Universal mounting apparatus
First Claim
1. A ball-and-socket joint assembly, comprising:
- a stationary object;
a movable object; and
a mounting apparatus comprising;
first and second rigid link sections, each link section having an upper socket section and a lower socket section, so that an upper receiving space is defined by the two upper socket sections and a lower receiving space is defined by the two lower socket sections;
an upper coupler having an upper ball that is received for rotation inside the upper receiving space, with the movable object secured to the upper coupler;
a lower coupler having a lower ball that is received for rotation inside the lower receiving space, with the stationary object secured to the lower coupler;
a link member for securing the link sections together with the upper ball retained inside the upper receiving space, and with the lower ball retained inside the lower receiving space; and
wherein each of the socket sections has a radius, with the radius of the upper socket sections being about 85%-96% of the radius of the upper ball, and the radius of the lower socket sections being about 85%-96% of the radius of the lower ball.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ball-and-socket joint assembly includes a stationary object, a movable object, and a mounting apparatus. The mounting apparatus has first and second rigid link sections, each link section having an upper socket section and a lower socket section, so that an upper receiving space is defined by the two upper socket sections and a lower receiving space is defined by the two lower socket sections. The assembly further includes an upper coupler having an upper ball that is received for rotation inside the upper receiving space, with the movable object secured to the upper coupler, and a lower coupler having a lower ball that is received for rotation inside the lower receiving space, with the stationary object secured to the lower coupler. A link member secures the link sections together with the upper ball retained inside the upper receiving space, and with the lower ball retained inside the lower receiving space.
26 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A ball-and-socket joint assembly, comprising:
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a stationary object; a movable object; and a mounting apparatus comprising; first and second rigid link sections, each link section having an upper socket section and a lower socket section, so that an upper receiving space is defined by the two upper socket sections and a lower receiving space is defined by the two lower socket sections; an upper coupler having an upper ball that is received for rotation inside the upper receiving space, with the movable object secured to the upper coupler; a lower coupler having a lower ball that is received for rotation inside the lower receiving space, with the stationary object secured to the lower coupler; a link member for securing the link sections together with the upper ball retained inside the upper receiving space, and with the lower ball retained inside the lower receiving space; and wherein each of the socket sections has a radius, with the radius of the upper socket sections being about 85%-96% of the radius of the upper ball, and the radius of the lower socket sections being about 85%-96% of the radius of the lower ball. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A ball-and-socket joint assembly, comprising:
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a stationary object; a movable object; and a mounting apparatus comprising; first and second rigid link sections, each link section having an upper socket section and a lower socket section, so that an upper receiving space is defined by the two upper socket sections and a lower receiving space is defined by the two lower socket sections; an upper coupler having an upper ball that is received for rotation inside the upper receiving space, with the movable object secured to the upper coupler; a lower coupler having a lower ball that is received for rotation inside the lower receiving space, with the stationary object secured to the lower coupler; a link member for securing the link sections together with the upper ball retained inside the upper receiving space, and with the lower ball retained inside the lower receiving space; and wherein a centerline extends perpendicular through the center of each circular line of contact for the upper socket sections, and wherein each circular line of contact has first and second contact points at each upper socket section that are directly opposite each other in a manner to define the diameter of the circular line of contact, wherein a parallel line extends between the first contact points of the upper socket sections, with the distance between the centerline and the parallel line being almost the same as, but less than, the radius of the upper ball. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification