Of Sphere, I.e., Ball, In Socket Patents (Class 29/441.1)
  • Patent number: 11864681
    Abstract: Disclosed is a disposable curtain system, a hook attachment and a quick-release system therefor and method. The disposable curtain system is for use in health care facilities to maintain a clean environment. The disposable curtain system includes: a hook attachment; an extension, operatively attached to the hook attachment; and a quick-release, operatively attached to the extension and adapted to be attached to a curtain. The quick-release includes; an extension attachment; and a curtain attachment, wherein at least one of the curtain attachment and the extension attachment has a neck and a head and the other of the curtain attachment and the extension attachment has at least one of a cradle or receiver for receiving the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BANNACK MEDICAL LLC
    Inventors: Arlen Olsen, Joel Price, Laurinda Olsen, Joshua Olsen
  • Patent number: 11794321
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle suspension component includes inserting a cover body into an aperture of a housing, the cover body being disposed about a central axis concentric with the aperture of the housing, the cover body having a convex side and a concave side and an outer perimeter disposed about the central axis, the cover body defining a threaded bore concentric with the central axis, and deforming the cover body into retaining engagement with the housing by pressing against the convex side until the cover body is at least partial deformed and the outer perimeter is expanded compared to a pre-deformed state of the cover body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLC
    Inventors: Johnny Parris, Dustin Schrieber, Glen C Parker
  • Patent number: 11707126
    Abstract: A cosmetic container includes a cosmetic container unit having a cosmetic storage space unit in which cosmetic storage space is formed; a ball-rolling support unit provided at one end of the cosmetic container unit to form a circular ring-shaped ball-rolling support concave groove; a massage ball holder which has a ball support hole surface unit having at least one ball support hole formed therein and is coupled to the cosmetic container unit such that the ball support hole is aligned to the ball-rolling support concave groove; and a massage ball installed to roll in a state in which a partial area thereof is exposed to the outside through the ball support hole and a part thereof is inserted in the ball-rolling support concave groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: TAESUNG INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Min Jun Cho
  • Patent number: 11660905
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a ball pen tip, in which a spring for biasing a ball is assembled to the ball pen tip, includes punching the ball pen tip by a punch from a rear end of the ball pen tip along a central axis direction of the ball pen tip to form a plastic flow ridge formed by plastic flow upheaving radially inward from an inner peripheral wall surface of the ball pen tip to assemble the spring to the ball pen tip by the plastic flow ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: KOTOBUKI & CO. LTD., SUHAN CORPORATION, MICROTIP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Byun Young Jae
  • Patent number: 11389778
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a catalytic reactor assembly having an outer tube and an inner tube is provided. The method may include inserting a catalyst into the outer tube and inserting the inner tube through the catalyst. The method may further include radially expanding the inner tube against the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp.
    Inventors: Scott Blanchet, Zhijiang Li
  • Patent number: 10960916
    Abstract: A collapsible steering column assembly includes: a mounting bracket having a pair of arms and is configured to be fixed to a vehicle body; a supporting housing which is disposed between the pair of arms to be tiltable about the mounting bracket; a steering column which passes through the supporting housing so as to be able to undergo a tilt motion together with the supporting housing; and a locking device which is configured to be in a locking state or an unlocking state to selectively allow a telescopic motion and a tilt motion of the steering column by selectively applying clamping force to the pair of arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ERAE AMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-Kwang Kim, Duck-Moo Jung, Ho Cheol Son, Jae Won Jung, Min Young Choi, Hwan Gong Moon, Moo Young Park, Se-Hun Jung
  • Patent number: 10619733
    Abstract: A shift lever assembly for an automatic transmission vehicle is provided. A moderate feeling experienced by a driver is provided by using magnetic forces of a bullet magnet and a groove magnet when moving a shift lever in a shift direction and in a select direction. Since the bullet magnet and the groove magnet are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to avoid coming into contact with each other within a range affected by magnetic forces thereof, damage due to wear is prevented and operating noise is reduced significantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Yong Ik Kim, Bum Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 10473146
    Abstract: The ball socket assembly includes a housing with an open interior which extends along an axis. A bearing is disposed in the open interior of the housing and has a curved primary contact surface which surrounds the axis and surrounds a stud ball opening. A stud ball is disposed in the opening and is in sliding contact with the primary contact surface for allowing rotation of the stud ball relative to the bearing. The stud ball has an equator and is in sliding contact with the bearing on both sides of the equator. A stud is operably connected with the stud ball. A shoe is further provided and has a pair of supplemental contact surfaces that are biased against the stud ball. The shoe provides the stud with a predetermined rotational torque and also adjusts for wear in the assembly to maintain the performance of the socket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLC
    Inventor: Alexander Karpman
  • Patent number: 10433932
    Abstract: A distalizer including a mesial element and a distal element, and an arm connecting the distal element with the mesial element. The arm includes a ball member at one end and the distal element includes a receptacle for receiving the ball member. A method includes providing the distal element with an opening into the receptacle that is large enough to introduce the ball member substantially without deformation, introducing the ball member into the receptacle, and reducing the opening of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: ORTHODONTIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, S.L.
