Unitized boot seal for ball joints
US6357956B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 10, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 10, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T403/32729
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A pivotal ball joint assembly includes a ball joint, an input/output member, and a sealing element to provide a sealing surface abutting the boot seal and to prevent contamination of the boot seal during movement and articulation of the input/output member relative to the ball joint. The ball joint has a socket body and a ball stud pivotally mounted to the socket body. The ball stud has a shank portion that extends therefrom and is aligned along a shank axis. An elastic boot seal that extends between the ball stud and socket body is also included. The pivotal ball joint assembly also includes an input/output member affixed to the ball stud shank portion so that the socket body is able to freely rotate relative to the input/output shaft about the shank axis. The pivotal ball joint assembly is further rotatable through a limited range about a transverse axis perpendicular to the shank axis. The seal element is interposed between the boot seal, the shank portion and the input/output member to enhance the boot seal interface and thereby guard the boot seal to shank portion interface against contamination during movement and articulation of the input/output member relative to the ball j…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.