US4386869A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrally sealed vibration dampening ball and socket joints
Assignee: ZF Lemforder LLC
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Filing: 1981-07-24
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Granted: 1983-06-07
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Expires: 2001-07-24
Abstract
Abstract Integrally sealed vibration dampening ball and socket joints having a spherical member capable of swivelling relative to a socket member. A split metallic or high strength plastic bearing ring disposed with clearance in a shell has a concave spherical surface portion in swivelling engagement with the ball member, and a pair of symmetrically disposed resilient rings installed between the bearing ring and the inner surface of the shell constantly urge the bearing surface of the bearing ring in engagement with the spherical member surface to prevent rattle and to compensate for wear. Normal loads are taken by the resilient rings, and overload and shock load are taken by the bearing ring. A bellows seal, formed integrally with one of the resilient rings or, alternatively, formed separate is fastened at one end in the shell. The bellows seal is held elastically at its other end around a portion of the spherical member. A second seal, disposed in the same manner, seals the gap between the shell and the spherical member in structure where the spherical member is a hollow ball. Alternatively, the other end of the shell is closed by an integral or separate end cap in structures wherein the spherical member is a ball formed on the end of a stud. The bearings are prepacked with a lubricant.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph E. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:38
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C11/00; F16C11/04; F16C11/06; F16C11/0619; F16C11/0623; F16C11/0652; F16C11/0666; F16C11/0671; F16C33/00; F16C33/72; F16C33/723; B; B60; B60G; B60G2204/00; B60G2204/40; B60G2204/416; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32606; Y10T403/32631; Y10T403/32729; Y10T403/32737; Y10T403/32745
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
258 words
A sealed bearing comprising an inner member having a peripheral surface of regular predetermined contour, a tubular shell, a bearing ring disposed in said shell and having a bearing surface in sliding engagement with the peripheral surface of said inner member, said bearing ring having a peripheral surface generally conforming to the inner surface of said shell and fitting in said shell, a pair of resiliently deformable rings each made of elastomeric material and each disposed on one side of said bearing ring, means in said shell holding said deformable rings under compression such as to firmly engage said deformable rings with a portion of said bearing ring for biasing the bearing surface of said bearing ring towards the peripheral surface of said inner member, an elastomeric bellows seal having a flange at an end held by one of said means in said shell for holding one of said deformable rings under compression, said bellows seal having a garter flange at its other end in firm elastic engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of said inner member, sealing means at the other end of said shell sealing the interior of said shell and said bearing surfaces from the ambient, and a clearance annular space between the peripheral surface of said bearing ring and the inner surface of said shell, wherein radial loads between said bearing inner member and said bearing shell beyond a predetermined load are transmitted by engagement of a portion of said bearing ring peripheral surface with a portion of said shell inner surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
258 words
A sealed bearing comprising an inner member having a peripheral surface of regular predetermined contour, a tubular shell, a bearing ring disposed in said shell and having a bearing surface in sliding engagement with the peripheral surface of said inner member, said bearing ring having a peripheral surface generally conforming to the inner surface of said shell and fitting in said shell, a pair of resiliently deformable rings each made of elastomeric material and each disposed on one side of said bearing ring, means in said shell holding said deformable rings under compression such as to firmly engage said deformable rings with a portion of said bearing ring for biasing the bearing surface of said bearing ring towards the peripheral surface of said inner member, an elastomeric bellows seal having a flange at an end held by one of said means in said shell for holding one of said deformable rings under compression, said bellows seal having a garter flange at its other end in firm elastic engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of said inner member, sealing means at the other end of said shell sealing the interior of said shell and said bearing surfaces from the ambient, and a clearance annular space between the peripheral surface of said bearing ring and the inner surface of said shell, wherein radial loads between said bearing inner member and said bearing shell beyond a predetermined load are transmitted by engagement of a portion of said bearing ring peripheral surface with a portion of said shell inner surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 wherein said sealing means is a second elastomeric bellows seal having a flange at an end held by the other of said means in said shell holding said deformable rings under compression, said bellows seal having a garter flange at its other end in firm elastic engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of said inner member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 2 wherein said flange at said end of said second bellows seal is made integral with said resilient deformable ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 3 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 2 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sealed bearing of claim 2 wherein said means in said shell for holding said deformable rings under compression is an integral flange formed at each end of said shell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The sealed bearing of claim 2 wherein said bearing ring has a peripheral cylindrical surface and a pair of symmetrically disposed inclined end faces, said end faces being the portion of said bearing ring in engagement with each of said deformable rings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 7 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sealed bearing of claim 7 wherein said means in said shell for holding said deformable rings under compression is an integral flange formed at each end of said shell.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
