US3849010A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual seat socket joint
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
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Filing: 1973-05-02
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Granted: 1974-11-19
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Expires: 1993-05-02
Abstract
Abstract A dual seat ball and socket joint useful in automotive steering linkages and wheel suspensions, having a rigid load carrying bearing ring supporting the ball end of a ball stud in a housing and a split resilient wear take up bearing ring in the housing axially spaced from the load carrying ring and spring-urged axially against the ball end toward the load carrying ring and radially against the housing to maintain the joint components in bearing engagement. The axial shifting of the wear take-up bearing toward the load carrying bearing is arrested before the load carrying bearing wears sufficiently to permit the ball from being pulled out of the housing. The radial spring loading of the wear take-up bearing wedges this bearing into tight engagement with the housing to prevent shifting of the bearing away from the load carrying bearing and thereby preventing unseating of the ball.
Inventors
- 👤 E Herbenar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:20
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C11/00; F16C11/04; F16C11/06; F16C11/0619; F16C11/0623; F16C11/0628; F16C11/0633; F16C11/0638; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32606; Y10T403/32631; Y10T403/32737; Y10T403/32762
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A ball and socket joint adapted for automotive steering linkages and wheel suspensions which comprises a ball ended stud, a housing receiving the ball end of the stud, a load carrying bearing in the housing receiving a portion of the ball end of the stud in tiltable and rotatable relation, a split wear take-up bearing in the housing spaced from the load carrying bearing receiving a portion of the ball end of the stud projecting from the load carrying bearing, a coil spring compressed in the housing urging the wear take-up bearing toward the load carrying bearing, and said wear take-up bearing having a tapered end wall converging toward the ball end of the stud receiving the end coil of the spring thereagainst to convert a portion of the axial load of the spring on the wear take-up bearing into a radial expansion force wedging the wear take-up bearing in the housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A ball and socket joint adapted for automotive steering linkages and wheel suspensions which comprises a ball ended stud, a housing receiving the ball end of the stud, a load carrying bearing in the housing receiving a portion of the ball end of the stud in tiltable and rotatable relation, a split wear take-up bearing in the housing spaced from the load carrying bearing receiving a portion of the ball end of the stud projecting from the load carrying bearing, a coil spring compressed in the housing urging the wear take-up bearing toward the load carrying bearing, and said wear take-up bearing having a tapered end wall converging toward the ball end of the stud receiving the end coil of the spring thereagainst to convert a portion of the axial load of the spring on the wear take-up bearing into a radial expansion force wedging the wear take-up bearing in the housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The joint of claim 1 wherein the load carrying bearing is a rigid ring and the wear take-up bearing is a resilient split ring With a tapered end wall confronting the spring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The joint of claim 2 wherein the wear take-up bearing has a recess receiving the spring and the tapered end wall converges upwardly and inwardly from the periphery of the recess to the inner periphery of the ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The joint of claim 1 wherein the housing has a first cylindrical bore receiving the load carrying ring and a second larger diameter cylindrical bore receiving the wear take-up bearing with a step between the two bores limiting the movement of the wear take-up bearing toward the load carrying bearing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The joint of claim 1 wherein the wear take-up bearing, in its free state, has a gap between the split ends thereof and has deep grease grooves extending axially through its inner periphery to increase the wrap around flexibility of the ring on the ball end of the stud.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
190 words
A ball and socket joint which comprises a ball stud having a full ball end and a shank extending therefrom, a housing having a cavity receiving the ball end of the stud therein, a lip at one end of the cavity defining a throat receiving the shank of the stud freely therethrough, a closure plate closing the opposite end of the cavity, a rigid bearing ring pressed in said cavity against said lip and embracing the portion of the ball end of the stud adjacent the shank, a split resilient wear take-up ring slidable in said housing and axially spaced from the rigid ring embracing the portion of the ball end of the stud projecting from the rigid ring, said split ring having a tapered end wall in spaced opposed relation from the closure plate and converging radially inward and axially away from the closure plate, and a conical coil spring having the small diameter coil thereof bottomed on the closure plate and the large diameter end coil thereof bottomed on said tapered end wall of the split ring to expand the split ring into wedged engagement with the housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
190 words
A ball and socket joint which comprises a ball stud having a full ball end and a shank extending therefrom, a housing having a cavity receiving the ball end of the stud therein, a lip at one end of the cavity defining a throat receiving the shank of the stud freely therethrough, a closure plate closing the opposite end of the cavity, a rigid bearing ring pressed in said cavity against said lip and embracing the portion of the ball end of the stud adjacent the shank, a split resilient wear take-up ring slidable in said housing and axially spaced from the rigid ring embracing the portion of the ball end of the stud projecting from the rigid ring, said split ring having a tapered end wall in spaced opposed relation from the closure plate and converging radially inward and axially away from the closure plate, and a conical coil spring having the small diameter coil thereof bottomed on the closure plate and the large diameter end coil thereof bottomed on said tapered end wall of the split ring to expand the split ring into wedged engagement with the housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ball and socket joint of claim 6 wherein the portion of the housing cavity receiving the split ring is cylindrical.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ball and socket joint of claim 6 wherein the portion of the housing cavity receiving the split ring converges from the closure plate toward the lip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ball and socket joint of claim 6 wherein the rigid ring is composed of metal and the split ring is composed of a plastics material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ball and socket joint of claim 6 wherein the tapered end wall of the split ring has a taper of about 45*.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-18 | 1978-05-20 | 1978-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-18 | 1982-05-20 | 1982-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-18 | 1986-05-20 | 1986-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |