Appeal No. 2006-0026
Application No. 10/012,518
to a control arm 4 of the steering system, and (3) a cylindrical
extension 18 projecting from the spherical head 17 opposite the
mating part 15, a nylon liner 16 in the socket 12 providing a
bearing surface for the spherical head 17, a metal slug 19 of
square outer cross section having a circular aperture fitted over
the cylindrical extension 18 in a freely rotatable and slidable
manner, and a plug 22 closing the end of the socket 12 opposite the
aperture 14 and having a elongated rectangular aperture 21
receiving the extension 18 and surrounding slug 19. Of particular
interest is the relationship between the slug 19 and the plug
aperture 21:
[a]s shown in FIG. 3, the aperture 21 in the plug 22
is of rectangular cross section with rounded corners.
The greater dimension of this rectangular cross section
is in a direction axially of the track rod 6 and the
lesser dimension has only a slightly greater dimension
than the dimension of the sides of the square slug 19 so
that there is a minimal clearance, e.g. 0.127mm, between
two opposite side walls of the slug 19 and the longer
walls of the aperture 21. This leaves spaces 25 between
the other sides of the slug and the shorter end walls of
the aperture 21 [column 3, lines 29-39].
6
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Last modified: November 3, 2007