Patent attributes
A ball-end pin with plastic flange is employed in steering or suspension systems of automotive vehicles, manufactured in two discrete parts, namely, the ball-end pin itself and the flange. The flange is made of plastic material by injection process, one providing its external circumference with a channel for the fixing of the smaller diameter opening of the protection cover of the ball joint, and it may be injected directly on the ball-end pin or injected separately, in which case its central orifice must have a certain conical shape and longitudinal protrusions. The ball-end pin is constructed by stamping process and during the process the same will be provided with a conical section with longitudinal grooves that eliminates the use of the machining process. The assembling of the flange on the ball-end pin may be performed in two ways: by injecting the plastic material directly on the ball-end pin; or by molding the flange separately, also by injection process, in such a way that it will be sufficient to couple the flange to the ball-end pin and the two parts will be firmly fixed to each other without any rotational or longitudinal movement.
