance with one of the  claim 34 , wherein the joint ball is inserted, together with a bearing shell accommodating said joint ball, into the interior space of said housing and the deformation of said edge section of said opening of said housing also brings about a deformation of an opening-side section of the previously predominantly regular cylindrical bearing shell opening. 
   
   
       38 . A process in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein said bearing shell comes into contact with a surface of said joint ball during a closing of said housing. 
   
   
       39 . A process for manufacturing a radial joint, the process comprising the steps of:
 providing a ball pivot with a joint ball and a pivot section connected to said joint ball;   providing a bearing shell accommodating said joint ball;   manufacturing a housing blank to provide a metallic housing with a cylindrical interior space with an opening on one side;   machining a section close to the opening of said housing;   inserting said joint ball with said bearing shell into said interior space of said housing to mount said ball pivot pivotably and rotatably in a bearing area of said interior space and said pivot section of said ball pivot protruding from said housing through said opening of said housing;   cold forming an opening-side edge section of said housing until a metallic overlap is achieved between said joint ball and said housing, said metallic overlap being sized for guaranteeing an extraction strength sufficient for the joint to be produced and forming a positive-locking connection between said housing metallic overlap and said bearing shell accommodating said joint ball.