Patent ID: 7896568
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: E05D,E05Y,F16M,F21S,F21V,F21Y,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A frictionally restrained joint, said joint comprising: a male half joint comprised of a first plate having a first frictional surface from which protrudes an annular shaft, said annular shaft having a barrel with an entrance bore diameter and an inner section with a wider diameter, said first plate, having a first groove on said first frictional surface that is coaxial with the shaft and a first O-ring seated in the first groove, where said first O-ring has a thickness sufficient to protrude above the first frictional surface; a female half joint comprised of a second plate having a second frictional surface and a bearing extending through said second plate with a diameter, where the bearing is appropriately sized to rotatably receive and support the shaft, said second plate having a second groove on said second frictional surface that is coaxial with the bearing and a second O-ring seated in the second groove, where said second O-ring has a thickness sufficient to protrude above the second frictional surface, wherein said shaft is rotatably received within said bearing such that said first and second O-rings contact said second and first frictional surfaces, respectively; and a tensioning device, where said tensioning device couples the male and female half joints and maintains the frictional surfaces of the plates and the O-rings in contact at a prescribed level of force, thereby producing a desired level of frictional resistance to rotation; wherein said tensioning device is a snap pin, where said snap pin has a flanged cap-shaped end having a diameter wider than the diameter of the bearing, a neck with a diameter less than the entrance bore diameter, and an elastic compressible ridge, said compressible ridge having a diameter greater than the entrance bore diameter, wherein the snap pin is pushed through the barrel with sufficient force such that said compressible ridge is engaged with the wider diameter inner section and said flanged cap-shaped end contacts said second plate on a side opposite said second frictional surface.