Ball and socket
AssigneeDowco, Inc.
InventorTim James
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A joint can be used between two structures to allow the structures to be rotatably connected at a variety of angles while increasing the pull-out resistance and decreasing rattling. The joint has a first portion connected to a structure and a second portion connected to a structure. The first and second portions are also connected to one another via a ball and socket connection and a pin.
Claims21
A joint comprising:
- a ball portion having a ball with a bore formed therein;
- a forked portion having a first and second fork that form a socket, each of the first and second fork having a hole formed therein;
- a pin sized to extend through the bore and each hole when the ball is within the socket to pivotally attach the ball portion and forked portion.
The joint of claim 9 wherein a portion of the socket engages the ball when the ball is within the socket and the portion is made from a material different than a material from which the forked portion is made.
A joint comprising:
- a first body having a ball;
- a sleeve being generally “U” shaped and sized to receive the ball;
- a second body having a socket sized and shaped to receive the sleeve;
- and
- a fastener positioned through a first portion of the socket, the sleeve and the ball and engaged with a second portion of the socket to retain the ball in the sleeve and the sleeve in the socket.
A joint for connecting a first structure to a second structure, the joint comprising:
- a forked body further comprising:
- a first prong with a first hole formed therein;
- a second prong with a second hole formed therein, the first and second prongs forming a socket;
- and
- a concavity on an end of the forked body adapted to receive the first structure, wherein the forked body is secured to the first structure by a fastener that extends through the first structure and into the end of the forked body;
- a ball body further comprising:
- a ball portion with a bore formed therein;
- and
- a boss adapted to be received by the second structure;
- and
- a pin received within the first hole, bore and second hole when the ball portion is within the socket;
- wherein the bore is larger than the pin such that the ball portion can rotate about an axis different than an axis of the pin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.