Socket joint spacer
AssigneeFederal-Mogul Motorparts LLC
InventorsSeth Englebright, Roger Sellers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacer for a socket joint includes a plurality of dimples to help promote a more strategic telescoping crush when installed. The body of the spacer has a plurality of radial vectors extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter. The body includes a first set of dimples with one or more dimples projecting in a first direction from the body, and a second set of dimples with one or more dimples projecting in a second direction from the body. The first direction is different from the second direction, and a first dimple from the first set of dimples and a second dimple from the second set of dimples are at least partially aligned along one radial vector of the plurality of radial vectors.
Claims11
A spacer for a socket joint, comprising:
- a body extending from an inner diameter to an outer diameter, the body having a plurality of radial vectors extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter;
- a first set of dimples with one or more dimples projecting in a first direction from the body;
- and
- a second set of dimples with one or more dimples projecting in a second direction from the body, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction, and wherein a first dimple from the first set of dimples and a second dimple from the second set of dimples are at least partially aligned along one radial vector of the plurality of radial vectors, wherein the first set of dimples comprises alternating first arc length extensions and second arc length extensions, wherein the second set of dimples comprises alternating third arc length extensions and fourth arc length extensions, and wherein one or more of the first arc length extensions, the second arc length extensions, the third arc length extensions, and the fourth arc length extensions open in a radial direction.
A socket joint, comprising:
- a spacer, a first internal subcomponent, and a second internal subcomponent, the spacer comprising:
- a body extending from an inner diameter to an outer diameter, the body having a plurality of radial vectors extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter;
- a first set of dimples with one or more dimples projecting in a first direction from the body;
- and
- a second set of dimples with one or more dimples projecting in a second direction from the body, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction, and wherein a first dimple from the first set of dimples and a second dimple from the second set of dimples are at least partially aligned along one radial vector of the plurality of radial vectors;
- wherein the spacer is compressed between the first internal subcomponent and the second internal subcomponent, the spacer having first spaced contact portions contacting the first internal subcomponent and second spaced contact portions contacting the second internal subcomponent, wherein the first spaced contact portions and the second spaced contact portions are aligned along at least some radial vectors of the plurality of radial vectors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.