US3833309A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ball joint
Assignee: TRW Steering Systems Ltd
•
Filing: 1973-01-08
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Granted: 1974-09-03
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Expires: 1993-01-08
Abstract
Abstract A ball and socket joint useful in vehicle steering assemblies composed of a metal ball stud, a metal stem with an eye end, a main open-ended plastic socket molded around the eye end of the stem defining a ball socket surrounded by the eye and receiving the shank of the ball stud through one end thereof. The other end of this plastic socket is closed by a plastic cup pressed into the socket against the ball head to preload the head against the bearing wall of the main plastic part and secured to this part by fusion, cementing or the like. The ball end of the stud is thus surrounded by a synthetic plastic bearing which in turn embraces the end of a stem extending laterally from the bearing. The ball and socket components of the joint are in preloaded relation, and articulate relative to each other in a smooth manner without accommodating shifting of the ball stud either laterally or axially from its fixed tilting center.
Inventors
- 👤 R Hobbs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 18:35
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C11/00; F16C11/04; F16C11/06; F16C11/0619; F16C11/0623; F16C11/0657; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32606; Y10T403/32631
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A stud and socket joint which comprises: a metal member having an eye end, a molded plastics socket part embracing said eye end and defining an open-ended socket within said eye end, a stud member having an end in said socket and a stem projecting therefrom through one open end of the socket, a plastics closure plug in the other open end of the socket pressed against said end of the stud to preload the stud in the socket, and said plug being integrally secured to the plastics socket material to maintain said preload.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A stud and socket joint which comprises: a metal member having an eye end, a molded plastics socket part embracing said eye end and defining an open-ended socket within said eye end, a stud member having an end in said socket and a stem projecting therefrom through one open end of the socket, a plastics closure plug in the other open end of the socket pressed against said end of the stud to preload the stud in the socket, and said plug being integrally secured to the plastics socket material to maintain said preload.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The joint of claim 1, wherein the stud member has a ball end and the plastics socket and plug are configured to embrace said ball end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The joint of claim 2, wherein the eye end has a cylindrical bore at one end and a fragmental spherical inwardly converging wall at the other end reinforcing the bearing wall of the plastics socket.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
A ball and socket joint which comprises: a metal stem having an eye end, a synthetic plastics part molded around and through said eye end defining an open-ended socket in said eye end with a fragmental spherical bearing wall converging to a small diameter opening at one end and a cylindrical wall extending to a large diameter opening at the other end, a ball stud having a ball end seated on the spherical portion of the plastics socket and a shank extending through the small end of the socket, a plastics plug pressed into the large end of the socket against the ball end of the stud therein, and means integrating the plug with the socket to maintain a preload on the ball end established by the pressing of the plug into the socket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
A ball and socket joint which comprises: a metal stem having an eye end, a synthetic plastics part molded around and through said eye end defining an open-ended socket in said eye end with a fragmental spherical bearing wall converging to a small diameter opening at one end and a cylindrical wall extending to a large diameter opening at the other end, a ball stud having a ball end seated on the spherical portion of the plastics socket and a shank extending through the small end of the socket, a plastics plug pressed into the large end of the socket against the ball end of the stud therein, and means integrating the plug with the socket to maintain a preload on the ball end established by the pressing of the plug into the socket.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The ball and socket joint of claim 4, wherein the internal periphery of the eye end of the stem has the same configuration as the internal socket wall of the plastic part molded around the eye end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ball and socket joint of claim 4, wherein the plastics part has a peripheral recess for booming a boot seal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ball and socket joint of claim 4, wherein the plastics part has a mouth diverging from the small open end thereof to accommodate tilting of the ball stud.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2876029A
Cited
US3063744A
Cited
US3391955A
Cited
US3455585A
Cited
DE1953396A1
Cited
US3679248A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-02 | 1978-03-04 | 1978-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-02 | 1982-03-04 | 1982-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-02 | 1986-03-04 | 1986-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |