BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Stabilizer links, tie rods and other ball and socket joint structures typically have a housing with a bearing shell or similar insert, with the interior of the bearing being closed to the environment. US 4,577, 987 discloses a ball and socket joint with race inserts or socket parts that define the surface for contact with the ball. A cover cooperates with the housing at a housing interface. A bent over lip of the housing maintains the cover and the insert in position. US 5,492,427 provides a cover maintaining the race insert in position and cooperating with the housing to provide a housing closure interface. US 6,287,040 discloses a ball and socket joint with the bearing shell or race insert, housing and cover element cooperating to form a housing closure interface. The cover acts on the race insert to maintain it in position. Although these ball and socket joints have a housing cover or close off the bearing, providing structural integrity, the housing and cover interface that closes the housing are still subject to being hit by rocks and debris.

[0003] DE36 39 962 discloses a link with a ball joint. A housing closure cap closes a top opening of the housing and maintains the race insert (bearing shell) in position. The arrangement requires a clamping connection of the closure, the closure cap and the housing. The arrangement also has a housing and cover closure interface that is subject to being hit by rocks and debris.

[0004] DE 44 20 488 discloses a link with a ball joint. The closure interface includes a closure cap clamped on the housing as well as retaining rings cooperating with the various inserts including a bearing shell or race insert. The arrangement also has a housing and cover closure interface that is subject to being hit by rocks and debris.

[0005] US 5,011,321 discloses a stabilizer link with a ball joint with a housing having a race insert or pillow ball seat (bearing shell) that extends above a cylindrical piece housing upper edge. A plastic disklike member is fitted and secured on the top wall portion of the seat member (race insert). The plastic disklike member cooperates with the housing itself for retaining the race insert or seat member and joins with the cylindrical piece housing to form a housing closure interface. The housing closure interface is subject to being hit by rocks and debris.

[0006] US 5,613,792 discloses a ball joint with a plastic housing connected to a metal rod. A plastic race insert is in the form of a one-piece housing cover that is inserted into the plastic housing and supported in position via a connection to the rod. The housing and plastic race closure interface is subject to being hit by rocks and debris.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] It is an object of the invention to provide a ball joint and link which is reliable, easy to manufacture and is protected during use. It is further an object of the invention to provide an effective and inexpensive protecting cap that can be easily applied to a link ball joint housing and which can be effectively maintained in position to protect the housing closure/race insert.

[0008] According to the invention, a stabilizer link or tie rod is provided with a ball and stud and a housing with an outer surface and with an interior surface defining a ball cavity. The housing is connected with a link rod. A race insert is provided having a housing liner surface engaging the housing interior surface and an interior ball race surface in contact with the ball and a housing end portion defining a closure interface with the housing. A protective cap is provided with a barrier surface extending over the closure interface and over the housing outer surface. The cap has a retaining surface engaging each of the housing and the rod.

[0009] The protective cap retaining surface may includes the barrier surface engaging the housing outer surface. The protective cap retaining surface preferably includes a rod retaining surface extending over a majority of a periphery of the rod and defining a smaller rod insertion gap. The cap is preferably flexible to generate a snap in retaining function as the rod is moved through the rod insertion gap and is seated in the rod retaining surface, hi the seated state, the cap has an interference fit between the outer housing surface and the inner surface of the cap (the two having almost the same diameter). The cap seal against dirt, rocks, debris, etc. The cap may be made to create a static seal to seal against water, if such a seal is needed.

[0010] The barrier surface engaging the housing outer surface may have an interruption substantially aligned with the rod retaining surface to define a cap flexure axis. The cap, with its symmetrical design can flex so as to be seated with the barrier surface engaging the housing outer surface (providing the interference fit) and the rod retaining surface engaging the rod.

[0011] The stabilizer link may have a housing end cap. In this case the race end portion cooperates with the housing end plate to form the closure interface.

[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, a stabilizer link ball joint protecting cap is provided with a unitary molded body with a sealing portion providing a barrier surface extending in a first direction and a barrier surface extending in a second direction. The cap has a retaining surface including an arcuate shaped joint housing engaging surface and an enclosing rod engaging surface. The protective cap retaining surface may include the barrier surface engaging the housing outer surface. [0013] According to another aspect of the invention, a process is provided for forming a protected stabilizer link. The process includes providing a ball with extending ball pin, providing a housing with an outer surface and with an interior surface defining a ball cavity and with a link rod connected to the housing. A race insert is disposed with housing liner surface engaging the housing interior surface and an interior ball race surface in contact with the ball to position the ball within the housing and with a housing end cap portion. A closure is formed between the race insert and the housing at a closure interface. A protective cap is provided. The protective cap is seated on the housing with a protective cap barrier surface extending over the closure interface and over a portion of the housing outer surface and with a retaining surface engaging each of the housing and the link rod.

[0014] The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] Figure 1 is a top side perspective view of a protecting cap according to the invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is bottom front end view thereof; [0017] Figure 3 is bottom rear end view thereof;

[0018] Figure 4 is rear side view of the protected stabilizer link according to the invention;

[0019] Figure 5 is a sectional view of a protected stabilizer link;

[0020] Figure 6 is a sectional view of a protected stabilizer link of an alternative design;

[0021] Figure 7 A is a front side view of the stabilizer link of Figure 5 before application of the protective cap; and

[0022] Figure 7B is a front side view of the protected stabilizer link, after application of the protective cap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0023] Referring to the drawings in particular, Figure 1 shows a protecting cap generally designated 10. The protecting cap 10 provides an outer top barrier surface 12 with an upper outer circular protruding part 13. The top barrier surface 12 extends generally in a first direction to cover the top of a stabilizer link housing 34. A housing side engaging surface or barrier and retaining surface 14 extends in a second direction, that is generally perpendicular to the first direction. The barrier and retaining surface 14 is arcuate and substantially coaxial with the outer circular protruding part 13. The barrier and retaining surface 14 transitions into the barrier surface 12 at the curved transition section 15.