    Inventor: Luis Carriere Lluch
  • Patent number: 10436250
    Abstract: To provide a retainer for a thrust bearing, which is to be assembled and decomposed regularly for being washed, having superior ball retaining performance itself and being attached and detached easily, and a thrust bearing having the retainer. A retainer for a thrust bearing 1, which retains a plurality balls intervened between a pair of raceway rings in a thrust bearing, is formed of a ring shaped plate member 2 formed of an injection molded body of a resin composition containing fluororesin, which is capable of injection molding, as a base resin. The ring shaped plate member 2 includes a plurality of ball pockets 3 in a circumferential direction of a ring shape. Each of the ball pockets 3 includes a claw portion divided into two portions 3a or more to retain a ball 5 in a detachable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Shimoda, Yuusuke Doi
  • Patent number: 10294983
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLC
    Inventors: Glen C. Parker, Kurt R. Bretz, Brennan Sugg
  • Patent number: 10087983
    Abstract: This invention relates to a joint housing (10) of a ball joint (12), comprising a sheet-metal part (14) for accommodating a ball head (16), which is substantially rotationally symmetrical with respect to a joint axis (A) and includes a circumferential wall portion (18), wherein the circumferential wall portion (18) includes a housing opening (26) at an axial end (24), through which a joint pin (28) can extend, wherein the sheet-metal part (14) is formed with two layers at this axial end (24) of the circumferential wall portion (18). Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for mounting such joint housing (10) on a carrier element (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: THK RHYTIIM AUTOMOTIVE GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Forthaus, Lothar Schaumann, Harald Walter
  • Patent number: 10001169
    Abstract: A cage for a double row roller bearing assembly is disclosed. The cage includes an annular rim and two pluralities of webs. A first plurality of roller pockets are defined between adjacent ones of a first plurality of webs. Each of the webs of the first plurality of webs includes two first prongs and a first slot defined between the two first prongs. A first partial cylindrical guide surface is arranged on each first lateral surface of the first plurality of webs, and a first undercut is defined between each of the first lateral surfaces and the annular rim. Two adjacent ones of the first prongs are elastically deformable away from one another for insertion of a roller. A second plurality of webs are also provided with the same features as the first plurality of webs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dariusz Sobocinski
  • Patent number: 9976599
    Abstract: A bearing assembly includes an outer race, an inner race, a bearing interface, and a nut. The outer race has a head end and a base end. The head end includes a flange having a countersink lip formed on an underside of the flange. The outer race includes an externally threaded portion terminating at the base end. The inner race is circumscribed by the outer race. The bearing interface is located between and rotatably couples the inner race to the outer race. The nut is configured to be threadably engaged to the externally threaded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Forrest E. Richardson, Lance A. Cutler
  • Patent number: 9891136
    Abstract: A method for determining a bearing setting of a bearing in a shaft assembly, in which the shaft assembly includes a housing and a shaft rotatable with respect to the housing, with the bearing including a first bearing part coupled to the shaft and a second bearing part coupled to the housing, includes positioning a first portion of a measuring device in direct or indirect contact with the housing and a second portion of the measuring device in direct or indirect contact with the shaft. The method also includes measuring with the measuring device a parameter indicative of an amount of contact between the first bearing part and the second bearing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Douglas K. Brownell, Stacy K. Worley, Kyle K. McKinzie, Robert L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9796074
