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:
Oct. 02, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 26, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:
John Matthew Ginder, Plymouth, MI (US);
William McMurray Stewart, Livonia, MI (US);
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01M 3/04 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01M 3/04 ;
Abstract
A method of determining seal failure is implemented in a ball joint including a stud having a ball embedded in grease within a sealed socket assembly. A dielectric characteristic of the grease is measured to determined if the sealed socket assembly has failed based upon a substantial variation of the measured dielectric characteristic from a predetermined value.