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US 9,140,294 B2Granted
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.
Claims1
A socket adapted to receive a ball stud having a spherical ball, the socket comprising:
- a collar;
- and
- resilient tabs attached to and extending radially inward from the collar, the resilient tabs having ends defining an opening for receiving spherical ball, each end comprising:
- a journal area extending at an angle relative to a remainder of the resilient tab, the journal area comprising:
- a first ball contact surface defining a first hail receiving opening of a diameter D;
- and
- a second bald 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;
- a center adapted to align with the center of the spherical ball;
- wherein the journal area has a transition surface between the first ball contact surface and the second ball contract surface;
- and
- wherein the distance from the center to the transition surface is greater than the distance from the center to the first ball contact surface and is greater than the distance from the center to the second ball contact surface.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.