Precision ball joint
AssigneeCommissariat a l'Energie Atomique
InventorsDidier Brisset, Gaël Paquignon, Jean-Marie David, Gilles Diolez, Jean-Paul Perin, Denis Chatain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The joint comprises a ball (4) held between two seats (5 and 6) of the members (1, 2) to be joined, and it further comprises fittings (7, 8) bound to the members (1, 2) respectively, connected together through an intermediate jointed ring (12). A spring (13) maintains the contact between the ball and the seats. A rim (15) of the ring retains the ball (4) in case of disjunction. The ball (4) provides large accuracy in the position of the centre of rotation and the remainder of the joint maintains cohesion of the assembly.
Claims10
A joint (3) for joining two members (1,2) with each member having an end forming a concave seat surface in opposed relationship to one another and with the joint comprising a ball (4) retained between the concave seat surfaces of the two members and further comprising fittings (7,8) surrounding each of the members with one of the fittings (7) being attached to a first one of the members and with the other fitting (8) comprising a housing, a compression spring extending within the housing in an arrangement for urging said second member towards the ball (4), with the fittings further comprising shaft parts (10, 11) and a ring (12) joining the shaft parts, such that the fittings, the shaft parts and ring form a Cardan joint surrounding the ball (4).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.