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:
Feb. 24, 1987
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1984
Frank Albert, Jr, Parma, OH (US);
Other;
Abstract
A ball type universal joint construction where a ball member is rotatably received in a housing and a bearing structure interposed therebetween in a manner which limits the relative rotational degrees of freedom. The ball member has a spherical surface portion which includes axially extending bearing receiving slots and the housing has a cavity spherical surface portion which includes bearing receiving recesses in registry with the receiving slots. Ball type bearings disposed partially within the recesses and partially within the slots limit movement between the ball member and the housing to articulated movement relative to each other. The housing also includes an access opening at one end face having an enlargement through which the ball member can be passed when rotated 90 degrees to its nominal, functioning position. This allows the ball member to be inserted into the housing through the enlargement while at the same time accommodating passage of the bearings into the housing recesses. Thereafter, the ball member is further rotated such that the receiving slots also partially receive the bearings and thus capture the ball member in an articulating, non-rotatable relationship in the housing.