Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7367896 | Universal putter A putter has an elongated head with a face along a long side of the head and an end surface along a short side of the head. The shaft can be positioned to strike a ball with either the face or the end surface. The end surface may have a loft of 5 degrees or more. Th... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7357591 | Ball-and-socket joint A ball-and-socket joint has a pivot pin accommodated rotatably and tiltably with a spherical joint area in a bearing shell. The bearing shell is in turn arranged in the recess of a joint housing. A closing ring fixes the bearing shell in the joint housing in the axi... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7281693 | Ball head assembly with anti-escape mechanism for a tripod A ball head assembly has a holding base, a clamping collar, a ball, a holder and an anti-escape mechanism. The anti-escape mechanism is mounted on the holding base, is connected to the ball and has a supporting rod, a supporting block, a dragging member and a nut. T... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7261488 | Ball socket ring seal A ball socket ring seal for use with a ball joint assembly eliminates the need for a boot or bellows to protect the ball joint against the environment. The ball socket ring seal of the invention is positioned between the ball and the socket at the point of contact b... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7260878 | Ball joint A ball joint includes: a ball stud having a spherical ball part and a shank part extending from the spherical ball part; a bearing cupping the spherical ball part of the ball stud; and a housing holding the bearing therein. The housing is provided with a recess in a... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7235339 | Method of blending toners using a high intensity blending tool with shaped risers for decreased toner agglomeration The present invention relates to a method for high intensity blending of toner particles in order to cause additive materials to become firmly affixed to the surface of base toner particles. The method includes using a blending tool having a shank with riser members... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7204497 | Steering post for recreational vehicle A steering post for use with a recreational vehicle, particularly a snowmobile or ATV, is described. The steering post includes a steering shaft having upper and lower ends; at least two steering arms, the two steering arms being positioned at an angle to a longitud... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7134801 | Ball joint and method of manufacturing housing therefor There is provided a ball joint provided with a ball stud having a spherical head portion in an end portion, a ball seat to which the spherical head portion is slidably fitted, thereby pivoting the ball stud universally, and a housing receiving the ball seat, the hou... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7125027 | Compound steering mechanism An axle mounting assembly includes a steerable axle mounted on an axle support and having a pair of opposing steerable wheels pivotally connected to the respective transverse ends of said steerable axle for pivotal movement relative thereto about respective wheel pi... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7125192 | Joint A ball-stud joint having a flange on a stud thereof, the flange having a sloping side for making it easy to locate centrally the stud relatively to a lower die jig. The ball stud is comprised of a ball fit for pivoting movement into a major body, a stud having a pla... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7086802 | Knuckle to tie rod damping system A steering assembly is provided that incorporates a system for controlled damping of vibration between a steering knuckle and tie rod end. A bushing formed from a damping material is inserted within an aperture formed in a tie rod arm of the steering knuckle. The sh... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7063331 | Mechanism for preventing intrusion of water or the like into boot for universal joint A middle portion 62 of a fitting portion 52A of a boot 52 for a universal joint is fastened to a flange-like portion 72 of a member to which the boot is attached and a front end portion 63 to which communicating paths 61A to... | 06/20/2006 |
| 6976773 | Pivot capsule for a motor vehicle headlamp A pivot capsule for a motor vehicle headlamp has a seating receiving a substantially spherical head of a fixing rod of substantially axial orientation extending from a housing of the headlamp to allow the lighting module to pivot. The seating is open at its two tran... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6962351 | Housing for retaining a sealing cap on a ball and socket joint A ball and socket joint assembly having a cylindrical sealing cap (1) housing (6, 6A) connected to the external case (4) of the joint assembly. The housing (6, 6A) may be comprised of plastic, aluminum, rubber, or other malleable material... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6945682 | Headlight for motor vehicles A headlight for motor vehicles is provided that includes an optical element, which is connected to a support element by at least one ball-and-socket joint. The ball-and-socket joint has a spherical ball and a spherical socket. The socket encloses the ball with socke... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6929271 | Hydraulically compensated stabilizer system The present technique provides a stabilizer system comprising a plurality of piston cylinder assemblies, which have multiple interconnected chambers to provide cross compensation between suspension members coupled to those piston cylinder assemblies. The piston cyli... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6908251 | Tie rod end and ball joint combination Novel tie rod ends and ball joint combinations that are especially useful in racing vehicles in which high performance is desired. The devices provide a reduction in friction such that the required steering effort with regard to both the rotation and misalignment of... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6905500 | Bone fixation apparatus Disclosed is a bone fixation apparatus. This device comprises a bone screw having a head; a cap member placed on an upper part of the head of the bone screw; a receiver member having a bore in which the cap member and the head of the bone screw are respectively acco... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6857809 | Articulating fastener assembly A fastener assembly for securely fastening a decorative panel in spaced relation to a support backing includes a base member adapted to be operatively mounted to the decorative panel, a carrier member, and a linking member operatively extending between the base memb... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6746173 | Universal joint A universal joint comprises a cavity formed in a joint case, a planar plate fitted in the cavity, a spherical member arranged in the cavity so that it is held by a spherical surface receiving seat and a portion of the planar plate, and pressure screw for pressing th... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6726394 | Connecting ball joint, for example for an anti-roll bar of a running vehicle The invention relates to a connecting ball joint (10), for example an anti-roll bar of a running vehicle, the ball joint (10) comprising a straight support (20) running along a general axis of elongation (xx′) and an elastically deformable mem... | 04/27/2004 |
