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. 28, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1998
Garth B Maughan, Delta, OH (US);
Dana Corporation, Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
An annular bearing set for a ball and socket joint includes annular inner and outer bearings that has a head of a ball stud engaging an inner seat face of each of the bearings. An axial compression preload results when the bearing set and ball stud are inserted into a socket and the socket is closed. The seat face of the outer bearing is provided with a plurality of compliance grooves and lubrication grooves. The inner bearing is also provided with lubrication grooves. The grooves permit the preloaded bearing set to relax during a predetermined time period, thereby producing a joint that has low torque and low end motion. The bearings are further provided with an alignment mechanism for aligning the lubrication grooves of the inner and outer bearings.