Multi-functional suspension bushing

A slider axle/suspension assembly for a heavy-duty vehicle, the axle/suspension assembly being operatively supported with a frame of the heavy-duty vehicle, the slider axle/suspension assembly comprising:

• a hanger connected to the frame of the heavy-duty vehicle;
• at least one trailing arm beam mounted at a pivot connection to the hanger for relative pivotal movement, the pivot connection having an axis of rotation;
• an axle supported by the trailing arm beam, the axle being supported by the trailing arm beam located on a first side of the pivot connection;
• a bumper fixed to the beam located on an opposite second side of the pivot connection, the bumper adapted to contact an engagement member associated with the hanger to limit pivotal movement of the axle in one direction and applying a force to the pivot connection in a force application direction extending through the axis of rotation of the trailing arm beam and that is angularly spaced from horizontal and vertical planes;
• and
• the pivot connection including a bushing to connect the trailing arm beam to the hanger for pivotal movement, the bushing includes an elastomeric bushing body with at least one void extending axially for decreasing rigidity of the bushing body in a substantially vertical direction, wherein the at least one void is located in the bushing body angularly spaced from the force application direction and is substantially offset in a forward direction from vertical, and wherein the bushing body is substantially solid along the force application direction and in a rearward direction from vertical.

A bushing assembly for use in an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle, the axle/suspension system including a beam supporting an axle, the beam is supported at a pivot connection by a hanger of the heavy-duty vehicle for relative pivotal movement, a bumper is fixed to the beam and contacts an engagement member of the hanger to limit pivotal movement of the beam and axle in one direction and applies a force to the pivot connection in a force application direction that is angularly spaced from horizontal and vertical planes, the bushing assembly comprising:

• a bushing to connect the beam to the hanger at the pivot connection;
• an elastomeric bushing body of the bushing includes at least one void for decreasing rigidity of the bushing body in a substantially vertical direction;
• wherein the at least one void is located in the bushing body angularly spaced from the force application direction and is substantially offset in a forward direction from vertical;
• the bushing body being substantially solid along the force application direction and in a rearward direction from vertical;
• the bushing including an elongated tubular inner sleeve with an axially extending first intermediate portion of a first outside dimension, the first intermediate portion located between axially opposite end portions that each have a second outer dimension, and the first outer dimension being greater than the second outside dimension;
• and
• the tubular inner sleeve of the bushing further includes an axially extending second intermediate portion being located between the opposite end portions, the second intermediate portion having an outer dimension substantially equal to the second outside dimension, the second intermediate portion being circumferentially offset from the first intermediate portion.

A bushing assembly for use in an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle, the axle/suspension system including a beam supporting an axle, the beam is supported at a pivot connection by a hanger of the heavy-duty vehicle for relative pivotal movement, a bumper is fixed to the beam and contacts an engagement member of the hanger to limit pivotal movement of the beam and axle in one direction and applies a force to the pivot connection in a force application direction that is angularly spaced from horizontal and vertical directions, the bushing assembly comprising:

• a bushing to connect the beam and the hanger at the pivot connection, the bushing comprising:
• a tubular sleeve;
• an elastomeric bushing body disposed about the tubular sleeve, the elastomeric bushing body having a first resistance to deformation of the bushing in the vertical direction towards the location of the bumper;
• structure providing a second resistance to deformation along the force application direction away from the location of the bumper, the second resistance to deformation being greater than the first resistance to deformation;
• and
• the structure providing the second resistance to deformation includes the tubular sleeve having a first intermediate portion with a first outside dimension, the first intermediate portion located between axially opposite end portions that each have a second outer dimension, the first outer dimension being greater than the second outside dimension and the first intermediate portion of the tubular sleeve being circumferentially located in the force application direction.