Patent ID: 7530897

Claim:
A sliding articulation having an axis comprising: (a) an outer hub that encloses a cavity and comprising an inner surface and a plurality of outer hub raceways in said inner surface, said outer hub raceways extending parallel to said axis; (b) an inner hub accommodated in the cavity and comprising an outer surface and a plurality of inner hub raceways on said outer surface, said inner hub raceways extending parallel to said axis and lying opposite said outer hub raceways, with the inner hub being pivotable with respect to the outer hub; (c) a plurality of balls, each ball accommodated in a respective pair of an outer hub raceway and an inner hub raceway, with each pair of an outer hub raceway and an inner hub raceway accommodating only one single ball; and (d) one single cage disposed between the outer hub and the inner hub guiding the balls in an axial direction; wherein the inner hub is freely displaceable relative to the outer hub in the axial direction between a first stop and a second stop over a first distance by rolling the balls in the inner and outer hub raceways and is displaceable over a second distance by sliding of the balls in the inner and outer hub raceways; and wherein the cage is freely displaceable relative to the inner hub and relative to the outer hub, in the axial direction.