Rotatable bushing
AssigneeMF IP Holding, LLC
InventorChristopher Paul Cox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotatable bushing for use in automotive suspension, steering, and other suitable joints is provided. The rotatable bushing includes a housing, an elastomeric portion engaging the outer surface of the housing, and a sleeve positioned within the housing. The sleeve is configured to rotate with respect to the housing and generally includes a central bore for receiving a rod or fastener therethrough. The elastomeric portion is configured to deform such that the sleeve is moveable in at least one of an axial direction and a radial direction with respect to an outer surface of the elastomeric portion.
Claims20
A bushing, comprising:
- a housing having an aperture extending therethrough along an axis, the housing having an outer surface extending circumferentially about the axis;
- an elastomeric portion coupled to the outer surface of the housing;
- and
- a first sleeve positioned within the aperture and retained in a first axial direction, the first sleeve being rotatable about the axis with respect to the housing and the elastomeric portion, the first sleeve having a first central bore extending in the direction of the axis, wherein the first sleeve is moveable in at least one of an axial direction and a radial direction with respect to an outer surface of the elastomeric portion by deformation of the elastomeric portion.
A rotatable bushing, comprising:
- a housing having an aperture extending therethrough along an axis, the housing having an outer surface extending circumferentially about the axis;
- an elastomeric portion coupled to the outer surface of the housing;
- a first sleeve positioned within the aperture and retained in a first axial direction, the first sleeve being rotatable about the axis with respect to the housing and the elastomeric portion, the first sleeve having a first central bore extending in the direction of the axis, wherein the first sleeve is moveable in at least one of an axial direction and a radial direction with respect to an outer surface of the elastomeric portion by deformation of the elastomeric portion;
- and
- a joining member having an eye loop surrounding the outer surface of the elastomeric portion, wherein a rotational force applied to the first sleeve causes rotation of the first sleeve with respect to the housing and thereby substantially prevents wrapping deformation of the elastomeric portion by rotation of the housing and an interior surface of the elastomeric portion relative to the outer surface of the elastomeric portion and the joining member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.