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a removable handle (1) for a surgical rasp (2) or similar, the handle (1) and the rasp (2) cooperating, at right angles to their joining ends, via contact faces which at least intersect the mean direction of transmission of the forces between the handle (1) and the rasp (2), said handle (1) having a detachable assembly device (5) and being characterized in that the detachable assembly device (5) has, on the one hand, a means of assembly (6) by engagement in a direction generally perpendicular to said contact faces and using at least two complementary elements, namely a hollow tenon (7) and a mortice (8), and, on the other hand, a locking means (9) for locking said complementary elements (7, 8) in their engaged position, that is to say when the removable handle (1) and the rasp (2) are joined together, with their contact faces applied against each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ETABLISSEMENTS MAURICE MARLE
    Inventor: Lionel Mugnier
  • Patent number: 9677614
    Abstract: A cage for a rolling bearing, wherein the cage is intended to ensure the circumferential spacing of a row of rolling elements. The cage comprises pockets for the rolling elements and connecting tabs. Each connecting tab connects two successive pockets. At least one recess is formed in a thickness of at least one of the tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Laurent Varnoux, Thierry Adane, Thomas Perrotin
  • Patent number: 9587679
    Abstract: A rolling-element bearing in which a rolling element is retained in each of retaining openings formed in a retainer and method for manufacturing the bearing are provided. Each retaining opening is defined by a pair of inner side faces facing each other, and a pair of inner end faces facing each other. In the manufacturing method, with a support die being brought into contact with one of the inner side faces and the inner end faces of one of the retaining openings, the outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the retainer are pressed by an outer punch and an inner punch. Accordingly, on at least one of the inner side faces and the inner end faces, a first retaining piece and a second retaining piece for preventing the rolling element from falling off are formed on the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface of the retainer, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Hirata
  • Patent number: 9555538
    Abstract: A component part has an over-molded integrally formed insert member. The insert member has a predetermined feature. In addition, an end portion of the predetermined feature is exposed and free from over-molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Inventor: Rex Blakeman
  • Patent number: 9487070
    Abstract: System for covering a truck bed includes side rails attachable to bed rails of the truck. The side rails include mounting positions. The system includes clamps to secure the side rails to the bed rails and a cover positioned above the side rails. The cover includes a first panel and a second panel positioned rearward of the first panel. The cover includes cover rails coupled near ends of the first panel and near ends of the second panel. The cover includes hinges positioned between the cover rails of the first panel and the second panel to pivotably couple the first panel with the second panel. The cover includes mounting features coupled with the cover rails of the first panel and mounting features coupled with the mounting positions. Rods are coupled with the cover rail mounting features and the mounting position mounting features to maintain the cover in a folded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: CIXI CITY LIYUAN AUTO PARTS CO., LTD
    Inventor: Enli Xu
  • Patent number: 9388856
    Abstract: An end in an axial direction of a cage includes a first end face located so as to surround a pocket, a plurality of claw-shaped protrusions that protrude from a periphery of the pocket in a first end face outward in an axial direction and toward a center of the pocket and extend along the periphery at intervals, and a second end face that is connected to an end of the first end face, which is located on the opposite side of the first end face from the pocket side, via a step and is located further outward in the axial direction than the first end face. A recess is defined by the claw-shaped protrusions, the first end face, and the step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9321296
