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:
Jun. 25, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 16, 1995
Brian A Mattila, Saginaw, MI (US);
American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., Saginaw, MI (US);
Abstract
An automotive vehicle has a parallelogram type steering linkage that includes two adjustable tie rod assemblies. Each adjustable tie rod assembly comprises a tie rod and a right angled ball joint at each end of the tie rod for connecting the tie rod assembly in the steering linkage system. The tie rod has a threaded end that is screwed into an internally threaded portion of the housing of the ball joint at the outboard end of the tie rod. The threaded end of the tie rod carries a jam nut that is tightened against the housing to maintain the depth of the threaded end of the tie rod in the internally threaded portion of the housing. The inboard end of the tie rod has a cylindrical head. The cylindrical head is rotatably fit and axially captured in a cylindrical bore of the housing of the ball joint at the inboard end of the tie rod. The tie rod has a median section of hexagonal shape for rotating the tie rod. The length of the tie rod assembly can be adjusted while it is connected in the steering linkage system to adjust wheel toe because the tie rod can be rotated with respect to the ball joints when the jam nut is loosened. The adjustable tie rod assembly uses low friction, lash free ball joints and can be automatically adjusted by machine easily because it has a single jam nut.