Ball-and-socket joint and method for the assembly thereof
First Claim
1. A ball-and-socket joint, comprising:
- a ball head;
means for fastening the ball head to a ball head support, said fastening means including tool engagement means for engagement by a fastening tool to fasten the ball head to the ball head support;
a ball socket body for receiving the ball head in a rotatable manner, said ball socket body having an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head, an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on, an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head and securing means which secure the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel;
said ball socket body further having a passage which connects the receiving channel with an area of the exterior surface of the ball socket body which is remote from the insertion opening; and
said tool engagement means being accessible to a fastening tool through said passage for fastening the ball head on said ball head support.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A ball socket body (16) of a ball-and-socket joint has an exterior surface (18) and a ball-receiving channel (20). The receiving channel (20) has a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening (22), an interior circumferential surface (24), an interior end support (26) and ball-securing elements (32). The ball socket body (16) may be made of one piece with the securing cam (32) and may also have a passage (30) opening through the back exterior surface thereof to make a ball head (10) located in the ball socket body (16) accessible to a tool. The ball head (10) is provided with a tool engagement point (10b) for reception of the tool. By use of the tool, the ball head (10) may readily be fastened to a support structure even though the ball head (10) has already been assembled with the ball socket body (16).
24 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A ball-and-socket joint, comprising:
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a ball head; means for fastening the ball head to a ball head support, said fastening means including tool engagement means for engagement by a fastening tool to fasten the ball head to the ball head support; a ball socket body for receiving the ball head in a rotatable manner, said ball socket body having an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head, an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on, an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head and securing means which secure the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel; said ball socket body further having a passage which connects the receiving channel with an area of the exterior surface of the ball socket body which is remote from the insertion opening; and said tool engagement means being accessible to a fastening tool through said passage for fastening the ball head on said ball head support. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27)
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7. A ball-and-socket joint, comprising:
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a ball head adapted to be fastened by fastening means to a ball head support; a ball socket body for receiving the ball head in a rotatable manner, said ball socket body having an exterior surface and a receiving channel, said receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head, an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on, an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head and securing means for securing the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel; said securing means including at least one securing cam integrally formed with the ball socket body, said securing cam beginning at the interior circumferential surface of the receiving channel, gripping the ball head from behind and being elastically movable from said gripping position to permit passage of the ball head when it is inserted into the receiving channel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 24)
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28. A method for connecting a ball-and-socket joint to a head support, said ball-and-socket joint including a ball head, means for fastening the ball head to said ball head support, said fastening means including tool engagement means for engagement by a fastening tool to fasten the ball head to the ball head support, a ball socket body for receiving the ball head in a rotatable manner, said ball socket body having an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head, an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on, an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head, securing means which secure the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel, a passage in said ball socket body which connects the receiving channel with an area of the exterior surface of the ball socket body which is remote from the insertion opening, said tool engagement means being accessible to a fastening tool through said passage for fastening the ball head on said ball head support;
- said method comprising the steps of;
inserting the ball head into the insertion opening of the ball socket body such that said securing means secures the ball head therein; bringing the fastening means into a fastening position relative to the ball head support while gripping the ball socket body with the ball head secured therein; and fastening the ball head to the ball head support using a fastening tool extending through the passage of the ball socket body and engaging said tool engagement means.
- said method comprising the steps of;
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29. A method for connecting a cylinder-piston device having a piston member and a cylinder member to a structural unit, at least one of the piston member and the cylinder member being provided with a ball-and-socket joint which includes a ball head, means for fastening the ball head to a ball head support carried by the structural unit, said fastening means including tool engagement means for engagement by a fastening tool to fasten the ball head to the ball head support, a ball socket body connected to one of the cylinder member and the piston rod member for receiving the ball head in a rotatable manner, said ball socket body having an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the receiving channel having a channel axis (P,--P), an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head, an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on, an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head, securing means which secure the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel, said ball socket body further having a passage which connects the receiving channel with an area of the exterior surface of the ball socket body which is remote from the insertion opening, said tool engagement means being accessible to a fastening tool through said passage for fastening the ball head on said ball head support;
- said method comprising the steps of;
inserting the ball head into the insertion opening of the ball socket body such that said securing means secures the ball head therein; bringing the fastening means of the ball head into a fastening position relative to the ball head support carried by the structural unit while gripping one of the cylinder member and the piston rod member of the cylinder piston device with the ball socket body connected to said one of the cylinder member and the piston rod member and with the ball head secured in the ball socket body; and fastening the ball head to the ball head support by employing a tool extending through the passage of the ball socket body and engaging said tool engagement means.
- said method comprising the steps of;
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30. A method for assembling a ball-and-socket joint including a ball head which can be fastened by fastening means to a ball head support and a ball socket body for receiving the ball head in a rotatable manner, said ball socket body having an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head, an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on, an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head and securing means, including at least one securing cam, for securing the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel;
- said method comprising the steps of;
elastically compressing the ball socket body along a longitudinal center plane (F--F) crosswise to the channel axis (P--P), said longitudinal center plane (F--F) being located orthogonally with respect to a longitudinal center plane containing said securing cam; and inserting the ball head past said securing cam into the receiving channel of the ball socket body during said elastic compression of the ball socket body.
- said method comprising the steps of;
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31. A ball socket body for receiving in a rotatable manner a ball head of a ball-and-socket joint, said ball socket body comprising:
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an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the ball-receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P); an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head; an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on; an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head; securing means which secure the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel; and a tool access passage which connects the receiving channel with an area of the exterior surface of the ball socket body which is remote from the insertion opening, whereby a tool may be inserted through said passage to fasten the ball head on said ball head support.
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32. In a ball-and-socket joint for a cylinder-piston unit including a cylinder member and a piston rod member, the improvement comprising:
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a ball head which can be fastened by fastening means to a ball head support; a ball socket body fastened to one of the cylinder member and the piston rod member for receiving the ball head in a rotatable manner, said ball socket body having an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P), an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head, an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on, an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head and securing means which secure the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel; said ball socket body further having a passage which connects the receiving channel with an area of the exterior surface of the ball socket body which is remote from the insertion opening; and tool engagement means in operative connection with said fastening means at a location accessible to a fastening tool through said passage for fastening the ball head on said ball head support.
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33. In a ball socket body for receiving in a rotatable manner a ball head of a ball-and-socket joint for a cylinder-piston unit including a cylinder member and a piston rod member, the ball socket body being connected to one of said cylinder member and said piston rod member, the improvement in said ball socket body comprising:
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an exterior surface and a ball-receiving channel, the ball-receiving channel having a channel axis (P--P); an insertion opening for insertion of the ball head; an interior circumference surface for the ball head to rest on; an interior end support defining an insertion boundary for the ball head; securing means which secure the ball head against being pulled out from the receiving channel; and a tool access passage which connects the receiving channel with an area of the exterior surface of the ball socket body which is remote from the insertion opening, whereby a tool may be inserted through said passage for engagement with the ball head to fasten the ball head on said ball head support.
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Specification