Other

Federal-mogul World Wide, Inc.

James J Elterman

Alexander Karpman

George Robert Schmidt

Donald Richard Doherty

Thomas Byrnes

A pivot socket includes a housing with an inner surface providing a cavity extending between a substantially closed end and an open end. A cartridge bearing is received in the cavity with a spring disposed between the closed end and the cartridge bearing. The cartridge bearing has an inner surface with a cylindrical portion and conical portion converging inwardly from the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion houses a tapered bearing for relative axial movement therewith. A stud having opposite first and second tapered surfaces diverging away from one another is received in the cartridge bearing, with the first tapered surface engaging the tapered bearing for relative sliding movement therewith and the second tapered surface engaging the conical portion of the cartridge bearing for relative sliding movement therewith, thereby causing the relative axial movement between the tapered bearing and the cartridge bearing.

Pivot socket with cartridge bearing and vehicle steering linkage therewith

A dust boot with enhanced protection from contaminants and improved lubrication characteristic includes a dust boot body having a housing opening on one end and on an opposing end a stud opening in an upper boot wall. The boot also includes a wiping lip located on an inner face of the upper boot wall in the stud opening, a grease channel on an outer surface of the upper boot wall bounded circumferentially by a rim seal, an offset opening hole through the upper boot wall into the grease channel which is offset from the wiping lip, and a flexible flap portion of said rim seal which is spaced away from said offset opening hole. The dust boot may also include an insert made from a plastic such as nylon housed in the upper boot wall such that the offset opening hole extends through the insert. The insert may also form a portion of the grease channel. The offset opening is preferably spaced opposite the flexible flap to promote the flow of grease around the outer surface of the stud. The dust boot may be incorporated into a joint assembly by placing it in sealing engagement with a housing which holds a stud in articulating engagement.

Dust boot with grease channel

A joint enclosure apparatus includes a dust boot having an opening and a rim located adjacent to the opening, a flexible flap formed as a portion of the rim, and at least one grease relief passage located on an outer surface of the dust boot adjacent to the flexible flap. The dust boot is useful for use in a ball joint assembly which includes a ball stud having a shank portion and a ball portion; a housing adapted to receive the ball portion in articulatable engagement in a ball stud exit end; a dust boot having a shank opening in sealing engagement with the shank portion and a housing opening in sealing engagement with the housing at the ball stud exit end and a rim adjacent to the shank opening; a flexible flap formed as a portion of the rim; and at least one grease relief passage located on an outer surface of the dust boot adjacent to the flexible flap. The grease relief passage may comprise a rib or a recessed channel. The area of the outer surface of the dust boot adjacent to the flexible lip may be undercut to control the relief characteristics of the flexible lip. As grease is flushed from the dust boot, it is directed along a path defined by the grease relief passage. If a dust boot becomes pinched during stud articulation, the grease relief passage provides an escape path for grease after it passes the flap.

Growing community of inventors

St. Louis, MO, United States of America

James J Elterman