Patent ID: 6357956
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: B60G,B62D,F16C,F16J,Y10T

Abstract:
A pivotal joint assembly comprising:a ball stud previously mounted to a socket body, the ball stud having a shank portion extending therefrom defining a shank axis; an input/output member affixed to the ball stud shank portion wherein the socket body is freely rotatable relative to the input/output member about the shank axis and rotatable through a limited range about a transverse axis perpendicular to the shank axis; a boot sleeve of resilient material surrounding said shank portion, said boot sleeve having a first end adjacent said input/output member and a second end adjacent said socket body; a sealing element pressed onto said shank portion and interposed between said input/output member, said boot sleeve and said shank portion, and a sealing member disposed at an interface of said seal element, said shank portion and said input/output member; wherein said sealing element defines a primary seal interface at said first end of said boot sleeve adjacent said shank portion and secondary seal interface at an intermediate portion of said boot sleeve remote from said first end.