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US 2018/0281663 A1Published application
High extraction force ball socket
AssigneeBurton Technologies, LLC
InventorJohn E. Burton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball socket for connection with a ball stud resists accidental pull-out of the ball stud. The ball socket achieves relatively low insertion force but relatively high pull-out force resistance.
Claims4
A socket comprising:
- a collar;
- a plurality of resilient tabs attached to and extending radially inward from the collar and terminating in ends, each end comprising a journal area extending at an angle relative to a remainder of the one of the plurality of resilient tabs, the journal area comprising:
- a first ball contact surface defining a first ball receiving opening of a diameter D;
- and
- a second ball contact surface, the second ball contact surface being spaced apart from the first ball contact surface, and defining a second ball receiving opening of a diameter greater than the diameter D, wherein the second ball contact surface is spaced apart from the first ball contact surface by a transition surface;
- at least one retention tab depending from the collar and including a cutout configured to permit the socket to be snap-fit into a hole in a sheet of material;
- and
- a plurality of support legs depending from the collar and forming a cavity shaped to receive a spherical portion of a ball stud and allow it to pivot and rotate therein.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.