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:
Mar. 01, 1988
Filed:
May. 12, 1986
Joseph E Smith, Birmingham, MI (US);
V. W. Kaiser Engineering, Inc., Millington, MI (US);
Abstract
A helical bearing bushing for use between a cylindrical shaft and an element containing a bore disposed around the shaft, such as a kingpin and steering knuckle assembly, includes a helically wound spring wire as the bearing bushing. The spring wire is helically wound to form a tubular member having interior and exterior surfaces which form the respective bearing surfaces. The tensile force of the helical spring holds arcuate surfaces of adjacent coils in elastic abutment, although lubricant under pressure can elastically separate the coils and pass from one surface to the other. Non abutting portions of the arcuate surfaces form helical lubrication grooves. Either the interior surface or the exterior surface, or both, may be machined flat to provide a better bearing surface.