Assembly for ball and socket joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9970477-B2
Application number	US-201514714660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

An assembly for a ball and socket joint forming a universal joint is disclosed as including a socket joint assembly comprising a first dual-ended sphere-receiving element and a second dual-ended sphere-receiving element joined together by a flush fitting joint.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A universal joint comprising:
a first planar body having a first end with first and second resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure and having a second end with third and fourth resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure, the first, second, third, and fourth prongs being substantially co-planar with the first body, a central portion of the first body including a first notch and at least one pair of of the first and second prongs, and the third and fourth prongs circumferentially extending an angle greater than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere;
a second planar body having a first end with fifth and sixth resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure and having a second end with seventh and eighth resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth prongs being substantially co-planar with the second body a central portion of the second body including a second notch configured to receive the first notch of the first body and at least one pair of the fifth and sixth prongs, and the seventh and eighth prongs circumferentially extending an angle greater than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere;
the first body first notch being received in the second body second notch such that the first body and the first, second, third, and fourth prongs are substantially perpendicular to the second body and the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth prongs, and such that the first and second prongs and the fifth and sixth prongs form a first substantially spherical socket, and the third and fourth prongs and the seventh and eighth prongs form a second substantially spherical socket;
a first sphere detachably retained by the first and second prongs of the first end of the first body and by the fifth and sixth prongs of the first end of the second body such that the first sphere is retained by four prongs with at least two of the four prongs extending at an angle greater than 180°; and
a second sphere detachably retained by the third and fourth prongs of the second end of the first body and by the seventh and eighth prongs of the second end of the second body such that the second sphere is retained by four prongs with at least two of the four prongs circumferentially extending at an angle greater than 180°.

2. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein one pair of the first and second prongs, and the third and fourth prongs circumferentially extends an angle less than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere.

3. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein one pair of the fifth and sixth prongs, and the seventh and eighth prongs circumferentially extends at an angle less than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere.

4. The universal joint of claim 1 , further comprising at least two protrusions adjacent the first notch of the first body and at least two protrusions adjacent the second notch of the second body, such that a chamfered intersection is formed when the first notch is received in the second notch.

5. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein at least two prongs are lined with at least one friction lining.

6. The universal joint of claim 5 , wherein the at least one friction lining is fastened onto the at least two prongs.

7. The universal joint of claim 6 , wherein the at least one friction lining is fastened onto the at least two prongs by a detachable fastener.

8. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein the universal joint is made from material comprising metal, glass, polymer, plastic, wood, hard cardboard, latex foam and/or polystyrene foam.

9. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein the joint is manufactured by machine molding, a tool and cutter, and/or a 3-dimensional printer.

10. A toy, art design or architectural element comprising the universal joint of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Univ Hong Kong Baptist Univ

Inventors

• Ingrassia Andrea

Classifications

• F16C11/06 Primary

  Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints (universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16) · CPC title

• F16C11/0638

  characterised by geometrical details · CPC title

• F16C33/3706

  with concave surfaces conforming to the shape of the rolling elements, e.g. the spacing bodies are in sliding contact with the rolling elements · CPC title

• F16M11/2078

  with ball-joint (ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06) · CPC title

• F16M11/40

  by means of coilable or bendable legs {or spiral shaped legs} · CPC title