Retention clip for ball and socket joint

Claim 2

A retention clip for holding a ball and socket joint in assembly, said retention clip comprising an elongated resilient metal strip of substantial width relative to its thickness, said strip having a longitudinally curved central portion, said strip terminating ir end portions extending from the ends of said central portion laterally inwardly toward one another, the inner edges of said end portions being disposed in spaced relation to one another, said end portions in the unstressed condition of said strip being inclined with respect to a plane through their outer edges in a direction toward said central portion from their outer edges to their inner edges, said end portions being resistant to forces tending to flex them away from said central portion, said central portion being flexible and capable of opening out in response to the application of spreading forces on the inner edges of said end portions.

Claim 3

The retention clip defined in claim 1, wherein the inner edges of said end portions have central V-shaped recesses in opposed, confronting relation to one another, said recesses being mirror images of one another and symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line of said strip.

Claim 4

The retention clip defined in claim 1, wherein the inner edge of one of said end portions has a central V-shaped recess and the inner edge of the other of said end portions has a straight central portion, said recess being symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line of said strip, said straight central portion being in opposed, confronting relation to said recess and extending at right angles to the longitudinal center line of said strip.

Claim 5

A ball and socket joint including a ball member and a socket member, said socket member having a socket therein opening through one side of said socket member, said socket member being formed with slots adjacent the open side thereof opening into said socket through opposite walls of said socket member, said ball member being insertable into said socket through the open side of said socket member, and a retention clip for holding said ball member in said socket, said retention clip comprising an elongated resilient metal stamping of substantial width relative to its thickness, said stamping having a longitudinally curved central portion embracing the side of said socket member opposite the open side thereof, said stamping having end portions extending from the ends of said central portion laterally inwardly toward one another through said slots, the inner edges of said end portions terminating in said socket and being disposed in spaced relation to one another, said end portions being adapted to overlie and retain said ball member when the latter is received in said socket, the inner edges of said end portions being adapted to be engaged by said ball member upon entry thereof into said socket to flex said stamping sufficiently to allow said ball member to enter.

Claim 6

A ball and socket joint including a ball member and a socket member, said socket member having a socket therein opening through one side of said socket member, said socket member being formed with slots adjacent the open side thereof opening into said socket through opposite walls of said socket member, said ball member being insertable into said socket through the open side of said socket member, and a retention clip for holding said ball member in said socket, said retention clip comprising an elongated resilient metal stamping of substantial width relative to its thickness, said stamping having a longitudinally curved central portion embracing the side of said socket member opposite the open side thereof, said stamping having end portions extending from the ends of said central portion laterally inwardly toward one another through said slots, the inner edges of said end portions terminating in said socket and being disposed in spaced relation to one another, said end portions being adapted to overlie and retain said ball member when the latter is received in said socket, the inner edges of said end portions being adapted to be engaged by said ball member upon entry thereof into said socket to flex said stamping sufficiently to allow said ball member to enter.

Claim 7

The ball and socket joint defined in claim 4, wherein the inner edges of said end portions have central V-shaped recesses for four-point contact with said ball member upon entry of the latter into said socket as aforesaid.

Claim 8

The ball and socket joint defined in claim 4, wherein the inner edge of one of said end portions has a central V-shaped recess and the inner edge of the other of said end portions has a straight central portion for three-point contact with said ball member upon entry of said ball member into said socket as aforesaid.

Claim 9

The ball and socket joint defined in claim 4, wherein the outer surface of said socket member embraced by the curved central portion of said stamping is of generally spherical shape, said curved central portion of said stamping is generally arcuate and of the same radius as the spherical portion of said socket member it embraces, said end portions of said stamping in the unstressed condition of said stamping being inclined with respect to a plane through their outer edges in a direction toward said central portion from their outer edges to their inner edges, said end portions being stressed by engagement with said slots and flexed thereby into a common plane so as to hold said curved central portion of said stamping firmly in contact with the spherical portion of said socket member in substantially continuous contact therewith.

Claim 10

The ball and socket joint defined in claim 7, wherein said central portion of said stamping is transversely curved on a radius corresponding to the radius of curvature of the spherical portion of said socket member embraced by said central portion so as to have substantially full surface contact therewith.

Claim 11

The ball and socket joint defined in claim 8, wherein the inner edge of one of said end portions has a central V-shaped recess, both edges of said V-shaped recess being adapted to contact said ball member upon entry of said ball member into said socket as aforesaid.

Claim 12

The ball and socket joint defined in claim 9, wherein the inner edge of the other of said end portions has a central V-shaped recess both edges of which are adapted to contact said ball member upon entry of said ball member into said socket as aforesaid.

Claim 13

The ball and socket joint defined in claim 9, wherein the inner edge of the other of said end portions has a straight central portion adapted to contact said ball member upon entry of said ball member into said socket as aforesaid.

Claim 14

The retention clip defined in claim 1, wherein the inner edge of one of said end portions has a central recess.