Socket retainer assembly

Inventors: Todd Moore (St. Paul, MN); Christopher E. Tomao (Robbinsville, NJ)

Assignee: Whitecap Industries, Inc.

B63B17/02 F16C11/10 B63B2017/0054

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12686470
App. No.: 18/509,977
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball of the ball assembly is described. The socket retainer includes a slidable locking pin. The socket retainer is configured for mounting of a roof or tarp used on marine vessels, for example, a Bimini top.

Claims (26)

1 . A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball connected to a support post, the socket retainer assembly comprising:

a ball-receiving body including a channel to receive the ball and configured to retain the ball in the channel, the ball-receiving body further including a hollow lower body portion;

a slidable locking pin configured to slide in the ball-receiving body and configured to lock the ball in the channel in a locked position and configured to slide to an unlocked position from which the ball can be removed from the channel, the slidable locking pin; and

a base configured to mount within the hollow lower body portion, the slidable locking pin comprising a locking channel having a channel width, and the locking channel is configured to engage a locking post on the base, the locking post having a post width that is less than the channel width to allow the slidable locking pin to slide between the locked position and the unlocked position.

2 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the socket retainer assembly produces an audible sound to indicate when the slidable locking pin moves between the locked position and the unlocked position.

3 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ball-receiving body includes a visible indicator that the slidable locking pin is in the locked position and the unlocked position.

4 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 3 , wherein the visible indicator comprises a first symbol indicating the locked position and a second symbol indicating the unlocked position.

5 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the locked position, the slidable locking pin is trapped and cannot slide without being pushed by a user, securing the ball in the channel.

6 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ball-receiving body comprises a first slot on a first side of the ball-receiving body and a second slot on a second side of the ball-receiving body, and the slidable locking pin is mounted in slidable engagement with the first slot and the second slot.

7 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 6 , wherein the base comprises a first base portion and a separate second base portion, configured to enable the socket retainer assembly to be assembled.

8 . A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball connected to a support post, the socket retainer assembly comprising:

a ball-receiving body including a channel to receive the ball and configured to retain the ball in the channel;

a base spring configured to bias the slidable locking pin upwardly to ensure the slidable locking pin is retained in the up position in a receiving slot formed in the ball-receiving body.

9 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a detent spring configured to bias a ball detent that contacts the slidable locking pin.

10 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 9 , wherein the detent spring biases the ball detent with a sufficient force to generate an audible sound to indicate when the slidable locking pin is moved between the locked position and the unlocked position.

11 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 9 , wherein the detent spring and the ball detent are configured to cooperate and maintain the slidable locking pin engaged in a position so that the slidable locking pin will not vibrate free from the locked position.

12 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 11 , wherein the ball-receiving body comprises a hollow lower body portion and a base configured to mount within the hollow lower body portion.

13 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the slidable locking pin comprises a locking channel having a channel width that engages a locking post on the base, the locking post having a post width that is less than the channel width to allow the slidable locking pin to slide between the locked position and the unlocked position.

14 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 13 , wherein the ball-receiving body comprises a first slot on a first side of the ball-receiving body and a second slot on a second side of the ball-receiving body, and the slidable locking pin is mounted slidable engagement with the first slot and the second slot.

15 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 14 , wherein the base comprises a first base portion and a separate second base portion, configured to enable the socket retainer assembly to be assembled.

16 . A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball of a ball assembly, the socket retainer assembly comprising:

a ball-receiving body including a channel to receive the ball of the ball assembly and configured to retain the ball in the channel, the ball-receiving body comprising a hollow lower body portion and the socket retainer assembly further comprises a base configured to mount within the hollow lower body portion, the base including a locking post; and

a slidable locking pin configured to lock and unlock the ball in the channel, the slidable locking pin comprising a locking channel having a channel width that engages a locking post, the locking post having a post width that is less than the channel width to allow the slidable locking pin to slide between a locked position and an unlocked position, and the ball-receiving body comprises a first slot on a first side of the ball-receiving body and a second slot on a second side of the ball-receiving body, and the slidable locking pin is mounted in sliding engagement with the first slot and the second slot; and

a visible indicator configured to indicate when the slidable locking pin is in a locked and an unlocked position and an audible indicator configured to indicate when the slidable locking pin moved between a locked position and an unlocked position.

17 . The socket retainer assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a base including a first base portion and a separate second base portion, configured to enable the socket retainer assembly to be assembled.