Patents by Inventor Kurt R. Bretz
Kurt R. Bretz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11209043Abstract: The socket assembly has a housing with an inner bore which extends from a first end to a second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and presents a curved bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with the ball portion. A first spring biases the backing bearing against the ball portion. The socket assembly also includes an exit bearing with a cylindrical portion that is in contact with an equator of the ball portion and a semi-spherical portion that is in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere from the first bearing surface. A second spring biases the exit bearing into a predetermined location established by the housing. The exit bearing is movable from the predetermined location in a direction towards the second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLCInventors: Glen C. Parker, Kurt R. Bretz, Brennan Sugg, Eric M. Kopsie
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Patent number: 10544825Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore which extends along an axis from a first end to an second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore, and with a shank portion of the ball stud projects through the second end. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and has a bearing surface which is in surface-to-surface contact with an outer surface of the ball portion for enabling relative rotation between the housing and the ball stud. The backing bearing also has a lubricant opening which extends therethrough and a plurality of lubricant wells which are spaced around the bearing surface from one another for holding a lubricant. The backing bearing lubricant grooves which are formed into the bearing surface and extend from the lubricant opening to the lubricant wells for filling the lubricant wells with lubricant.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLCInventors: Glen C. Parker, Kurt R. Bretz
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Publication number: 20190353201Abstract: The socket assembly has a housing with an inner bore which extends from a first end to a second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and presents a curved bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with the ball portion. A first spring biases the backing bearing against the ball portion. The socket assembly also includes an exit bearing with a cylindrical portion that is in contact with an equator of the ball portion and a semi-spherical portion that is in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere from the first bearing surface. A second spring biases the exit bearing into a predetermined location established by the housing. The exit bearing is movable from the predetermined location in a direction towards the second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2019Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventors: GLEN C. PARKER, KURT R. BRETZ, BRENNAN SUGG, ERIC M. KOPSIE
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Patent number: 10371195Abstract: The socket assembly has a housing with an inner bore which extends from a first end to a second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and presents a curved bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with the ball portion. A first spring biases the backing bearing against the ball portion. The socket assembly also includes an exit bearing with a cylindrical portion that is in contact with an equator of the ball portion and a semi-spherical portion that is in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere from the first bearing surface. A second spring biases the exit bearing into a predetermined location established by the housing. The exit bearing is movable from the predetermined location in a direction towards the second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLCInventors: Glen C. Parker, Kurt R. Bretz, Brennan Sugg, Eric M. Kopsie
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Patent number: 10294983Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore that extends from a wall at a closed end to an open end. A ball stud is received in the inner bore, and a shank portion of the ball stud projects out through the open end. A backing bearing is movably disposed in the inner bore. The backing bearing presents a bearing surface which is in sliding contact with a ball portion of the ball stud. An exit bearing is locked into a fixed position within the inner bore and has another bearing surface which is in sliding contact with the ball portion. A spring is positioned between the wall and the backing bearing and imparts a preload force against the backing bearing. The wall is deformed to preload the spring against the backing bearing and reduce clearances between components in the socket assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLCInventors: Glen C. Parker, Kurt R. Bretz, Brennan Sugg
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Publication number: 20170356489Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore that extends from a wall at a closed end to an open end. A ball stud is received in the inner bore, and a shank portion of the ball stud projects out through the open end. A backing bearing is movably disposed in the inner bore. The backing bearing presents a bearing surface which is in sliding contact with a ball portion of the ball stud. An exit bearing is locked into a fixed position within the inner bore and has another bearing surface which is in sliding contact with the ball portion. A spring is positioned between the wall and the backing bearing and imparts a preload force against the backing bearing. The wall is deformed to preload the spring against the backing bearing and reduce clearances between components in the socket assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2016Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventors: Glen C. Parker, JR., Kurt R. Bretz, Brennan Sugg
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Publication number: 20170350441Abstract: The socket assembly has a housing with an inner bore which extends from a first end to a second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and presents a curved bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with the ball portion. A first spring biases the backing bearing against the ball portion. The socket assembly also includes an exit bearing with a cylindrical portion that is in contact with an equator of the ball portion and a semi-spherical portion that is in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere from the first bearing surface. A second spring biases the exit bearing into a predetermined location established by the housing. The exit bearing is movable from the predetermined location in a direction towards the second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2016Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Glen C. Parker, JR., Kurt R. Bretz, Brennan Sugg, Eric Kopsie
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Publication number: 20170130767Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore which extends along an axis from a first end to an second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore, and with a shank portion of the ball stud projects through the second end. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and has a bearing surface which is in surface-to-surface contact with an outer surface of the ball portion for enabling relative rotation between the housing and the ball stud. The backing bearing also has a lubricant opening which extends therethrough and a plurality of lubricant wells which are spaced around the bearing surface from one another for holding a lubricant. The backing bearing lubricant grooves which are formed into the bearing surface and extend from the lubricant opening to the lubricant wells for filling the lubricant wells with lubricant.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2016Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Glen C. Parker, JR., Kurt R. Bretz