| 6719476 | Construction in reaction rod An assembly for a reaction rod for shafts of automotive vehicles, more specifically, to be applied in heavy vehicles provided with pneumatic or mixed suspension, basically composed of a box provided in the end of a bar, being that this box has an internal housing in... | 04/13/2004 |
| 6619874 | Angular movement restriction bushing for ball joint A angular movement restriction bushing for ball joints, made of elastomeric providing two quadrants of its external surface with recesses and another two quadrants with smooth external surfaces, opposite between themselves, wherein one of the faces of the... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6609850 | Ball joint assembly for a piston-and cylinder unit A spring element exerts a radial force on a pivotable ball head and thereby prestresses it in a ball cup, the spring element being formed by a leaf spring which extends along the lengthwise axis of the ball head and whose active line of force is directed ... | 08/26/2003 |
| 6588967 | Joint A three-dimensional (spherical) joint for connecting mechanical links has its concave and convex concentrical spherical surfaces connected by preloaded in compression high shape factor (thin-layered) elastomeric elements, whose shear deformation provides ... | 07/08/2003 |
| 6454484 | Compliant pivot socket for automotive steering A pivot socket of the present invention incorporates a stud shaft component having a lower part-spherical head portion disposed within a housing cavity, and an axial pin extension extending upward into the cavity therefrom. The lower part-spherical head p... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6439794 | Compliant pivot socket for automotive steering A pivot socket of the present invention incorporates a stud shaft component having a partially spherical head portion disposed within a housing cavity, and an axial pin extension extending upward into the cavity therefrom. The partially spherical head por... | 08/27/2002 |
| 6386787 | Ball joint with compressed pressure shell A supporting joint having a casing and a ball pin held therein comprises, on the pin side, a support having a bearing shell and, oppositely to the pin, a pressure shell. A cutout is provided in the central region of the pressure shell. On the rear side th... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6287040 | Ball-and-socket joint A ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles is described which includes a housing (3), a bearing shell (4), which is inserted into the housing and accommodates a joint ball (1.3) of a ball pivot (1) exiting from the housing on at least one side movably in ... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6171012 | Radial ball-and-socket joint for a motor vehicle A radial ball-and-socket joint for a motor vehicle with a housing and a ball pivot, whose joint ball is mounted movably in all directions in a bearing shell, is presented, in which the bearing shell (1) has a two-part design and the joint ball (3.1) of th... | 01/09/2001 |
| 6042293 | Low torque ball and socket joint assembly An annular bearing set for a ball and socket joint includes annular inner and outer bearings that has a head of a ball stud engaging an inner seat face of each of the bearings. An axial compression preload results when the bearing set and ball stud are in... | 03/28/2000 |
| 5997208 | Adjustment for a ball joint assembly A ball joint assembly (10) includes a housing (12) having a socket chamber (20). A bearing (22) is disposed in the socket chamber. A ball stud has a head end portion (30) enclosed by the bearing (22) and a shank portion (34) which extends out of the housi... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5885022 | Ball joint with polymer housing A ball joint having a polymeric housing with an integral bearing seat for receiving a ball stud. A polymeric cap attaches to the housing and includes a bearing cavity for contacting the ball stud. The housing and bearing cap each have retention features t... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5882137 | Process for preparing a low-friction ball joint, as well as low-friction ball joint A process for preparing a low-friction ball joint and a ball joint prepared according to this process are presented, wherein a ball pivot with a joint ball made integrally in one piece with it is fitted into an insert ring via the intermediary of a bearin... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5839845 | Adjustable torque pivot joint A preloaded pivot joint has a threaded ball seat that is screwed into an open end of the joint housing to adjust the axial load on the ball stud and consequent torque characteristics. The adjusted position of the ball seat is then maintained by swaging th... | 11/24/1998 |
| 5816731 | Sealed self-adjusting bearing assembly A self-adjusting bearing assembly comprising a ball member, a connector member, and a bearing seat component having at least two seat members arranged to receive the ball member therebetween. The ball member has a shaped segment providing an outer bearing... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5772337 | Polywedge bearing for use with ball and socket A bearing set for a ball and socket joint comprises an inner and outer bearing with a head of a ball stud engaging a spherical inner seat face of each of the bearings. An axial compression pre-load results when the bearing set and ball stud are inserted i... | 06/30/1998 |
| 5655848 | Suspension ball joint A ball and socket pivot joint includes a housing socket, having upper and lower open ends concentrically disposed about a socket axis, receiving a ball stud including an integral stem extending through the socket lower open end with a lower semi-spherical... | 08/12/1997 |
| 5564853 | Ball and socket joint assembly A bearing set for a ball socket joint comprises an outer bearing and an inner bearing with a head of a ball stud engaging a spherical inner seat face of each of the bearings. A compression pre-load is applied when the inner bearing is inserted into a cavi... | 10/15/1996 |
| 5496125 | Compression pre-loaded ball and socket joint assembly A bearing set for a ball and socket joint comprises an outer sleeve with an upper cavity and a lower cavity, each of the cavities defined by an inner skirt, an upper bearing received in the upper cavity and a lower bearing received in the lower cavity. A ... | 03/05/1996 |
