| 摘要 |
An improved ball and socket joint usable in a steering system includes a stud having an enlarged head or ball portion and a socket having a cavity closed by an end cap, the socket cavity being adapted to receive the stud head therein. An expander, such as a belleville spring, is resiliently compressed between the end cap and the head. The expander is the sole item interposed between the end cap and the head and serves the dual role of expander and supplemental seat for the head. The expander has a center opening, through which the head directly contacts the end cap and is pre-loaded by it. As the assembly sustains wear, the expander comes into play to maintain loading on the head and to keep the head seated on the expander. Problems of tolerance stackup are avoided by preloading the end cap directly by the head, and utilizing the expander as the supplemental seating means. By initially compressing the expander to a fully flattened state, travel of the expander to full relaxation is available to take up wear. |
