Ball joint with detent action

• US 6,672,788 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarence Eduard Hathaway
• Original Assignee: Clarence Eduard Hathaway
• Inventors: Hathaway, Clarence Eduard
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham, John R.
• Application Number:
  US10/066,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20030147688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 403/90, 403/132, 403/138, 403/144, 403/56, 403/140
• US Class Current: 403/90
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0619 the female part comprising a blind socket receiving the male part
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/106 for ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32311 Ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32713 Elastomerically biased or backed components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32811 Spring-biased

Abstract

A ball and socket joint incorporating a detent mechanism that provides positive biasing toward a desired position. The ball and socket joint can be used in flexible supports that hold and support items such as lamps, tools and faucets. The detent mechanism comprises two corresponding parts, one in the ball portion and the second in the socket portion of the joint. The first detent part is a protrusion of some type and the second detent part is a groove or indentation that is adapted to accept and engage the protrusion. If the ball contains the detent protrusion, then the socket contains the detent indentation. And conversely, if the socket contains the detent protrusion, then the ball contains the detent indentation. The detent tensioning force can be provided by a spring, a spring band, the characteristics of the material from which the joint is made, or by some other similar tensioning device.

Claims

1. A flexible multi-jointed support for holding items, including lamps and tools, wherein the support is comprised of multiple segments that are joined end to end each joining of two segments thereby forming the joints, and at least one of the joints is a ball and socket joint that is capable of being biased in a desired orientation, wherein each ball and socket joint comprises:

a male portion, that is in the shape of a ball, wherein the ball comprises a detent area that includes one part of a detent mechanism; and

,

a spring biasing female portion, that is in the shape of a socket that frictionally embraces the ball, wherein the socket comprises a detent area that includes a second complimentary part of the detent mechanism that aligns with and engages the detent area of the ball when the male and female portions are placed in a desired position thereby biasing the joint toward that position.

2. The support of claim 1, wherein the ball has one or more detent areas and each detent area covers a different area on the ball;

and,

the socket has one or more detent areas, wherein every detent area on the socket can engage at least one detent area on the ball, and every detent area on the ball can engage at least one detent area on the socket, thereby allowing the support to be biased in one or more different positions.

3. The support of claim 1, wherein the detent area of the ball comprises an indentation that extends around a circumference of the ball;

and,

the detent area of the socket comprises a protrusion toward the ball that extends around an internal circumference of the socket and is adapted to engage the indentation in the ball when the ball and socket are aligned in a desired position.

4. The support of claim 3, wherein the ball has multiple detent areas and the detent area of the socket can engage each of the ball'"'"'s detent areas, thereby allowing the support to be biased in multiple different desired positions.

5. The support of claim 1, wherein the detent area of the ball comprises an outward protrusion that extends around a circumference of the ball;

and,

the detent area of the socket comprises an indentation that extends around an internal circumference of the socket and is adapted to engage the outward protrusion of the ball when the ball and socket are aligned in a desired position.

6. The support of claim 5, wherein the socket has multiple detent areas and the ball detent area can engage each of the socket'"'"'s detent areas, thereby allowing the support to be biased in multiple different desired positions.

7. A flexible multi-jointed support for holding items, including lamps and tools, wherein the support is comprised of multiple segments that are joined end to end each joining of two segments thereby forming the joints, and at least one of the joints is a ball and socket joint that is capable of being biased in a desired orientation, wherein each ball and socket joint comprises:

a male portion, that is in the shape of a ball, wherein the ball comprises a detent area that includes one part of a detent mechanism; and

,

a spring biasing female portion, that is in the shape of a socket that frictionally embraces the ball, wherein the socket comprises a detent area that includes a second complimentary part of the detent mechanism that aligns with and engages the detent area of the ball when the male and female portions are placed in a desired position thereby biasing the joint toward that position;

wherein the detent area of the ball comprises a spring band and one or more ball bearings aligned around an outside of the spring band, wherein the spring band provides an outward force on the one or more ball bearing; and

,

the detent area of the socket comprises an indentation that extends around an internal circumference of the socket, wherein the indentation is adapted to engage the one or more ball bearings when the ball and socket are aligned in a desired position.

8. The support of claim 7, wherein the ball has one detent area and the socket has multiple detent areas, wherein the detent area of the ball may engage more than one of the socket'"'"'s detent areas, thereby allowing the support to be biased in multiple different desired positions.

9. The support of claim 7, wherein the socket has one detent area and the ball has multiple detent areas, wherein the detent area of the socket may engage more than one of the ball'"'"'s detent areas, thereby allowing the support to be biased in multiple different desired positions.

10. A flexible multi-jointed support for holding items, including lamps and tools, wherein the support is comprised of multiple segments that are joined end to end each joining of two segments thereby forming the joints, and at least one of the joints is a ball and socket joint that is capable of being biased in a desired orientation, wherein each ball and socket joint comprises:

a male portion, that is in the shape of a ball, wherein the ball comprises a detent area that includes one part of a detent mechanism; and

,

a spring biasing female portion, that is in the shape of a socket that frictionally embraces the ball, wherein the socket comprises a detent area that includes a second complimentary part of the detent mechanism that aligns with and engages the detent area of the ball when the male and female portions are placed in a desired position thereby biasing the joint toward that position;

wherein the detent area of the ball comprises an indentation that extends around a circumference of the ball; and

,

the detent area of the socket comprises a spring band that extends around an external circumference of the socket and provides an inward force on one or more ball bearing, wherein the ball bearings are aligned along an interior of the spring band and adapted to engage the indentation in the ball when the ball and socket are aligned in a desired position.

11. The support of claim 10, wherein the ball has one detent area and the socket has multiple detent areas, wherein the detent area of the ball may engage more than one of the socket'"'"'s detent areas, thereby allowing the support to be biased in multiple different desired positions.

12. The support of claim 10, wherein the socket has one detent area and the ball has multiple detent areas, wherein the detent area of the socket may engage more than one of the ball'"'"'s detent areas, thereby allowing the support to be biased in multiple different desired positions.

13. A flexible multi-jointed support for holding items, including lamps and tools, wherein the support is comprised of multiple segments that are joined end to end each joining of two segments thereby forming the joints, and at least one of the joints is a ball and socket joint that is capable of being biased in a desired orientation, wherein the at least one ball and socket joint comprises:

a male portion, that is in the shape of a ball, wherein the ball has one or more detent areas; and

,

a spring biasing female portion, that is in the shape of a socket that frictionally embraces the ball, wherein the socket has one or more detent areas, and,

each socket detent area can engage at least one of the ball'"'"'s detent areas and each ball detent area can engage at least one of the socket'"'"'s detent areas, thereby allowing the support to be biased in multiple different desired positions, and further wherein each segment is hollow and each ball has a hole at an axial end so that a cord, such as a power cord, can pass through an interior of the support.