Oil filled pin joint with pressure relieving buffer member

Abstract

The present oil filled pin joint includes at least one buffer member for absorbing rapid pressure increases or spikes in the oil contained in the joint. The present pin joint includes a pin, at least two opposed members joined by the pin for movement one relative to the other, the members defining a space therebetween, and at least one seal disposed between the opposed members sealably enclosing the space. The at least one buffer member is disposed in communication with the space, the space having a volume defined by the opposed members, the at least one seal, and the at least one buffer member. The space is at least substantially filled with oil and the opposed members are relatively movable to effectively trap at least some of the oil in the space and pressurize the trapped oil, the at least one buffer member being resiliently compressible by the pressurized trapped oil to reduce the pressurization to avoid damaging the at least one seal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.