    Abstract: A flat-pen automatic assembly line system includes a worktable, two sprockets, and an endless loop driving chain connecting the two sprockets. The two sprockets are mounted at the two ends of the worktable, respectively. A plurality of jigs on the driving chain receives pen barrels. A transporting rail supporting the driving chain is provided between the two sprockets. A pen-cap mounting station and a pen-cap pressing station are provided on the same worktable successively, and the pen-cap pressing station is provided with an automatic pen-cap pressing machine. The pen-cap mounting process and the pen-cap pressing process are completed on the same worktable and these two processes are linked via the same driving chain. Therefore, the assembly time is shortened and the assembly efficiency is improved. Furthermore, the pen-cap pressing process may employ an automatic pen-cap pressing machine. Therefore, labor can be reduced further, and assembly efficiency can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Beifa Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cailiang Dong, Feng Zhu
  • Patent number: 8893368
    Abstract: A pivot joint assembly has a first part with a hole. A pivot pin passes through the hole. A second part is carried by the pivot pin to be rotatable relative to the first part. A bush has an annular sleeve with an inner face engaging the pivot pin and an outer face engaging a bore wall of the first part. A sealing ring between the bush and the first part. The sealing ring has a body attached to the first part, and a sealing member extending away from the body in a radial direction to a sealing lip which engages the bush without being attached thereto. The sealing member is resiliently compressed to urge the sealing lip towards the bush to maintain engagement with the bush in the event that the bush moves away from the body in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventors: Jey Williams, Colin West
  • Patent number: 8864155
    Abstract: Injection molding is performed such that the reinforced resin is injected into the cavity and the space. The fixing portion shown is formed at the bottom portion side of the side surface portion of the main body portion by the injection molding. In this case, the fixing protrusion stripe portion, which is fitted to the fixing groove portion of the main body portion, is formed at the fixing portion. The projection portion projecting from the hole portion of the housing to an external portion is formed at the bottom portion of the fixing portion, and the projection portion is formed to have the shape engaging with the outer surface of the bottom portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20140212205
    Abstract: A joint housing of a ball joint comprises a sheet-metal part for accommodating a ball head, which is substantially rotationally symmetrical with respect to a joint axis and includes a circumferential wall portion, wherein the circumferential wall portion includes a housing opening at an axial end, through which a joint pin can extend, wherein the sheet-metal part is formed with two layers at this axial end of the circumferential wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Forthaus, Lothar Schaumann, Harald Walter
  • Patent number: 8745838
    Abstract: A ball joint assembly for attaching a cutting unit to a yoke includes a two piece ball positioned around the yoke, and a ball housing attached to the end of a lift arm and mounted over the two piece ball and securing the two piece ball to the yoke. The ball housing may have stops limiting angular movement of the two piece ball and the yoke with respect to the ball housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: David Lawrence Phillips, Michael Joseph Buchheit, Jennifer Lynn Jaramillo, Paul Robert Heide
  • Patent number: 8261424
    Abstract: A spring plunger for insertion into an aperture, the spring plunger including a body having a recess and a proximal opening to the recess surrounded by a chamfered rim with the chamfered rim extending at least partially across the recess. A coil spring and plunger are retained within the recess, with the plunger abutting the coil spring and contacting the chamfered rim. Also, a method of manufacturing a spring plunger and a method of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Northwestern Tools, Inc.
