Superstar singer Michael Jackson co-patented a "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion" in 1993.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7568854 | Pivot joint A pivot joint has a first structure comprising a ball mounted in a receptacle, wherein the location of the ball is held with respect to the receptacle, and a second structure mounted on and movable with respect to the ball, wherein the second structure has at least ... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7438491 | Multi-directional connector A structure for a ball-and-socket joint connector is provided, including a connecting element, an encasing unit and a fastening unit. The connecting unit includes a ball-shaped connecting element at one end. The connecting element is placed inside the encasing unit ... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7334548 | Piston joint A joint for positioning between first and second elements includes an outer member and an inner member. The first and second elements are arranged for linear motion along a common axis. The outer member is configured for movement relative to the first and second ele... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7331733 | Rocker pendulum with integrated ball and socket joint A rocker pendulum for a motor vehicle, has an elongated, especially hollow basic body (1). The basic body (1, 11, 21, 31) has at least one section (1a, 11a, 21a, 31a), which forms or has a bearing... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7241070 | Pivot joint A pivot joint has a first structure comprising a ball mounted in a receptacle, wherein the location of the ball is held with respect to the receptacle, and a second structure mounted on and movable with respect to the ball, wherein the second structure has at least ... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7210871 | Swivelling fittings A swiveling fitting for multi-directional movement includes a housing having a bore therethrough to accommodate a button shaft. A ball housing receives at least a portion of the button shaft. The ball housing has at least one ball recess to accommodate at least one ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7153055 | Ball-and-socket joint The invention relates to a ball-and-socket joint which is intended especially for vehicle chassis. The inventive ball-and-socket joint comprises a joint bolt (1) which is provided with a ball joint (1.1), and a plastic joint housing (2) into whi... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7121756 | Audio device post extension and angling system One embodiment of the invention provides a post extension system frame assembly for mounting fixtures within a recess in a wall or ceiling and that can be adjusted and installed with minimal time and effort. One feature of the invention provides a post extension and... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7097381 | Joint A joint for the movable connection of two components of a motor vehicle, which are movable in relation to one another, with a housing (1) and with a bearing shell (2) accommodated in the housing (1) for the slidingly movable mounting of a mount ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7037023 | Ball joint A ball-and-socket joint, especially a wheel guide joint for motor vehicles is provided with a housing (1), in the cavity (2) of which, which is open on at least one side, a bearing shell (3) is inserted with a joint ball (4) mounted there... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7011469 | Piston joint A joint for positioning between first and second elements includes an outer member and an inner member. The first and second elements are arranged for linear motion along a common axis. The outer member is configured for movement relative to the first and second ele... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6857810 | Ceramic ball-and-socket joint A ceramic ball-and-socket joint for a motor vehicle, especially for the chassis of the motor vehicle, is provided, in which the ball-and-socket joint has a ball-and-socket joint housing (5) provided with a joint opening (7) and a ball pivot provided wi... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6726392 | Ball joint with dual studs A ball joint (10) connects a first vehicle part (12) to a second vehicle part (14) and enables relative movement between the first and second vehicle parts. The ball joint (10) includes a housing (30) that defines a chamber (40 | 04/27/2004 |
| 6719312 | Steering linkage and ball joint An apparatus for use in a vehicle comprises a first steering link (30) having a first socket (54), a second steering link (34) having a second socket (70), and a steering knuckle (20) having a through hole (44). A stud (9... | 04/13/2004 |
| 6424886 | Prosthetic arm powered by an ultrasonic motor A movable prosthetic limb includes a drive linkage which is configured to move the prosthetic limb. An ultrasonic drive motor is coupled to the drive linkage and powers the drive linkage. The ultrasonic motor is non-backdrivable and has high torque at low... | 07/23/2002 |
| 6394408 | Trolling motor column mounting system A trolling motor column is supported in a support frame by virtue of the ball and socket connection. The column passes through the ball. The ball has a bore through which the column extends. The column may be secured in different positions to the bore or ... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6382865 | Base-mounted lubricated ball joint A base mounted lubricated ball joint utilizing a hollow socket case (20) is attached to an automobile axle or other workpiece by welding or bolting. A ball (42) is disposed within a socket (28) contained within the case and rotates freely within. A socket... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6350060 | Dual load path spherical bearing and a method of coupling along a dual load path A dual load path spherical bearing (10) comprises a bearing race (12) and a bearing ball (14). The bearing race (12) comprises a bearing race first half (16) and a bearing race second half (22) adapted to interface with the bearing race first half to form... | 02/26/2002 |
| 6217249 | Joint mechanisms and connector A joint mechanism and connector includes a rounded member having at least one concavity and which is connected to a first part, at least one actuator having a tip that is received in the concavity to lock a second part connected to the actuator to the fir... | 04/17/2001 |
| 6206603 | Low to medium pressure high temperature all-ceramic air to air indirect heat exchangers with novel ball joints and assemblies Low to medium pressure, high temperature, all ceramic, air-to-air, indirect heat exchangers, novel ball joints; connecting slip ring collars for ceramic tubes, that are useful in such heat exchangers, systems comprising several heat exchangers or systems ... | 03/27/2001 |
