Patent ID: 8342769

Claim:
A pivot socket, comprising: a housing having a wall with an inner surface providing a cavity extending between a substantially closed end and an open end and a tapered inner surface adjacent the open end; a tapered bearing; a spring disposed between said tapered bearing and said closed end; a stud having opposite first and second tapered surfaces diverging away from one another generally toward opposite ends of said stud, said first tapered surface engaging said tapered bearing for relative sliding movement therewith to control angular deflection of said stud relative to said housing; a cartridge bearing received in said cavity of said housing, said cartridge bearing having a substantially cylindrical portion and tapered portion extending inwardly from said substantially cylindrical portion, said substantially cylindrical portion extending to one end surface of said cartridge bearing and housing said tapered bearing for relative sliding movement with said tapered bearing, said tapered portion having a generally flat tapered inner surface and a generally flat tapered outer surface, said tapered inner surface extending to another end surface of said cartridge bearing and engaging said second tapered surface of said stud for relative sliding movement with said second tapered surface to control angular deflection of said stud relative to said housing and said tapered outer surface extending along a common angle of inclination as the tapered inner surface portion of the housing so that the tapered outer surface and the tapered inner surface portion of the housing abut one another substantially across their full length.