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. 18, 1997
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1994
Applicant:
Inventors:
Mark K Meyer, Centerville, OH (US);
Michael R Storage, Beavercreek, OH (US);
John R Robison, Jamestown, OH (US);
Assignee:
General Electric Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F16L / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
285261 ; 285226 ; 294411 ;
Abstract
A ball joint includes a tubular outer shroud having a unique one-piece weld-free socket which receives a complementary ball of a tubular inner shroud. The ball joint is preferably formed by plastically deforming the outer shroud to integrally form the socket around the ball. The socket may be formed around a preformed ball, or both the ball and socket may be integrally plastically formed simultaneously.