| 6168341 | Device for protecting and guiding an elongate part connected via a hinge to two mutually hinged rigid elements, and industrial applications thereof A device for use with a hinge in which two rigid elements (104, 105) may be placed in various relative angular positions, wherein the elongate part (109) to be protected and guided consists of a section or tube inserted through two mutually facing channel... | 01/02/2001 |
| 6059480 | Composite stud A composite stud having a shank with a recess at one end receives a stem formed on a ball. The stem and recess have any suitable shape and preferably a shape that prevents rotation of the ball relative to the shank. A further embodiment has a shank with a... | 05/09/2000 |
| 6024261 | Model having a foldable limb A foldable limb for a model includes two or more segments pivotally coupled together for forming the foldable limb and for allowing people to easily dress the model. One of the segments includes a ball and a pivot shaft engaged through the ball. The other... | 02/15/2000 |
| 5951195 | Method for producing a ball pivot arrangement and ball pivot arrangement for a ball joint In the ball pivot arrangement for a ball joint described in the specification, an essentially spherical upper region and an essentially bar-shaped lower region are joined by friction welding, the spherical region being capable of being mounted in a joint ... | 09/14/1999 |
| 5947625 | Pivot attachment for a movable thrust reverser element A pivot system is disclosed for pivotally connecting a movable component to a fixed component, the pivot system having a swivel device mounted on one of the movable and fixed components, a headed shaft passing through a portion of the other of the movable... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5860757 | Ball joint A ball joint comprises a metallic stud bolt having a male screw on one end side and a spread portion on the other end side, a resin ball member of synthetic resin having a spherical portion covering the spread portion, and a ball seat of synthetic resin h... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5803642 | Adjusting device on length--and inclination adjustable supports, in particular for percussion musical instruments A device for adjusting a length or inclination of a support for a percussion musical instrument, including an articulated ball formed of a plurality of sector members forming a central channel for receiving an adjusting rod-shaped member, clamping jaws ha... | 09/08/1998 |
| 5680792 | Concentric drive bearings for actuating two actuator rods for a windscreen wiper system A drive bearing for a windscreen wiper system wherein two actuator rods for actuating two wiper arms are driven by a motor crank. The two bearings are concentrically nested one within the other thereby allowing the driving forces of the two rods to extend... | 10/28/1997 |
| 5588767 | Locking joint mechanism In an angularly adjustable, releasably lockable ball joint, the ball has a surface covered with regular polygonal patterns of spaced-apart protrusions. The protrusions each define a concavity. An actuator tip is provided to penetrate the concavity and sim... | 12/31/1996 |
| 5568993 | Strut structure and rigid joint therefor A highly rigid structure is provided using six struts connected at three er and three lower nodes to upper and lower support structures. The joint assemblies are formed by half-spherical balls attached to the ends of each of the struts, and retained with... | 10/29/1996 |
| 5197926 | Swing connection guard A guard for a swing connection comprised of a hook which hooks through the eye of a connector member includes a pair of rigid shells which are slotted at their edges to provide clearance for the hook and the connector member so that the shells can be clam... | 03/30/1993 |
| 4995755 | Ball joint A ball joint includes a pair of generally hemispheric head members including facing surfaces. A bearing member is disposed between the facing surfaces. One of the head members is connected to a ball stud, the other includes a shank hole through which the ... | 02/26/1991 |
| 4986688 | Structure of ball and socket joint for a vehicle steering control system A ball and socket joint for a vehicle steering control system, which includes an inner ball head received in a ball socket which simultaneously serves as an outer ball head and is received in a casing which has a shank connected to a drag link of a vehicl... | 01/22/1991 |
| 4928546 | Robotic devices This disclosure describes a wrist capable of the range of motion and function of a human wrist, composed of a basic ball and socket joint, with the ball portion segmented vertically into as many flat portions as there are fingers to allow the first segmen... | 05/29/1990 |
| 4662772 | Shift lever tower assembly A shift lever tower assembly includes a spherical inner bearing with a central aperture formed therein for attachment to the shift lever, a spherical intermediate bearing having a hollow interior and inwardly extending projections for cooperating with slo... | 05/05/1987 |
| 4647011 | Magnetic valve for use with vacuum A magnetic valve for use with vacuum which has an improved junction between the stem and the valve disk which prevents detritus from impairing the seal of the valve. The valve has a magnetic drive coil outside a vacuum tight casing and an armature within ... | 03/03/1987 |
| 4629352 | Resilient ball and socket joint assembly and method of manufacture A joint housing has mounted therein a bearing supporting a ball portion of a ball stud, extending outwardly therefrom, so as to allow angular displacement thereof. The ball portion comprises a greater diameter portion of the ball stud, such as a sphere-se... | 12/16/1986 |
| 4565107 | Ball through-passage for the gearshifting lever of a motor vehicle A ball-type through-passage serves for the pivotal support of the gearshifting lever of a motor vehicle, which consists of two ball halves split along the gear-shifting lever and abutting thereat and of a two-partite bearing housing receiving the same. In... | 01/21/1986 |
| 4473240 | Steering mechanism of a road vehicle In a rack and pinion type steering mechanism of a vehicle having a steering wheel and road wheels steered by the steering wheel, a structure for effectively transmitting the movement of the rack member to two tie rods liked to the road wheels. A male memb... | 09/25/1984 |
| 4265464 | Tractor draft link structure A stabilizer rod and lower draft link are supported on opposite ends of a common supporting pin on a tractor with each being carried thereon by a ball and socket joint. The stabilizer rod and draft link converge rearwardly. The rod is provided with extern... | 05/05/1981 |