Joint press
AssigneeSnap-on Incorporated
InventorScott A. Bendorf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ball joint press for installation/removal of ball joints or bushings into/from suspension components of vehicles. In general, the press includes first and second frame portions, a spine/shaft coupling the first and second frame portions together, and actuators coupled to one of the first and second frame portions. The actuators are sized and spaced such that combined forces of the actuators minimize a bending moment (and bending stress) about the shaft. The actuators may also share a feed line that provides for equal pressure across both actuators. This reduces an axis of bending of the shaft, and causes the first and second frame portions to remain substantially parallel and the force in line with an axis of motion to install or remove the ball joint.
Claims21
A joint press, comprising:
- a shaft having opposing first and second end portions;
- first and second frame portions respectively coupled to the first and second end portions, wherein the first frame portion includes an adapter coupling aperture adapted to receive a first adapter;
- and
- first and second actuators coupled to the second frame portion, wherein the first actuator includes a first actuator shaft adapted to couple to a second adapter, and the adapter coupling aperture and the first actuator shaft are substantially axially aligned with each other.
A joint press, comprising:
- a shaft having opposing first and second end portions;
- a first frame portion coupled to the first end portion, and including an adapter coupling aperture adapted to couple to a first adapter;
- a second frame portion coupled to the second end portion;
- and
- first and second actuators coupled to the second frame portion, and disposed an equal distance away from the shaft, wherein the first and second actuators respectively include first and second actuator shafts, and the first actuator shaft is adapted to couple to a second adapter and is substantially axially aligned with the adapter coupling aperture.
A joint press, comprising:
- a shaft having opposing first and second end portions;
- first and second frame portions respectively coupled to the first and second end portions;
- and
- first and second actuators coupled to the second frame portion, wherein each of the first and second actuators is coupled to a common actuator inlet port extending into the second frame portion, and the first actuator includes a first piston recess disposed in the second frame portion and a first piston disposed in the first piston recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.