[0024] As can be seen in Figure 2 and in Figure 3, the cap 10 has an interruption, with a cut out U shape. This U shape cut out is provided with side barrier surface portion 16 above the interruption and the side barrier surface portions 17 to the side of the interruption.

[0025] The cap 10 has a housing/rod protection extension 18, extending away from the outer circular protruding part 13. A housing/rod protection skirt portion 19 extends down from each side of the extension 18. The extension 18 and skirt portions 19 connect the barrier surfaces 12 and 14 to a rod engagement structure 20. The rod engagement structure 20 comprises a rod retaining surface structure 22 and outer engagement support structure 24. The rod retaining surface structure 22 is sized to extend around a majority of the periphery of the rod 42 so as to engage the peripheral surface of the rod 42. The structure 22 defines a gap 26 that is smaller than the extent of the retaining surface of structure 22. This requires that the engagement structure 20 be somewhat flexible so that it snaps on to the rod 42. [0026] The cap 10 is made of a plastic material and is advantageously a unitary molded part. The cut out interruption in the sealing and retaining surface 14 and the geometry of the rod engagement structure and the overall symmetrical design of the cap 10 provide for a cap flexure axis 28. The cap can flex somewhat about the axis 28, allowing the application of the cap with a flexing apart of the engagement structure 20 and a flexing apart of opposite sealing and retaining walls 14. After the cap 10 is seated, the surface 14 flexes back and retains the cap to the housing (an interference fit is formed) and the retaining surface of structure 22 snaps around the rod 42.

[0027] Figure 4 shows the protective cap 10 applied to a stabilizer link 60 to form a protected stabilizer link. The engagement structure 20 is in a position with the rod retaining surface structure 22 snapped around a rod 42. The diameter of the rod 42 substantially matches the diameter of the interior of the rod retaining surface structure 22. The diameter of the rod 42 is greater than of the dimension of gap 26 such that cap 10 remains in position relative to the rod 42. The arcuate shape of sealing and retaining walls 14 allow them to achieve a good retaining action as to the housing outer surface 36 of housing 34.

[0028] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the stabilizer link 60 including ball 30 with a stud/pin 32. The ball 30 and stud/pin 32 may be a single integral piece or formed with separate ball and stud parts. The housing 34 has an outer housing surface 36 and a housing interior surface 38 defined in a ball cavity 40. The housing 34 is connected to the link rod 42, by a weld or the like at a link housing interface 44 or the housing 34 and link rod 42 are connected by being formed integral, as one piece. A race insert or bearing shell 46 is inserted in the ball cavity 40 with the housing liner surface 48 of the race insert 46 in contact with the housing interior surface 38. The race insert 46 has interior ball race surface 50 in contact with the outer surface of the ball 30. The race insert 46 also has an end portion or upper portion 52. The race insert 46 is molded in position in the ball cavity 40 of the housing 34 and has a closure interface 54 where it meets the housing 34. The cap 10 is connected to the stabilizer link 60 with the rod retaining surface structure 22 engaging the rod 42. The cap 10 maintains its position relative to the rod 42 with the help of outer engagement support structure 24, which extends below the rod 42. The cap 10 also maintains its position based on the retaining surface 14. Further, the flexible nature of the cap 10 allows it to be flexed somewhat about its flexure axis 28, thereby allowing it to be seated with surface 14 extending over housing outer surface 36 and with the rod with42 snapped into rod retaining surface 22.

[0029] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the alternative design for a stabilizer link 62. The link 62 of the embodiment of Figure 6 has a housing 34 transitioning at 44 to a rod 42. The housing 34 has an outer surface 36 and an inner surface 38. A ball 30 is provided with all pin 32. The race insert or bearing shell 56 is somewhat different from the plastic race insert 46 of the embodiment of Figure 5. The race insert 56 has a surface in contact with the ball 30. The race insert 56 also has a top 58 held in position by a housing end cap 53. The housing end cap 53 is held by an outer lip of the housing 34 which is pushed over the end cap 53 to retain it in position relative to the housing 34 at the housing closure interface 54.

[0030] Figure 7A shows the stabilizer link 60 of the embodiment of Figure 5, prior to the application of the protecting cap 10. The protecting cap 10 is deployed according to a method of the invention in which the protecting cap 10 is flexed to seat it with the retaining surface 14 extending over the housing outer surface 36 and to snap the structure 20 onto the rod 42 as shown in Figure 7B.

[0031] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS: 10 protective cap 12 outer (top) barrier surface 13 outer circular protruding part 14 housing side engaging barrier and retaining surface 15 curved transition section 16 side barrier surface and retaining surface above interruption 17 side sealing and retaining surface at side of interruption; 18 housing/rod protection extension 19 housing/rod protection skirt 20 rod engagement structure 22 rod retaining surface structure 24 outer engagement support structure 6 rod insertion gap 28 cap flexure axis 30 ball 32 stud/pin 4 housing 6 housing outer surface 8 housing interior surface 0 ball cavity 2 link rod 4 link housing interface 6 race insert (bearing shell) 8 housing liner surface 0 interior ball race surface 2 race upper cap portion 3 housing closure cap 4 closure interface 6 alternate race insert 8 alternate upper race portion 8 bellows