A bottom loading fastening system that consists of the polyaxial ball and socket joint used in conjunction with an anchoring bone screw. The system allows attachment of a connector assembly to the anchoring bone screw having a spherical ball connector using a locking ring positioned in a locking ring slot. Upon installation, the locking ring is moved to a ring containment slot to expand a retainer ring, allowing passage of a bone screw spherical ball, the retainer ring forcing the locking ring back to the locking ring slot, thereby permanently attaching the connector assembly to the anchoring bone screw. Movement of the locking ring from the ring containment slot provides an audible sound and tactile indication that the locking ring has secured the connector assembly to the bone screw.

An apparatus and a method are provided for an offset tie rod joint for vehicle steering systems. The offset tie rod joint comprises a ball rotatably retained within a casing that is disposed in an opening of an offset housing. A threaded shank fixedly coupled with the offset housing is received by a steering rod. The opening is displaced from a longitudinal axis of the threaded shank by a distance that provides clearance between the offset housing and a spindle assembly during articulation of the spindle assembly during steering. A rear backstop and a front snap-ring in a groove retain the casing within the opening. A bore extending through the ball receives a bolt that fixates the ball between parallel prongs of the spindle assembly. A misalignment spacer on each side of the ball provides clearance for rotation of the ball within the offset housing.

The invention relates to a closure element (2, 27, 30, 35) for a ball joint (1, 26, 29, 34) with a first component (12) made of metal and with a second component (13) made of a plastic material, where the second component (13) is designed as a first bearing component (10, 38, 46) of a two-part slide bearing (9) for the ball joint (1, 26, 29, 34). To enable high functionality and as economical a production cost as possible, the closure element (2, 27, 30, 35) is characterized in that the first component (12) has a cylindrical inner circumferential surface (18) and a cylindrical outer circumferential surface (19) of the second component (13) is arranged on the said inner circumferential surface (18) in an interlocked, frictionally fixed and/or material-bonded manner.

A bearing for an at least partially spherical component, the bearing including a first portion and a complementary second portion integral with the first portion and joined by a folded-over bridge portion, the first portion and the second portion each including an arcuate inner surface, where the first portion and the second portion are adapted to at least partially surround and provide a compressive spring force against the component to form a joint assembly allowing for rotation of the component, where the first portion and the second portion form a semispherical void around the component, and where the bearing includes a metal substrate and a low friction layer overlying at least one surface of the substrate.

A boot for a ball socket assembly in an automotive pivoting and/or rotating socket having a flange with one or more thinned sections or gates adjacent a point of attachment to a socket housing that provides an effective seal against contaminants when lubricant is not being added with external pressure and also flexes when exposed to internal pressure allowing contaminated lubricant to escape from the socket. A ring is embedded in the flange with inwardly directed teeth flanking the thinned sections or gates for securing the boot to the socket housing.

A rotary joint includes an inner joint element which has a spherically shaped inner convex joint face and an inner joint connection head protruding from the inner convex joint face; an outer joint element which has a spherically shaped inner concave joint face, a spherically shaped outer convex joint face and an outer joint connection head protruding from the outer convex joint face, wherein the inner joint element is held within the outer joint element such that the two joint elements can be rotated with respect to one another along the inner joint faces; and a joint bearing which has a spherically shaped outer concave joint face, wherein the outer joint element is held within the joint bearing such that the outer joint element can be rotated in the joint bearing along the outer joint faces.

A swivel ball head mount embodying the invention includes a swivel ball and a housing and a push button operated clamping mechanism coupled between the ball and the housing to control their relative movement. The clamping mechanism may include a gearing arrangement or a spring arrangement producing a mechanical advantage enabling the push button mechanism to operate the clamping mechanism using a single finger. Swivel ball head mount embodying the invention are adapted to have a camera mounted on the housing.

The ball socket assembly includes a housing that is made of a monolithic piece which includes a lower wall. A ball portion of a ball stud is disposed in an inner bore of the housing. An exit bearing, which is made of a polymeric material, is disposed in the inner bore and is in slidable contact with at least one hemisphere of the ball portion. The exit bearing has an upper surface which faces towards an open end of the housing. A cover plate is in direct contact with the upper surface of the exit bearing along a surface-to-surface contact area. The surface-to-surface contact area is angled towards the open end from its radially outermost end to its radially innermost end for supporting the exit bearing against radial expansion in response to axial loads being applied on the exit bearing from the ball portion of the ball stud.

A system and method for a universal housing. The universal housing has a central void. The system also includes a sleeve sized to be received within the central void. The universal housing can be used to house a ball joint and a uniball interchangeably. This allows the consumer to switch between a ball joint or a uniball joint without replacing the support arm. This aids in flexibility and versatility as well as decreases the product and labor costs associated with changing from one type to another.

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that may include a magnetic drive system of a blood pump. The magnetic drive system may include a drive shaft coupled to an impeller, a driven magnet assembly coupled to at least one of the drive shaft and the impeller, and a driving coil assembly configured to drive the driven magnet assembly.