    Inventors: James Thomeczek, Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 8122577
    Abstract: A ball joint 10 includes a first member 12 having a ball section 14 and a second member 15 having a socket 16. Ball section 14 is accommodated and supported inside socket 16. A pair of dies 20, 30 sandwich a wall 18 surrounding an opening 17 of the socket 16, and are configured to approach each other gradually, utilizing small repetitive vibrations that include an approaching and separating action, thereby intermittently pressing the wall in an inward radial direction. During each interval of the intermittent pressing action, a supporting and rotating device 40 rotates socket 16 (second member 15) in small increments about a central axis C2 of socket 16. Consequently, dies 20 and 30 successively press against a multitude of points on the circumference of the outer surface of wall 18 of the socket, thereby bending wall 18 inward so as to reduce the diameter thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ogino Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Akira Ogino
  • Patent number: 7946018
    Abstract: An assembly apparatus for assembling a ball screw device includes a support block, a nut arranged in a longitudinal direction, a nut reception base that arranges the nut so that its axial direction towards vertical direction of the assembly apparatus and that supports the nut so as to elevate the nut with respect to the support block, a temporary shaft inserted into an inner diameter side of the nut arranged on the nut reception base and rotatably supported by the support block, an inclined face provided at a forward end portion of the temporary shaft, for guiding balls into the nut raceway groove and a pushing mechanism that has elasticity in the radial direction of the temporary shaft and that pushes balls which are fed into the nut raceway groove by a forward end portion protruding from the outer circumferential face of the temporary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Tokura, Kazuyasu Chiba, Zongxuan Zhang
  • Patent number: 7854053
    Abstract: A method of attaching a ball lock pin. A bushing assembly is inserted in a first object such that an outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object. A plurality of locking balls disposed on a shaft of the ball lock pin is inserted into the bushing assembly. The plurality of locking balls is outwardly urged to engage a first engagement portion of an inner surface of the bushing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Mark A. Schmier, II
  • Patent number: 7644500
    Abstract: A method for assembling a ball and socket assembly (10) includes loading a housing (14) with a resilient preload washer (28), an inner bearing (30), a ball stud (12) and an outer bearing (36). A loading tool (50) forcefully compresses the assembled components, as a unit, to an overload compression condition (54), and then reduces the compression until an ideal compression condition (56) is achieved. The outer bearing (36) is staked in position while the loading tool (50) holds the assembled components in the ideal compression condition (56). Following the staking operation, the loading tool (50) can be removed, and a final crimping operation permanently sets the outer bearing (36) in position and holds the articulating components in the ideal, pre-load clearance established. The subject method is particularly well-suited for high production set-ups in which precise pre-load clearances must be achieved at high through put rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
    Inventors: George Schmidt, Larry Fitch, Donald Doherty
  • Patent number: 7600321
    Abstract: A method of swaging a spherical bearing comprising a ball and a bearing housing, the method comprising: providing a ball and a bearing housing to be swaged around the ball; creating a temperature differential between the temperature of the housing and the temperature of the ball, the ball being at a lower temperature than the housing such that the relative size of the ball with respect to the housing decreases; inserting the ball in the housing; swaging the housing around the ball, the ball being cooler than the housing during the swaging process; allowing the ball and housing to return to ambient temperature such that the relative size of the ball with respect to the housing increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Minebea Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Paul Raymond Smith
  • Publication number: 20090143149
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint for a drive system with a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, comprises: a hollow housing having a plurality of guide grooves therein, the guide grooves extending in an axial direction of the housing and spaced equally apart in a circumferential direction of the housing; a tripod having a plurality of trunnions, each trunnion positioned in a corresponding one of the guide grooves of the hollow housing; and, a roller assembly including an inner roller, the inner roller having a spherical inner face for receiving a corresponding one of the trunnions therein, and an outer roller mounted on an outer face of each inner roller, the roller assembly for transmitting a load between the first and second rotating shafts to drive the driving system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: WIA Corporation
    Inventor: Seung Tark Oh
  • Publication number: 20090110468
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a needle type ballpoint pen chip capable of achieving smooth writing. The needle type ballpoint pen chip of the present invention has a very small diameter, the diameters of the ball and the ink flow hole are naturally also small. In order to achieve smooth writing, it is therefore necessary to minimize to the greatest extent possible deviation in the position of the center axis line of the ink flow hole in relation to the center of the ball. To achieve the object, in the needle type ballpoint pen chip of the present invention, a solid cylindrical steel material S with a diameter of approximately 1 mm or less, rather than a pipe material, is used as its base material, and an ink flow hole is formed by performing drill cutting processing on this steel material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: Zebra Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu SUGANO, Hidemaro Aoyagi, Yuji Sugano, Takugo Iwama
