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:
Aug. 23, 2016
Filed:
May. 13, 2014
Thk Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Tomozumi Murata, Tokyo, JP;
Satoshi Kashiwagura, Tokyo, JP;
THK CO., LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Provided is a ball joint capable of coupling a third mechanical element in a freely pivotable manner near a pivot center of a first mechanical element and a second mechanical element coupled to each other in a freely pivotable manner. The ball joint includes: a ball stud including: a shaft member configured to allow a first mechanical element to be coupled thereto; and a ball portion formed at a distal end of the shaft member; a holder including a fixing port ion configured to allow a second mechanical element to be coupled thereto, the holder being formed through casting with the ball portion being set as a core to cover a maximum diameter portion of the ball portion, the holder being configured to couple the first mechanical element and the second mechanical element in a freely pivotable manner with the ball portion defining a pivot center; and a pivot shaft that protrudes out of the holder in a direction of intersecting with the shaft member of the ball stud to define a second pivot center independently of the ball portion, and to serve as a coupling portion for a third mechanical element, the pivot shaft being integrated with the holder at the time of the casting of the holder.