Zf Friedrichshafen Ag

Anja Wehrsse

Manfred Heidemann

Helmut Noe

A ball and socket joint is provided, preferably for use in vehicles, especially in the area of the chassis of motor vehicles. The ball and socket joint includes a ball and socket joint housing having a joint opening, with a ball pivot, which is arranged in the ball and socket joint housing, extends through the joint opening and with which a shaft is made integral. A support ring is arranged on the shaft of the ball pivot. A sealing element is arranged between the support ring and a connection component surrounding the shaft of the ball pivot. The function of the sealing element is preserved over comparatively long periods of time without being adversely affected by corrosion phenomena in the area of the ball pivot. The sealing element is designed for this purpose as an elastically and/or plastically deformable profiled body (), whose effective cross section, which is free from the effect of forces, is limited by a continuously extending, curved contour (), which is subject to deformation in the installed state, as a result of which at least a partial area of the contour () is in contact with the adjoining areas () that are to be sealed.

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Raddestorf, Germany

Anja Wehrsse