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.

A ball joint for interconnecting relatively movable components includes a housing and a stud with a spherical bearing surface disposed in the housing. The bearing has a concave spherical bearing surface which is brought into sliding abutment with the spherical bearing surface of the stud. The bearing is of a monolithic piece of fiber-reinforced polyoxymethylene material and includes carbon fibers which extend circumferentially about the concave spherical bearing surface.

A ball joint for interconnecting relatively movable components includes a housing and a stud with a spherical bearing surface disposed in the housing. The bearing has a concave spherical bearing surface which is brought into sliding abutment with the spherical. bearing surface of the stud. The bearing is of a monolithic piece of fiber-reinforced polyoxyinethylene material and includes carbon fibers which extend circumferentially about the concave spherical bearing surface.

A rotational degree of freedom joint constraint system is disclosed. The system can include joint constraint hardware, such as a first component and a second component. The first component can have a rotational interface, and a constraint feature associated with the rotational interface. The second component can have a socket operable with the rotational interface to facilitate relative movement of the first component and the second component in at least one rotational degree of freedom. The second component can form an opening configured to facilitate movement of the constraint feature therein upon the relative movement of the first component and the second component. The rotational degree of freedom joint constraint system can also include a locking mechanism operable with the constraint feature. Movement of the constraint feature within the opening can be preventable by the locking mechanism to constrain the relative movement of the first component and the second component.

A bearing includes a split outer race having a first outer race member and a second outer race member that form an annular ring. The bearing includes an activation member that is rotatable from a first position to a second position and is at least partially disposed in the annular ring. A locking feature is defined by the first outer race member, the second outer race member and the activation member. The locking feature has an unlocked position and a locked position. The unlocked position corresponds to the first position of the activation member and the locked position corresponds to the second position of the activation member.

A rotational degree of freedom joint constraint system is disclosed. The system can include joint constraint hardware, such as a first component and a second component. The first component can have a rotational interface, and a constraint feature associated with the rotational interface. The second component can have a socket operable with the rotational interface to facilitate relative movement of the first component and the second component in at least one rotational degree of freedom. The second component can form an opening configured to facilitate movement of the constraint feature therein upon the relative movement of the first component and the second component. The rotational degree of freedom joint constraint system can also include a locking mechanism operable with the constraint feature. Movement of the constraint feature within the opening can be preventable by the locking mechanism to constrain the relative movement of the first component and the second component.

A spherical plain bearing comprising an inner ring having an outer spherical contact surface and an outer ring having an inner spherical contact surface. The outer spherical contact surface of the inner ring cooperates with the inner spherical contact surface of the outer ring. At least one of the inner ring and the outer ring comprises at least one internal cavity running on at least a portion of the circumference of said ring.