  • Patent number: 7421785
    Abstract: A ball and socket housing incorporating a thick housing wall of deformable material adjacent a central bore opening to provide a closure system utilizing a deformable cover-plate. The deformable cover-plate is formed to a desired configuration within the central bore to achieve a consistent internal socket preload. The cover-plate is deformed into the housing opening beyond an elastic limit to control resiliency or spring-back characteristics, thereby achieving a high-degree of repeatability and precise control of the ball and socket preload during the assembly process. The deformed cover-plate is retained in the socket housing at the cover-plate seat by swaged or rolling the perimeter of the housing to capture the perimeter of the deformed cover plate within the housing central bore opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale A. Spence, George Schmidt, Glen Parker
  • Publication number: 20080213036
    Abstract: A ball and socket joint, for example, for an axle system of a motor vehicle. The ball and socket joint has an essentially ring-shaped or pot-shaped joint housing (1), in the essentially cylindrical interior space of which a ball shell 2 can be arranged. The ball 3 of a ball pivot 4 or of a ball sleeve 8 can be accommodated in the ball shell 2 in a slidingly movable manner. The bearing surface 10 of the ball shell 2 is essentially the same as the surface of an ellipsoid of revolution, whose smaller semiaxis coincides with the axial direction of the ball and socket joint. The construction has advantages in terms of service life, fail-safe operation and load-bearing capacity. The more uniform surface pressure distribution in the bearing gap between the ball shell and joint ball guarantees reduced wear and lower moments of friction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Martin Rechtien, Helmut Noe, Marc Zeidler
  • Patent number: 7370400
    Abstract: A method of and device for assembling joint components of constant velocity joints wherein into an annular first joint component with a greater diameter and a first longitudinal axis, there is introduced an annular or star-shaped second joint component with a smaller diameter and a longitudinal axis. The first joint component whose introducing aperture is smaller than the smallest radial projection face of the second joint component is ovalized for the purpose of introducing the second joint component due to the effect of at least four groups of forces, with the first and second longitudinal axes being positioned perpendicularly relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: GKN Driveland Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Herbert Cermak
  • Patent number: 7260878
    Abstract: A ball joint includes: a ball stud having a spherical ball part and a shank part extending from the spherical ball part; a bearing cupping the spherical ball part of the ball stud; and a housing holding the bearing therein. The housing is provided with a recess in an inner surface thereof. The bearing deforms to enter into the recess of the housing in such a manner that a space is formed between the bearing and the spherical ball part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Usashi Seimitsu Kogyo Kabushiki
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Kondoh
  • Patent number: 6981512
    Abstract: An integrated in-line tube and check valve assembly fabricated by end-form mandrel expanding an outlet end portion of deformable tube stock, such as metal, of nominal starting diameter, and concurrently end-forming a valve seat on the inside of the expanded tube section where it necks down and integrally joins the upstream nominal diameter portion of the tube. A valve ball and a valve spring are then fitted into the expanded tube section, together with a spring holder if needed. The expanded end portion of the tube is then again deformed by an end-form swaging operation that reduces the diameter of the expanded tube outlet end so as to form a cavity within the tube in which the spring is captured in compression for resiliently biasing the valve ball against the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: David L. Meyer
  • Patent number: 6840696
    Abstract: A method of producing a ball-and-socket joint (1) between a slipper (3) and a piston (2) of a piston engine, which includes configuring the slipper (3) with a joint ball (4) at an end opposite a bottom surface (21); configuring the piston (2) with an overmeasure (x) on a lateral surface (2c), providing a hemispherical joint recess (5) with a recess edge (7) that protrudes beyond the maximum diameter (6) of the joint recess (5) for receiving the joint ball (4) and bringing together the joint recess (5) and the joint ball (4), and hot-beading the recess edge (7) into a form in which it grips the joint ball (4). Also provided is a joint formed by the foregoing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Brueninghaus Hydromatik GmbH
    Inventor: Steven Donders
  • Patent number: 6681472
    Abstract: A method of assembling a jointed structure from several parts is provided. At least two discrete parts having ends that cooperate to form a movable joint between the parts are placed in a groove formed in a plate. The parts are prevented from being displaced out of the groove when pressure is applied to at least one end of the groove to force the cooperating ends of the parts together to form joints which link the parts. The jointed linkage can then be removed from the plate as an assembled structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: C.J. Associates, Ltd.
