Patent ID: 8753032

Claim:
A ball joint assembly comprising: a housing having a cavity that is at least partially defined by a first inner surface; a friction seat that: (1) is at least partially received within the cavity; and, (2) has: (a) an outer surface juxtaposed to the first inner surface of the housing; and, (b) an inner surface; a ball stud having: (1) a ball like portion that: (a) is movable within the cavity; and, (b) has a first outer surface that contacts the inner surface of the friction seat; and, (2) a shank portion that extends out from the cavity; a friction control mechanism comprising: (1) a contact member positioned within the housing; (2) a controller that provides at least one of a mechanical and an electrical signal; (3) a motor that rotates a motor shaft in response to the signal from the controller; and, (4) a motion conversion device that converts rotational motion of the motor shaft into linear movement of the contact member to contact the friction seat to adjust the friction between the ball like portion and the friction seat; wherein the housing has: a first end proximal to the ball stud, a second end distally spaced from the ball stud, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends; and at least one slot; wherein the motion conversion device comprises: a screw that: (1) is positioned within the housing; (2) is rotatable by the motor shaft; and, (3) has threads on an outer surface; and a nut that: (1) is positioned within the housing; (2) has threads that rotatably engage the threads on the screw; and, (3) moves linearly along the longitudinal axis into contact with the contact member to force the contact member to contact the friction seat; and wherein the at least one slot: receives a portion of the nut, prevents rotation of the nut; and, limits the linear motion of the nut toward the first end of the housing.