Pivot linking device and method for linking mechanical parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9790982-B2
Application number	US-201514603506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 23, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A device including a ball, cage housing the ball and a centering lug, wherein the centering lug has a generally annular form with a radially outer annular periphery and a radially inner annular periphery, the outer annular periphery is integral with the cage and the inner annular periphery is inserted in a groove in the outer periphery of the ball, and the centering lug is elastic and arranged to hold the ball along a predefined axis in a rest position.

First claim

We claim:

1. A pivot linking device comprising:
an at least partially spherical ball and a cage with an inner housing containing the ball, and
a centering lug having a generally annular form comprising a radially outer annular periphery and a radially inner annular periphery, wherein the outer annular periphery is fixed within the cage and the inner annular periphery is in a groove in the periphery of the ball, wherein said centering lug is elastic and arranged so as to hold the ball along a predefined axis in a rest position.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the ball is symmetrical about an axis of revolution and the said groove is in a plane orthogonal to said axis, and in that in rest position, a middle plane of the centering lug is in the plane.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein notches are on an outer periphery of the centering lug and the notches are configured to receive a fixing element.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the centering lug comprises two lug parts held respectively by two cage parts of the cage.

5. A pivot linking device comprising:
an at least partially spherical ball and a cage with an inner housing containing the ball, and
a centering lug having a generally annular form comprising a radially outer annular periphery and a radially inner annular periphery, wherein the outer annular periphery is held in a fixed position within the cage and the inner annular periphery is in a groove in the periphery of the ball, wherein said centering lug is elastic and arranged so as to hold the ball along a predefined axis in a rest position,
wherein the inner annular periphery has an open toric form in cross section, the radius of said toric form being adapted to conform to a rounded form of a base of the groove.

6. A pivot linking device comprising:
an at least partially spherical ball and a cage with an inner housing containing the ball, and
a centering lug having a generally annular form comprising a radially outer annular periphery and a radially inner annular periphery, wherein the outer annular periphery is held in a fixed position within the cage and the inner annular periphery is in a groove in the periphery of the ball, wherein said centering lug is elastic and arranged so as to hold the ball along a predefined axis in a rest position,
wherein shoulders at axial ends of the ball are configured to rest on the cage while the ball is inclined in relation to the cage at a tilt angle equal to a predefined limit angle.

7. A pivot linking device comprising:
a ball having a curved outer surface and a groove in the outer surface extending around the perimeter of the outer surface;
a cage including an inner surface in sliding engagement with outer surface of the ball, wherein the ball is held within the cage, and
an annular centering lug having including a radially outer portion fixed within the cage and a radially inner portion extending into the groove of the ball, wherein the radially outer and inner portions are integral and elastic and configured to bias the ball towards a predefined axis.

8. A pivot linking device comprising:
a ball having a curved outer surface and a groove in the outer surface extending around the perimeter of the outer surface;
a cage including an inner surface in sliding engagement with outer surface of the ball, wherein the ball is held within the cage, and
a centering lug having including a radially outer portion held in a fixed position within the cage and a radially inner portion extending into the groove of the ball, wherein the radially outer and inner portions are integral and elastic and configured bias the ball towards a predefined axis,
wherein the radially outer portion of the centering lug is an annular planar section and the radially inner portion is an annular section having a hook-shape in cross section.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Teulou Olivier
• Peries Pascal

Classifications

• F16C11/106

  for ball joints · CPC title

• Y10T403/32639

  including internal tie means · CPC title

• F16C11/069

  with at least one separate part to retain the ball member in the socket; Quick-release systems · CPC title

• Y10T403/32713

  Elastomerically biased or backed components · CPC title

• F16C11/0685

  Manufacture of ball-joints and parts thereof, e.g. assembly of ball-joints · CPC title