High-performance ball socket

Abstract

A bearing shell for a ball and socket joint made of plastic as well as the ball and socket joint per se, wherein the bearing shell has first areas, which are subject to higher mechanical loads than the other areas of the bearing shell, wherein the material of the bearing shell forming the first areas is formed from a reinforced plastic, and the other areas are made of a less reinforced or unreinforced plastic.

1 . A bearing shell for a ball and socket joint, the bearing shell comprising: 
 a first and a second area made of plastic, said first area being made of a reinforced plastic more reinforced than a plastic of said second area.    
   
   
       2 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said bearing shell has a one-part design.  
   
   
       3 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein one part of the bearing shell is a basic body and has a reinforcing core in areas in which higher loads occur and is reinforced less or is unreinforced in other areas.  
   
   
       4 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein another part of the bearing shell is a bearing shell part and is shaped to surround a joint ball, said bearing shell part being fastened to said basic body.  
   
   
       5 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said bearing shell part is made in one piece with said basic body.  
   
   
       6 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said bearing shell part is connected with said basic body of the bearing shell via at least one web which is especially elastic.  
   
   
       7 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said bearing shell part has a reinforcing core in areas in which high loads occur on the contact surfaces, and other areas of said bearing shell part are less reinforced or unreinforced.  
   
   
       8 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said bearing shell part defines openings shaped to facilitate elastic expansion of the bearing shell during mounting.  
   
   
       9 . A bearing shell for a ball and socket joint, the bearing shell comprising: 
 a first bearing shell section;    a second bearing shell section having a reinforcing core and a jacket component completely jacketing the entire outer surface of said core, said core being composed of a first plastic material uniformly reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said jacket component being composed of a second plastic material either unreinforced or reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said first material being more reinforced than said second material, said first bearing shell section being connected to said second bearing shell section to form an integral bearing shell structure for receiving a joint ball of the ball and socket joint.    
   
   
       10 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 an elastic web;    a basic body element integrally connected to said bearing shell structure via said elastic web, said basic body having a basic body reinforcing core in areas in which higher loads occur, said basic body being reinforced less or unreinforced in other areas.    
   
   
       11 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein said basic body has a basic body jacket component completely jacketing the outer surface of said basic body reinforcing core, said basic body reinforcing core being composed of a first basic body plastic material uniformly reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said basic body jacket component being composed of a second basic body plastic material either unreinforced or reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said first basic body material being more reinforced than said second basic body material.  
   
   
       12 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said integral bearing shell structure defines one of a slot and a web, said web including an elastic plastic, said web and said slot making possible one of axial and radial elastic expansion of said integral bearing shell structure during mounting as well as pretensioning and/or tolerance compensation of said integral bearing shell structure.  
   
   
       13 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said first basic body plastic material is the same as said first plastic material of said second bearing shell section and said second basic body plastic material is the same as said second plastic material of said second bearing shell section.  
   
   
       14 . A bearing shell for a ball and socket joint, the bearing shell comprising: 
 a first bearing shell section;    a second bearing shell section having a reinforcing core and a jacket component completely jacketing the entire outer surface of said core, said core being composed of a first plastic material uniformly reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said jacket component being composed of a second plastic material either unreinforced or reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said first material being more reinforced than said second material, said first bearing shell section being integrally connected to said second bearing shell section to form an integral bearing shell part, said bearing shell part defining an opening for receiving a joint ball of the ball and socket joint;    a connection element;    a basic body element integrally connected to said bearing shell part via said connection element.    
   
   
       15 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein said basic body has a first section and a second section, said first section having a basic body reinforcing core and a basic body jacket component completely covering the outer surface of said basic body reinforcing core, said basic body reinforcing core being composed of a first basic body plastic material uniformly reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said basic body jacket component being composed of a second basic body plastic material either unreinforced or reinforced with one of fibers, mica, minerals or beads, said first basic body material being more reinforced than said second basic body material.  
   
   
       16 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein said bearing shell part defines a slot, said connection element being composed of an elastic plastic, said connection element and said slot making possible one of axial and radial elastic expansion of said integral bearing shell structure during mounting as well as pretensioning and/or tolerance compensation of said integral bearing shell structure.  
   
   
       17 . A bearing shell in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein said first basic body plastic material is the same as said first plastic material of said second bearing shell section and said second basic body plastic material is the same as said second plastic material of said second bearing shell section.