Structure for couplingf ball joint and arm

Abstract

The invention is a joint structure of a ball joint and an arm, which includes: a ball stud having a spherical ball part and a shank part extending from the spherical ball part; a bearing cupping the spherical ball part of the ball stud; a housing holding the bearing therein; and an arm having a hole into which the housing is inserted. The housing has a circumferential groove in an outer-circumference surface thereof. The housing is adapted to be pressed into the hole of the arm. The groove functions to weaken a load by the arm after the housing is pressed into the hole of the arm. Thus, a pressure to the spherical ball part of the ball stud is inhibited so that a sliding characteristic of the ball stud is improved.

1 . A joint structure comprising: 
 a ball stud having a spherical ball part and a shank part extending from the spherical ball part;    a bearing cupping the spherical ball part of the ball stud;    a housing holding the bearing therein; and    an arm having a hole into which the housing is inserted;    wherein    the housing has a circumferential groove in an outer-circumference surface thereof;    the housing is adapted to be pressed into the hole of the arm; and    the groove functions to weaken a load by the arm after the housing is pressed into the hole of the arm.    
   
   
       2 . A joint structure according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the groove is formed at a position corresponding to an equatorial plane including a center of the spherical ball part.    
   
   
       3 . A joint structure according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the housing has two circumferential grooves in the outer-circumference surface thereof.    
   
   
       4 . A joint structure according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the two grooves are formed in such a manner that an equatorial plane including a center of the spherical ball part is sandwiched between the two grooves.    
   
   
       5 . A joint structure comprising: 
 a ball stud having a spherical ball part and a shank part extending from the spherical ball part;    a bearing cupping the spherical ball part of the ball stud;    a housing holding the bearing therein; and    an arm having a hole into which the housing is inserted;    wherein    the hole has a circumferential groove in an inner-circumference surface thereof;    the housing is adapted to be pressed into the hole of the arm; and    the groove functions to weaken a load by the arm after the housing is pressed into the hole of the arm.    
   
   
       6 . A joint structure according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 the groove is formed at a position corresponding to an equatorial plane including a center of the spherical ball part.    
   
   
       7 . A joint structure according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 the hole has two circumferential grooves in the inner-circumference surface thereof.    
   
   
       8 . A joint structure according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the two grooves are formed in such a manner that an equatorial plane including a center of the spherical ball part is sandwiched between the two grooves.    
   
   
       9 . A joint structure comprising: 
 a ball stud having a spherical ball part and a shank part extending from the spherical ball part;    a bearing cupping the spherical ball part of the ball stud;    a housing holding the bearing therein; and    an arm having a hole into which the housing is inserted;    wherein    the housing has a first circumferential groove in an outer-circumference surface thereof;    the hole has a second circumferential groove in an inner-circumference surface thereof;    the housing is adapted to be pressed into the hole of the arm; and    the first groove and the second groove function to weaken a load by the arm after the housing is pressed into the hole of the arm.    
   
   
       10 . A joint structure according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the first groove and the second groove are arranged to be opposite to each other.    
   
   
       11 . A joint structure according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 the outer-circumference surface of the housing is cylindrical,    the inner-circumference surface of the hole is cylindrical, and    a retaining ring is arranged in the first groove and the second groove, the retaining ring having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the housing and an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the hole.