US4853965A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flexible joint mechanism
Assignee: Fisher Price Inc
•
Filing: 1988-02-05
•
Granted: 1989-08-01
•
Expires: 2008-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A flexible joint mechanism comprises male and female joint members for joining a microphone pole to a base member. The male joint member has a substantially spherical end surface. The female joint member has a dish-shaped end surface for receiving the spherical end surface. The dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces are held together in sliding engagement by a spring or the like. A detent is interposed between the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces for releasably holding the joint members in a vertically aligned position following movement thereof into the aligned position.
Inventors
- 👤 Chester J. Blonski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:40
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04R; H04R1/00; H04R1/08; F; F16; F16M; F16M11/00; F16M11/02; F16M11/04; F16M11/06; F16M11/10; F16M11/20; F16M11/2007; F16M11/2035; F16M11/2078; F16M11/24; F16M11/26; F16M11/28; F16M2200/00; F16M2200/06; F16M2200/065; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32008; Y10T403/32024; Y10T403/32254; Y10T403/32262; Y10T403/32311; Y10T403/32606; Y10T403/32631; Y10T403/32639; Y10T403/54
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A flexible joint mechanism for joining two parts together comprising: a female joint member having an axis and a substantially dish-shaped end surface; a male joint member having an axis and a substantially spherical end surface received by the dish-shaped end surface to allow pivotal slidable movement therebetween through a conical area; elastic means for biasing the female and male joint members together; and detent means interposed between the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces for releasably holding the joint members with the axes thereof in an aligned position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
A flexible joint mechanism for joining two parts together comprising: a female joint member having an axis and a substantially dish-shaped end surface; a male joint member having an axis and a substantially spherical end surface received by the dish-shaped end surface to allow pivotal slidable movement therebetween through a conical area; elastic means for biasing the female and male joint members together; and detent means interposed between the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces for releasably holding the joint members with the axes thereof in an aligned position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the detent means comprises an annular substantially V-shaped groove in the dish-shaped end surface, and a substantially V-shaped projection on the spherical end surface received by the V-shaped groove.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 2 wherein the V-shaped groove has one face and the V-shaped projection has one mating surface, and wherein the one face of the V-shaped groove and the one mating surface of the V-shaped projection lie in a plane perpendicular to the aligned axes when the joint members are in the aligned position for allowing rotation of one of the female and male joint members relative to the other in the aligned position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the female joint member comprises a hollow stem member having a flared skirt at one end thereof forming said dish-shaped end surface, and wherein the male joint member comprises a hollow core member having an annular laterally extending plate, and a plurality of axially extending, angularly spaced pie-shaped ribs having edges thereof secured to the plate and core member, the ribs further having free arcuate edges thereof forming the spherical end surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 4, wherein each free arcuate edge has a V-shaped projection, wherein the V-shaped groove has one face and the V-shaped projection has one mating surface, wherein the one face is at the junction of the skirt and stem, and wherein the one mating surface is at one end of each arcuate edge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 5, wherein teeth are provided on each arcuate edge to provide incremental locking adjustment of the female joint member relative to the male joint member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
108 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the elastic means comprises an elastic cord passing through the hollow stem and core members, wherein a first ring is secured to the cord for engaging one end of the stem member, wherein a second ring is secured to the cord for engaging one end of the core member, and wherein the spacing between the rings when the elastic cord is unstretched is less than the spacing between the one end of the stem member and the one end of the core member whereby the cord is stretched and tensioned for biasing the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces together.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
125 words
A flexible joint mechanism for a unitary microphone-speaker assembly for joining a microphone pole to a horizontal base member for allowing pivotal movement of the microphone pole relative to the base member, comprising: a vertical socket in the base member; a hollow male joint member having an axis and having one end coupled to the plug member and its opposite end provided with a substantially spherical end surface; a hollow female joint member having an axis and having a dish-shaped end surface at one end for slidably receiving the spherical end surface over a contact surface, the opposite end of the female joint member being connected to the microphone pole; and elastic means for biasing the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces together in sliding engagement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
125 words
A flexible joint mechanism for a unitary microphone-speaker assembly for joining a microphone pole to a horizontal base member for allowing pivotal movement of the microphone pole relative to the base member, comprising: a vertical socket in the base member; a hollow male joint member having an axis and having one end coupled to the plug member and its opposite end provided with a substantially spherical end surface; a hollow female joint member having an axis and having a dish-shaped end surface at one end for slidably receiving the spherical end surface over a contact surface, the opposite end of the female joint member being connected to the microphone pole; and elastic means for biasing the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces together in sliding engagement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 8, wherein detent means are interposed between the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces for releasably holding the male and female joint members with the axes thereof in a vertically aligned position when the microphone pole is moved into a vertical position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the detent means comprises an annular substantially V-shaped groove in the dish-shaped end surface, and a substantially V-shaped projection on the spherical end surface received by the V-shaped groove.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
73 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the V-shaped groove has one face and the V-shaped projection has one mating surface, and wherein the one face of the V-shaped groove and the one mating surface of the V-shaped projection lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis in the aligned position of the joint members for allowing rotation of one of the female and male joint members relative to the other.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
82 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 11 wherein the male joint member comprises a hollow core member having an annular laterally extending plate, and wherein a plurality of axially extending, angularly spaced pie-shaped ribs have edges thereof secured to the plate and core member, the ribs further having free arcuate edges thereof forming the spherical end surface and wherein the female joint member comprises a hollow stem member having a flared skirt at one end thereof forming the dish-shaped end surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 12 wherein each free arcuate edge has a V-shaped projection, wherein the V-shaped groove has one face and the V-shaped projection has one mating surface, wherein the one face is at the junction of the skirt and stem, and wherein the one mating surface is at one end of each arcuate edge.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 13, wherein teeth are provided on each arcuate edge to provide incremental locking adjustment of the female joint member relative to the male joint member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
108 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the elastic means comprises an elastic cord passing through the hollow stem member and core member, wherein a first ring is secured to the cord for engaging one end of the stem member, wherein a second ring is secured to the cord for engaging one end of the core member, and wherein the spacing between the rings when the cord is unstretched is less than the spacing between the one end of the stem member and the one end of the core member whereby the cord is stretched and tensioned for biasing the dish-shaped and spherical end surfaces together.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 15, wherein a flexible cylindrical hollow bellows encircles the male and female joint members, the bellows having one end connected to one end of the male joint member and its opposite end connected to the opposite end of the female joint member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
74 words
A flexible joint mechanism according to claim 15, wherein a speaker is mounted within the base member, and wherein means are provided for electrically coupling the microphone to the speaker, the electrical coupling means comprising a pair of spaced contact rings on the play member electrically connected to the microphone, and a pair of spring clips on the base member electrically connected to the speaker and spring biased into engagement with the contact rings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1317903A
Cited
US892105A
Cited
US1333432A
Cited
US2185164A
Cited
US2532173A
Cited
US2865978A
Cited
GB911419A
Cited
US3278207A
Cited
US3324254A
Cited
US3963037A
Cited
US3986692A
Cited
US4066231A
Cited
US4222680A
Cited
US4167354A
Cited
US4585197A
Cited
US4767231A
Cited
US4609302A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-07-31 | 1993-01-30 | 1993-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-07-31 | 1997-01-30 | 1997-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-07-31 | 2001-01-30 | 2001-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |