Patent ID: 8850955

Claim:
A braking system, comprising: a brake booster including a power piston assembly structure that defines a guide bore which possesses an open end, the guide bore defining a bore axis; a pivot structure positioned in the guide bore and including (i) a body having an interior surface that defines a cavity, and (ii) a plurality of extensions protruding inwardly from said interior surface; a pedal rod including (i) a ball-shaped distal end portion retained in said cavity by said plurality of extension members, wherein said ball-shaped end portion is positioned in contact with a contact segment of each of said plurality of extensions, and (ii) a shaft extending from said ball-shaped distal end portion; and a retainer secured to said brake booster so as to prevent advancement of said pivot structure through said open end of said power piston assembly structure, said retainer defining a passageway through which said shaft extends, wherein each of the plurality of extensions includes a side and a terminating end defining a contact segment, the contact segment of each of the extensions being positioned adjacent the ball-shaped distal end portion retained in the cavity, wherein the contact segments of the plurality of extensions are arranged to form a socket within the cavity in which the ball-shaped distal end portion is pivotally retained, and wherein the pivot structure is slidable in relation to the guide bore along the bore axis with the ball-shaped distal end portion retained therein.