US3883256A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ball and socket joints which do not require servicing and have an outer jacket of a thermoplastic, and process for their manufacture
Assignee: Hoechst AG
•
Filing: 1973-11-27
•
Granted: 1975-05-13
•
Expires: 1993-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A ball and socket joint is provided consisting of a metallic inner ring and an outer jacket of a thermoplastic material. The outer jacket is formed by welding together a female part and a male part by ultrasonics. The play of the bearing is adjusted by limiting the sonotrode advance.
Inventors
- 👤 Horst Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 10:24
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C23/00; F16C23/02; F16C23/04; F16C23/043; B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; B29C66/00; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/54; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; F16C11/00; F16C11/04; F16C11/06; F16C11/0614; F16C33/00; F16C33/02; F16C33/04; F16C33/20; F16C33/201; B29C66/71; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32606; Y10T403/32631; Y10T403/32786; Y10T403/47; Y10T403/477
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
489 words
A ball and socket joint comprising a metallic inner ring and an outer jacket formed of a thermoplastic material; said inner ring being generally spherical in shape and being movably received and mounted in said outer jacket; said outer jacket being formed of cooperating male and female parts; said female part having an internal bore formed therein for receiving a portion of said ring and said male part, said internal bore being defined by: 1) an annular inner curved surface defining a portion of a sphere having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring and having its maximum diameter located within said female part and (2) first and second inner cylindrical surfaces formed in said female part in coaxial alignment with said annular curved surface; said first cylindrical surface being located immediately adjacent said curved surface and having a diameter greater than said maximum diameter of the curved surface thereby to define a first radially extending step in said female part; said second cylindrical surface being located immediately adjacent said first cylindrical surface and having a diameter greater than said first cylindrical surface thereby to define a second radially extending step in said female part said male part having two opposite sides and an internal bore formed therein for receiving a portion of said ring and an external peripheral surface; said internal bore of the male part being defined by an inner annular curved surface defining a portion of a sphere having minimum and maximum diameter portions located respectively on opposite sides of the male part and having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring; said external peripheral surface being radially outwardly staggered stepwise and having first, second and third coaxially aligned cylindrical surface portions; said First cylindrical surface portion being located adjacent the maximum diameter of the inner curved surface of the male part and having a diameter less than the diameter of the first cylidrical surface of the female part; said second cylindrical surface portion following said first portion and having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the first cylindrical surface of the female part; and said third cylindrical surface portion following said second portion and having a diameter which is greater than the diameter of said second portion and less than the diameter of said second cylindrical surface of the female part; thereby to define a radially extending step on said male part said first cylindrical surface portion being joined to said second cylindrical surface portion by an outwardly flared annular chamfered surface, whereby the first cylindrical surface portion of the male part acts as a centering projection upon insertion of the male part into the female part; said male and female parts being secured together by welding in the region of the first cylindrical surface of the female part and the second cylindrical surface portion of the male part.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
489 words
A ball and socket joint comprising a metallic inner ring and an outer jacket formed of a thermoplastic material; said inner ring being generally spherical in shape and being movably received and mounted in said outer jacket; said outer jacket being formed of cooperating male and female parts; said female part having an internal bore formed therein for receiving a portion of said ring and said male part, said internal bore being defined by: 1) an annular inner curved surface defining a portion of a sphere having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring and having its maximum diameter located within said female part and (2) first and second inner cylindrical surfaces formed in said female part in coaxial alignment with said annular curved surface; said first cylindrical surface being located immediately adjacent said curved surface and having a diameter greater than said maximum diameter of the curved surface thereby to define a first radially extending step in said female part; said second cylindrical surface being located immediately adjacent said first cylindrical surface and having a diameter greater than said first cylindrical surface thereby to define a second radially extending step in said female part said male part having two opposite sides and an internal bore formed therein for receiving a portion of said ring and an external peripheral surface; said internal bore of the male part being defined by an inner annular curved surface defining a portion of a sphere having minimum and maximum diameter portions located respectively on opposite sides of the male part and having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring; said external peripheral surface being radially outwardly staggered stepwise and having first, second and third coaxially aligned cylindrical surface portions; said First cylindrical surface portion being located adjacent the maximum diameter of the inner curved surface of the male part and having a diameter less than the diameter of the first cylidrical surface of the female part; said second cylindrical surface portion following said first portion and having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the first cylindrical surface of the female part; and said third cylindrical surface portion following said second portion and having a diameter which is greater than the diameter of said second portion and less than the diameter of said second cylindrical surface of the female part; thereby to define a radially extending step on said male part said first cylindrical surface portion being joined to said second cylindrical surface portion by an outwardly flared annular chamfered surface, whereby the first cylindrical surface portion of the male part acts as a centering projection upon insertion of the male part into the female part; said male and female parts being secured together by welding in the region of the first cylindrical surface of the female part and the second cylindrical surface portion of the male part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
