The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 15, 1983
Filed:
Apr. 06, 1981
Joseph E Smith, Birmingham, MI (US);
Gulf & Western Manufacturing Company, Southfield, MI (US);
Abstract
A ball and socket joint having a ball provided with an integral stud projecting outwardly through an end of the socket, a portion of the peripheral spherical surface of the ball being in swivelling sliding engagement with a corresponding partial spherical bore in the socket, and a generally disk-shaped retainer member holding the ball in assembly in the socket and applying a pre-load bias to the ball urging the bearing spherical surfaces in mutual engagement, the retainer member having an integral or separate spherical recess in swivelling sliding engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of the ball opposite to the stud. The ball is a full ball or alternatively a partial ball having a substantially hemispherical protuberance of smaller diameter in engagement with the spherical recess in the retainer member. The pre-load bias is applied either directly by the retainer member as a result of being elastically stressed during assembly of the elements by swaging of the rim of the socket, or is provided by a frusto-conical spring member engaged against the periphery of the retainer member and flattened during assembly or by a dished spring member in direct engagement with the peripheral spherical surface of the ball and elastically deformed through engagement with the retainer member during assembly of the joint.