    Inventors: James S. W. Lee, Chiu-Keung Kwan
  • Patent number: 6604270
    Abstract: An end link adapted to interconnect a stabilizer bar and a suspension member within a vehicular suspension system includes a housing having a first socket, a second socket and a body interconnecting the first and second sockets. The end link also includes a first joint assembly pivotally interconnecting the first socket and the stabilizer bar and a second joint assembly pivotally interconnecting the second socket and the suspension member The first socket includes a net-shaped cavity to receive the first joint assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Kincaid, Manoi V. Bhandiwad, Kurt K. Hauser
  • Patent number: 6532665
    Abstract: An assembly technique and device for enclosing an open end of a movable socket (10) comprised of fully hardened materials with an expanding cover-plate (66) and for controlling the expansion of the cover-plate (66) to provide a central orifice (67) of predetermined dimensions to facilitate the installation of a grease fitting. During assembly, various internal components of the movable socket, including the pressure plate, are installed within a housing (12) through a posterior opening (16) with the cover-plate positioned over the components. A two-stage ram (100) having a contact surface and a concentric pivot punch (142, 158) is brought into engagement with the cover-plate. Pressure exerted by the two-stage ram is transferred to the cover-plate through the contact surface, expanding the cover-plate to conform to the contact surface and enclosing the internal components within the socket housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
    Inventor: Glen C. Parker
  • Patent number: 6497120
    Abstract: A plunger assembly for use in a glass bottle forming machine permitting quick exchange and self-aligning of a plunger held on a plunger driving piston comprising a plunger having an annular recess, an adapter having a plurality of stepped radial bores extending from a central bore into an annular groove, a plurality of retaining balls, one in each radial bore, a split ring sized to fit in the annular groove and an annular retaining spring for biasing the split ring and retaining balls in the annular groove in the plunger such that the plunger can be snapped into the adapter and held in place during bottle making.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Inventor: Joseph W. Kozora
  • Publication number: 20020129482
    Abstract: An assembly technique and device for enclosing an open end of a movable socket (10) comprised of fully hardened materials with an expanding cover-plate (66) and for controlling the expansion of the cover-plate (66) to provide a central orifice (67) of predetermined dimensions to facilitate the installation of a grease fitting. During assembly, various internal components of the movable socket, including the pressure plate, are installed within a housing (12) through a posterior opening (16) with the cover-plate is positioned over the components. A two-stage ram (100) having a contact surface and a concentric pivot punch (142, 158) is brought into engagement with the cover-plate. Pressure exerted by the two-stage ram is transferred to the cover-plate through the contact surface, expanding the cover-plate to conform to the contact surface and enclosing the internal components within the socket housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventor: Glen C. Parker
  • Patent number: 6308395
    Abstract: A flexible motion transmitting core element (12) is attached a rod (14) and a conduit (16) movably supports the core element (12) and has an end portion to which is attached an end fitting (18). An insert (20) has a neck portion (22) embedded in the end fitting (18) and a spherical portion (24) presenting a ball-shaped pocket and extending from said neck portion (22) through a maximum inner diameter D. A swivel tube (26) has a bore therethrough for movably supporting the rod (14) and has a convex spherical surface (28) slidably supported in the ball-shaped pocket for swiveling movement relative to the end fitting (18). The end fitting (18) embeds only a portion of the spherical portion (24) of the insert (20) for allowing the open end (30) to move radially to snap the convex spherical surface (28) of the swivel tube (26) into the ball-shaped pocket of the insert (20). The insert (20) includes an anchor flange (32) for anchoring the insert (20) in the end fitting (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Teleflex Incorporated, Inc.
    Inventor: Grant A. Webb
  • Patent number: 6202280
    Abstract: An assembly technique for closing a movable socket (10) without the need to deform or displace any portion of the socket housing (12), thereby allowing for the use of fully hardened socket housing materials. The internal components of the movable socket are installed within the housing through an opening (16), and a conical cover-plate (66) is positioned over the components, within the opening. An assembly tool (100) configured to exert pressure on the conical cover-plate is brought into engagement with the plate, and a downward load is applied, expanding the plate to seat within a circumferential groove (22) in the housing. The assembly tool includes a specifically contoured face (109) which alters the angle at which pressure is exerted against the expanding conical cover-plate as the plate deforms to a generally planar configuration, closing the opening in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation
    Inventor: Glen C. Parker