The sealed bearing of claim 2 wherein said bearing ring comprises a first relatively thin ring having a peripheral surface and an inner surface defining said bearing surface and a second ring having a peripheral surface defining said peripheral surface generally conforming to the inner surface of said shell and an inner surface engaged with a portion of the peripheral surface of said first ring, said portion of said bearing ring in engagement with each of said deformable rings being a portion of the peripheral surface of said first ring on each side of said portion engaged by said second ring inner surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sealed bearing of claim 10 wherein said means in said shell for holding said deformable rings under compression is an integral flange formed at each end of said shell.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 10 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 2 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind each of said bellows seal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 wherein said flange at said end of said bellows seal is made integral with said resilient deformable ring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sealed bearing of claim 14 wherein said means in said shell for holding said deformable rings under compression is an integral flange formed at each end of said shell.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 14 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 wherein said inner member projects from said shell on an end of said shell, and said sealing means at the other end of said shell comprises an outwardly domed end cap closing the other end of said shell and having an edge flange engaged with the other of said deformable rings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The sealed bearing of claim 17 wherein said flange at said end of said bellows seal is made integral with said resilient deformable ring.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 18 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The sealed bearing of claim 17 wherein said bearing ring has a peripheral cylindrical surface and a pair of symmetrically disposed inclined end faces, said end faces being the portion of said bearing ring in engagement with each of said deformable rings.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 20 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 17 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
103 words
The sealed bearing of claim 17 wherein said bearing ring comprises a first relatively thin ring having a peripheral surface and an inner surface defining said bearing surface and a second ring having a peripheral surface defining said peripheral surface generally conforming to the inner surface of said shell and an inner surface engaged with a portion of the peripheral surface of said first ring, said portion of said bearing ring in engagement with each of said deformable rings being a portion of the peripheral surface of said first ring on each side of said portion engaged by said second ring inner surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 23 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The sealed bearing of claim 17 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The sealed bearing of claim 17 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal and in a space behind said end cap.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 wherein said bearing ring has a peripheral cylindrical surface and a pair of symmetrically disposed inclined end faces, said end faces being the portion of said bearing ring in engagement with each of said deformable rings.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The sealed bearing of claim 27 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 28 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the peripheral surface of said inner member.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 29 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the bearing surface of said bearing ring.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 27 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The sealed bearing of claim 27 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal and in a space behind said sealing means sealing the interior of said shell.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 32 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the peripheral surface of said inner member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 33 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the bearing surface of said bearing ring.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sealed bearing of claim 27 wherein said means in said shell for holding said deformable rings under compression is an integral flange formed at each end of said shell.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
103 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 wherein said bearing ring comprises a first relatively thin ring having a peripheral surface and an inner surface defining said bearing surface and a second ring having a peripheral surface defining said peripheral surface generally conforming to the inner surface of said shell and an inner surface engaged with a portion of the peripheral surface of said first ring, said portion of said bearing ring in engagement with each of said deformable rings being a portion of the peripheral surface of said first ring on each side of said portion engaged by said second ring inner surface.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sealed bearing of claim 36 wherein said means in said shell for holding said deformable rings under compression is an integral flange formed at each end of said shell.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
32 words
The sealed bearing of claim 36 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal and in a space behind said sealing means sealing the interior of said shell.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 38 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the peripheral surface of said inner member.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 39 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the bearing surface of said bearing ring.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
The sealed bearing of claim 36 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 41 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the peripheral surface of said inner member.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sealed bearing of claim 42 further comprising a lubricating groove disposed in the bearing surface of said bearing ring.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 36 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
18 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
32 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 further comprising a lubricant contained in a space behind said bellows seal and in a space behind said sealing means sealing the interior of said shell.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 wherein said means in said shell for holding said deformable rings under compression is an integral flange formed at each end of said shell.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealed bearing of claim 1 wherein said bearing surface of said bearing ring and said peripheral surface of said inner member are spherical surfaces.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-06-06 | 1986-12-06 | 1987-06-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-06-06 | 1990-12-06 | 1991-06-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-06-06 | 1994-12-06 | 1995-06-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |