Ball pivot assemblies and systems and methods incorporating the same

A ball socket for use in securing a curved or angled panel to a suspended cable, comprising:

• a body having a first end, an opposing second end, and a length extending therebetween, the body including a seamless inner cylindrical surface extending from the first end toward the second end of the body, the inner cylindrical surface defining an inner chamber configured to at least partially surround a ball pivot;
• wherein the first end of the body is configured such that the at least one ball pivot can pass out of the inner chamber through the first end of the body;
• a flange extending radially outward directly from the first end of the body, the flange being configured to support a panel thereon;
• a lip extending radially from the body partially into the inner chamber, the lip being configured to prevent a ball pivot from passing out of the inner chamber through the second end of the body;
• and
• an o-ring surrounding at least a portion of an outer surface of the body, the o-ring being configured to prevent the panel from directly contacting the body irrespective of the orientation of the body.

A ball pivot assembly for securing a panel to a suspended cable, comprising:

• a substantially spherical ball pivot having a mounting channel extending axially through the ball pivot, the mounting channel being configured to allow a cable to pass there through;
• a seamless ball socket having an inner chamber configured to receive at least a portion of the ball pivot and allow the ball socket to pivot about the ball pivot between a plurality of orientations in a plurality of planes, the ball socket being configured such that the ball pivot can pass out of the inner chamber through a first end of the ball socket, the ball socket further including a flange extending radially outward from the first end of the ball socket, and a lip extending radially from a second end of the ball socket partially into the inner chamber, the lip being configured to prevent a ball pivot from passing out of the inner chamber and through a second end of the ball socket;
• an o-ring surrounding an outer surface of the ball socket, the o-ring being configured to prevent the panel from directly contacting the ball socket irrespective of the orientation of the ball socket;
• and
• a washer positioned about the outer surface of the ball socket and against a back surface of the flange, the washer being configured to rest against the panel and prevent the panel from directly contacting the ball socket.