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:
Dec. 22, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 20, 1997
Applicant:
Inventor:
Edward T Rude, Columbia, MD (US);
Assignee:
TorqMaster, Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F16C / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
403 91 ; 403113 ; 403119 ; 403120 ;
Abstract
The present invention provides a pivoting joint that has two stable positions. The pivoting joint is comprised of two housing elements that can rotate co-axially with respect to one another. A spring, generally in the shape of a modified hairpin, is contained within the two housing elements. The two ends of the spring fit into holes in one housing element, and the closed end of the spring is held, substantially irrotatably, in the other housing element. The spring urges the two housing elements to one or the other rotational extreme with respect to one another.