Pivot joint assembly
AssigneeFederal-Mogul Motorparts LLC
InventorsSidney Paerewyck, Johannes Kankare
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The pivot joint assembly includes a housing with an opening which extends along an axis. A bearing is received in the opening and which has a cylindrical outer surface that is in slidable contact with another surface so that the bearing can slide in an axial direction relative to the housing. The bearing has a curved inner bearing surface. The pivot joint assembly also includes an inner ring with a curved outer surface that is in slidable contact with the curved inner bearing surface of the bearing so that the inner ring can rotate and articulate relative to the housing.
Claims13
A vehicle suspension system, comprising:
- a knuckle;
- a control arm;
- a joint assembly operably connecting said knuckle with said control arm while providing said knuckle with three rotational degrees of freedom and one translational degree of freedom for moving relative to said control arm, said joint assembly comprising;
- a housing fixedly attached with said control arm;
- a housing with an opening which extends along an axis;
- a bearing received in said opening of said housing and having a cylindrical outer surface;
- said bearing having a curved inner bearing surface;
- an inner ring having a curved outer bearing surface that is in slidable contact with said curved inner bearing surface of said bearing so that said inner ring can rotate and articulate relative to said housing;
- said inner ring being fixedly attached with said knuckle;
- and
- an outer ring received in said opening of said housing and having a cylindrical inner surface, said cylindrical inner surface being in slidable contact with said cylindrical outer surface of said bearing so that said bearing can slide in an axial direction relative to said housing.
A pivot joint assembly, comprising:
- a housing with an opening which extends along an axis;
- a bearing received in said opening of said housing and having a cylindrical outer surface;
- said bearing having a curved inner bearing surface and a plurality of slots spaced circumferentially from one another and in communication with the inner bearing surface;
- an inner ring having a curved outer bearing surface that is in slidable contact with said curved inner bearing surface of said bearing so that said inner ring can rotate and articulate relative to said housing;
- and
- an outer ring received in said opening of said housing and having a cylindrical inner surface that is in slidable contact with said cylindrical outer surface of said bearing so that said bearing can slide in an axial direction relative to said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.