US 12,269,539 B2
Mechanical joint with five degrees of freedom
Carl Bjoerk, Greensboro, NC (US)
Assigned to Volvo Truck Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
Appl. No. 17/919,337
Filed by Volvo Truck Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
PCT Filed Jun. 1, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/035540
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/247001, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0158849 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 33/067 (2006.01); B60G 7/00 (2006.01); B60G 7/02 (2006.01); B60G 9/02 (2006.01); B60G 99/00 (2010.01); B62D 24/00 (2006.01); B62D 24/04 (2006.01); B62D 33/063 (2006.01); B62D 33/077 (2006.01); B62D 33/10 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 33/067 (2013.01) [B60G 7/001 (2013.01); B60G 7/005 (2013.01); B60G 7/02 (2013.01); B60G 9/02 (2013.01); B60G 99/002 (2013.01); B62D 24/00 (2013.01); B62D 24/04 (2013.01); B62D 33/063 (2013.01); B62D 33/0633 (2013.01); B62D 33/077 (2013.01); B62D 33/10 (2013.01); B60G 2204/143 (2013.01); B60G 2204/416 (2013.01); B60G 2206/12 (2013.01); B60G 2206/31 (2013.01); B60G 2300/0262 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mechanical system, comprising:
a first body;
a second body comprising a front end and an opposing rear end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends; and
at least two mechanical joints coupling the first body to the second body, each of the at least two mechanical joints comprising:
a first triangular linkage comprising a base end configured to hingedly couple to the first body to pivot relative to the first body about a first base axis and a vertex end comprising a first rotational member; and
a second triangular linkage comprising a base end configured to hingedly couple to the second body to pivot relative to the second body about a second base axis and a vertex end comprising a second rotational member;
wherein the first rotational member and the second rotational member are rotationally coupled to form a ball joint;
wherein a first mechanical joint of the at least two mechanical joints is longitudinally spaced apart from a second mechanical joint of the at least two mechanical joints; and
wherein the second body is moveable in two translational degrees of freedom and restricted in one translational degree of freedom relative to the first body.