Assembly for ball and socket joints

1. A universal joint comprising:

a first planar body having a first end with first and second resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure and having a second end with third and fourth resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure, the first, second, third, and fourth prongs being substantially co-planar with the first body, a central portion of the first body including a first notch and at least one pair of of the first and second prongs, and the third and fourth prongs circumferentially extending an angle greater than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere;

a second planar body having a first end with fifth and sixth resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure and having a second end with seventh and eighth resiliently-deformable arcuate prongs forming a substantially C-shaped sphere-receiving structure, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth prongs being substantially co-planar with the second body a central portion of the second body including a second notch configured to receive the first notch of the first body and at least one pair of the fifth and sixth prongs, and the seventh and eighth prongs circumferentially extending an angle greater than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere;

the first body first notch being received in the second body second notch such that the first body and the first, second, third, and fourth prongs are substantially perpendicular to the second body and the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth prongs, and such that the first and second prongs and the fifth and sixth prongs form a first substantially spherical socket, and the third and fourth prongs and the seventh and eighth prongs form a second substantially spherical socket;

a first sphere detachably retained by the first and second prongs of the first end of the first body and by the fifth and sixth prongs of the first end of the second body such that the first sphere is retained by four prongs with at least two of the four prongs extending at an angle greater than 180°; and

a second sphere detachably retained by the third and fourth prongs of the second end of the first body and by the seventh and eighth prongs of the second end of the second body such that the second sphere is retained by four prongs with at least two of the four prongs circumferentially extending at an angle greater than 180°.

2. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein one pair of the first and second prongs, and the third and fourth prongs circumferentially extends an angle less than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere.

3. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein one pair of the fifth and sixth prongs, and the seventh and eighth prongs circumferentially extends at an angle less than 180° for detachably gripping a sphere.

4. The universal joint of claim 1 , further comprising at least two protrusions adjacent the first notch of the first body and at least two protrusions adjacent the second notch of the second body, such that a chamfered intersection is formed when the first notch is received in the second notch.

5. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein at least two prongs are lined with at least one friction lining.

6. The universal joint of claim 5 , wherein the at least one friction lining is fastened onto the at least two prongs.

7. The universal joint of claim 6 , wherein the at least one friction lining is fastened onto the at least two prongs by a detachable fastener.

8. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein the universal joint is made from material comprising metal, glass, polymer, plastic, wood, hard cardboard, latex foam and/or polystyrene foam.

9. The universal joint of claim 1 , wherein the joint is manufactured by machine molding, a tool and cutter, and/or a 3-dimensional printer.

10. A toy, art design or architectural element comprising the universal joint of claim 1 .