102 words
A ball and socket joint according to claim 1, wherein said male and female parts of the outer jacket have predetermined dimensions selected such that when the parts are welded together the radial step of the male part engages the second radial step in the female part and the side of said male adjacent the maximum diameter of its inner annular curved surface is axially spaced from the first step of the female part, to define therebetween an annular groove; said female part having a radially extending bore formed therein which communicates with the groove and the exterior of the outer jacket.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A ball and socket joint according to claim 2, wherein the annular groove is filled with a lubricant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A ball and socket joint according to claim 1, wherein the outer jacket consists of a polyacetal having a ball indentation hardness of at least 1,200 kg/cm2, measured according to DIN 53, 456.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A ball and socket joint according to claim 4, wherein the polyacetal contains up to 10 per cent by weight of chalk as a filler.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A ball and socket joint according to claim 1, wherein the outer jacket consists of injection-moulded parts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
341 words
A ball and socket joint comprising an inner ring and an outer jacket formed of a thermoplastic material, said inner ring being generally spherical in shape and being movably received and mounted in said outer jacket; said outer jacket comprising cooperating male and female parts, said female part having an internal bore formed therein having first and second coaxially aligned sections for respectively receiving a portion of said ring and said male part; said first section of said bore being defined by an annular inner curved surface defining a portion of a sphere having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring and having its maximum diameter located within said female part; said male part having two opposite sides and an internal bore formed therein for receiving a portion of said ring and an external peripheral surface which is generally complementary to the second section of the bore in said female part; said internal bore of the male part being defined by an inner annular curve defining a portion of a sphere having minimum and maximum diameter portions located respectively on opposite sides of the male part and having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring whereby said male part may be inserted, in substantially mating engagement, in the second section of the bore of said female part with the side thereof adjacent the maximum diameter of its inner annular curved surface located adjacent the maximum diameter of the inner annular curved surface of the female part to retain said ring therebetween; said male and female parts being secured together by welding in the region of the second bore section of the female part said male and female parts defining an annular groove therebetween adjacent the maximum diameters of their respective inner annular curved surfaces and said female part has a radially extending bore formed therein providing communication between said annular groove and the exterior of the outer jacket through which lubricant may be injected to the ring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
341 words
A ball and socket joint comprising an inner ring and an outer jacket formed of a thermoplastic material, said inner ring being generally spherical in shape and being movably received and mounted in said outer jacket; said outer jacket comprising cooperating male and female parts, said female part having an internal bore formed therein having first and second coaxially aligned sections for respectively receiving a portion of said ring and said male part; said first section of said bore being defined by an annular inner curved surface defining a portion of a sphere having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring and having its maximum diameter located within said female part; said male part having two opposite sides and an internal bore formed therein for receiving a portion of said ring and an external peripheral surface which is generally complementary to the second section of the bore in said female part; said internal bore of the male part being defined by an inner annular curve defining a portion of a sphere having minimum and maximum diameter portions located respectively on opposite sides of the male part and having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of said ring whereby said male part may be inserted, in substantially mating engagement, in the second section of the bore of said female part with the side thereof adjacent the maximum diameter of its inner annular curved surface located adjacent the maximum diameter of the inner annular curved surface of the female part to retain said ring therebetween; said male and female parts being secured together by welding in the region of the second bore section of the female part said male and female parts defining an annular groove therebetween adjacent the maximum diameters of their respective inner annular curved surfaces and said female part has a radially extending bore formed therein providing communication between said annular groove and the exterior of the outer jacket through which lubricant may be injected to the ring.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3224916A
Cited
US3695650A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-12 | 1978-11-11 | 1979-05-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-12 | 1982-11-11 | 1983-05-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-12 | 1986-11-11 | 1987-05-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |