SELF-LOCKING, QUICK-RELEASING, AND SELF-RELEASING BALL-AND-SOCKET LATCH SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An apparatus to releasably capture a ball, the apparatus comprising:
- a socket configured to constrain a ball; and
a yoke rotatably coupled to the socket, the yoke having an axis of rotation that intersects the ball when the ball is positioned in the socket,the yoke rotatable to a closed position in which the yoke captures the ball in the socket, and the yoke rotatable to an open position in which the yoke does not capture the ball in the socket.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention includes a socket having at least three ball support points to constrain a ball, and a yoke rotatably coupled to the socket, the yoke having an axis of rotation that intersects the ball when the ball is positioned in the socket, the yoke rotatable to a closed position in which the yoke captures the ball in the socket, and the yoke rotatable to an open position in which the yoke does not capture the ball in the socket. According to some embodiments, the yoke is biased in the closed position such as, for example, by a spring. The yoke may be rotationally coupled to the socket at one or more locations, and the axis of rotation may intersect the ball when the ball is in the socket either through the center of the ball or at an off-center location.
51 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus to releasably capture a ball, the apparatus comprising:
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a socket configured to constrain a ball; and a yoke rotatably coupled to the socket, the yoke having an axis of rotation that intersects the ball when the ball is positioned in the socket, the yoke rotatable to a closed position in which the yoke captures the ball in the socket, and the yoke rotatable to an open position in which the yoke does not capture the ball in the socket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus to releasably capture a ball, the apparatus comprising:
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a ball; an attachment coupled to the ball; a socket configured to constrain the ball; and a yoke rotatably coupled to the socket, an axis of rotation of the yoke intersecting the ball when the ball is positioned in the socket, the yoke rotatable to a closed position in which the yoke captures the ball in the socket and in which radial forces applied to the ball by the attachment cannot release the ball from the socket without breaking the apparatus, and the yoke rotatable to an open position in which the yoke does not capture the ball in the socket and permits removal of the ball from and insertion of the ball into the socket. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An apparatus comprising:
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a socket; a yoke rotatably coupled to the socket, the yoke having an axis of rotation that intersects a ball when the ball is positioned in the socket, the yoke rotatable to a closed position in which the ball is captured between the yoke and the socket, and the yoke rotatable to an open position in which the ball is not captured between the yoke and the socket; and a spring configured to bias the yoke in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification