Ball and socket joint for device enclosure

• US 10,378,579 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lilitab, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lilitab, LLC
• Inventors: Grziwok, Bryan Rudolf, Aronson, Adam Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Amber R
• Assistant Examiner(s): McMahon, Matthew R
• Application Number:
  US14/036,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20140086666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/06 Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/065 with a special structure, e.g. reinforced or adapted for space reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32032 Plural ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32631 Universal ball and socket

Abstract

One example of a ball and socket joint for a device enclosure includes a ball member configured to facilitate connection to an electronic equipment. The ball member includes a first portion, and a second portion configured to mate with the first portion to form a passage to pass one or more cables for connection to the electronic equipment. The ball and socket joint also comprises a socket comprising a hollow portion configured to receive the ball member.

Claims

1. A ball and socket joint to mount electronic equipment, the ball and socket joint comprising:

a ball member configured to facilitate connection to an electronic equipment, the ball member comprising a first ball member end and a second ball member end opposite the first ball member end along a longitudinal axis of the ball member, the first ball member end configured to be nearer to the electronic equipment than the second ball member end, the ball member comprising;

a first portion; and

a second portion configured to receive the first portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second portion configured to mate with the first portion to form a hollow passage along the longitudinal axis, the hollow passage configured to pass one or more cables for connection to the electronic equipment;

a socket comprising a hollow portion, the socket having a first socket end and a second socket end opposite the first socket end along the longitudinal axis of the ball member, the first socket end configured to be nearer to the electronic equipment than the second socket end, wherein the second socket end is configured to receive the first ball member end, wherein the first socket end defines an aperture that is smaller than an aperture defined by the second socket end, wherein, when assembled, the ball member is positioned nearer the aperture defined by the first socket end than the aperture defined by the second socket end;

a cup configured to receive the second ball member end;

a plate fastened with screws to the second socket end;

an axial compression spring member disposed between the plate and the cup to generate a frictional force between the ball member and the socket, and between the ball member and the cup, the frictional force sufficient to support a cantilevered weight of the electronic equipment connected to the ball member, wherein the plate is configured to retain the spring member in compression;

a mounting plate connected to the first ball member end and configured to be connected to the electronic equipment; and

a cover connected to the mounting plate, the cover positioned between the first socket end and the mounting plate; and

one or more shims disposed between the axial compression spring member and the cup, the one or more shims configured to enable incrementally adjusting a joint stiffness.

2. The ball and socket joint of claim 1, wherein the ball member includes:

a first shaft portion attached to the first portion of the ball member at the first ball member end; and

a second shaft portion attached to the second portion of the ball member at the first ball member end, wherein the second shaft portion is configured to receive the first shaft portion in the direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second shaft portion configured to mate with the first shaft portion, wherein at least a portion of the first shaft portion mated with at least a portion of the second shaft portion passes through the first socket end and at least partially extends away from the first socket end to facilitate connection to the electronic equipment.

3. The ball and socket joint of claim 1, further comprising movement control members configured to control a movement of the ball member within the socket.

4. The ball and socket joint of claim 3, wherein the movement control members comprise one or more set screws positioned along an axis of pivoting of the electronic equipment, the one or more set screws configured to limit movement of the ball member to pivoting.

5. The ball and socket joint of claim 4, wherein the one or more set screws disable a rotation of the ball member.

6. The ball and socket joint of claim 3, wherein the movement control members comprise one or more set screws to immobilize the ball member.

7. The ball and socket joint of claim 3, wherein the ball member comprises mating geometry to engage with the movement control members.

8. The ball and socket joint of claim 3, wherein the movement control members comprise one or more pins attached to an exterior surface of the ball member, the one or more pins to mate with corresponding one or more shoulders in an inner surface of the socket to control a rotation of the ball member.

9. The ball and socket joint of claim 3, wherein the movement control members comprise one or more set screws to be threaded into the socket along a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to limit a pivoting of the electronic equipment about the transverse axis.

10. The ball and socket joint of claim 1, wherein either the cup or an outer surface of the ball member is textured.

11. The ball and socket joint of claim 1, wherein each of the cover and the mounting plate is configured to pass the one or more cables therethrough.

12. The ball and socket joint of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the ball member is identical to the second portion of the ball member.

14. The ball and socket joint of claim 2, wherein the socket comprises a slot in the first socket end, wherein at least the portion of the first shaft portion mated with at least the portion of the second shaft portion passes through the slot and extends away from the socket from the first socket end towards the electronic equipment, wherein at least the portion of the first shaft portion mated with at least the portion of the second shaft portion is pivotable about an axis that is perpendicular to a plane in which the slot lies and about the longitudinal axis of the ball member.

13. A system for mounting electronic equipment, the system comprising:

a first joint assembly configured to connect to an electronic equipment, the first joint assembly comprising;

a first two-piece ball member configured to facilitate connection to an electronic equipment, the first two-piece ball member comprising;

a first elongated hollow portion configured to pass through a hollow portion of a first socket and to partially extend outside the first socket to facilitate the connection to the electronic equipment at a distal end of the first two-piece ball member,

a first passage accessible by separating each piece of the first two-piece ball member to pass one or more cables through the first joint assembly for connection to the electronic equipment,

the first socket comprising the hollow portion configured to receive the first two-piece ball member, the first socket comprising a first socket end and a second socket end, the first socket end nearer the electronic equipment than the second socket end, wherein, when assembled, the first two-piece ball member is nearer the first socket end than the second socket end,

a first cup to receive a proximal rounded surface of the first two-piece ball member,

a first spring member disposed between a first plate and the first cup, the first spring member compressed to generate a frictional force between the first two-piece ball member and the first socket, and between the first two-piece ball member and the first cup that is sufficient to support a cantilevered weight of the electronic equipment connected at the distal end at the first two-piece ball member, wherein one or more first shims are disposed between the first spring member and the first cup, the one or more first shims configured to enable incrementally adjusting a joint stiffness of the first joint assembly, and

the first plate fastened with screws to the first socket to retain the first spring member in compression,

a first cover positioned between the first joint assembly and a second joint assembly; and

the second joint assembly connected in series with the first joint assembly, the second joint assembly comprising;

a second two-piece ball member to connect to the first two-piece ball member, the second two-piece ball member comprising;

a second elongated hollow portion configured to pass through a hollow portion of a second socket and to partially extend outside the second socket to facilitate the connection to the electronic equipment at a distal end of the second two-piece ball member,

a second passage accessible by separating each piece of the second two-piece ball member to pass the one or more cables through the second joint assembly for connection to the electronic equipment; and

the second socket comprising the hollow portion to receive the second ball member, the second socket comprising a third socket end and a fourth socket end, the third socket end nearer the electronic equipment than the fourth socket end, wherein, when assembled, the second ball member is nearer the third socket end than the fourth socket end,

a second cup to receive a proximal rounded surface of the second two-piece ball member,

a second spring member disposed between a second plate and the second cup, the second spring member compressed to generate a frictional force between the second two-piece ball member and the second socket, and between the second two-piece ball member and the second cup that is sufficient to support the cantilevered weight of the electronic equipment connected at the distal end of the second two-piece ball member, wherein one or more second shims are disposed between the second spring member and the second cup, the one or more second shims configured to enable incrementally adjusting a joint stiffness of the second joint assembly,

a second cover positioned between the first cover and the second joint assembly, and

the second plate fastened with screws to the second socket to retain the second spring member in compression,

wherein the first joint assembly connected to the second joint assembly forms a multiply-articulated joint,

wherein the first cover is directly attached to the second cover.