# US 10,864,792 B2 · Ride-height adjustment with leaf spring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,792 B2 - Document ID: US10864792B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/239,794 - Filed: 2019-01-04 - Published: 2019-11-28 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-23 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Rinku Patel; Salvador Padilla; Jared Shroyer; Eric Schaus - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864792B2 ## CPC - B60G 11/10: characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle - B60G 11/113: Mountings on the axle (B60G11/107 takes precedence) - B60G 11/34: including leaf springs - B60G 17/023: {the mechanical spring being a leaf spring (B60G17/0275 takes precedence)} - B60G 17/0275: {the mechanical spring being a leaf spring} - B60G 2202/112: longitudinally arranged - B60G 2202/40: Type of actuator - B60G 2204/121: Mounting of leaf springs - B60G 2400/252: vertical - B60G 2500/30: Height or ground clearance - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) ## Abstract A suspension system includes a leaf spring, an actuator attached to the leaf spring, and an axle mount attached to the actuator. The actuator is disposed vertically between the leaf spring and the axle mount and is actuatable to change a distance between the leaf spring and the axle mount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A suspension system comprising: a leaf spring; a first actuator attached to the leaf spring; a second actuator attached to the leaf spring; an axle mount attached to the first actuator and the second actuator; a first bottom plate directly attached to the first actuator and to the axle mount; a second bottom plate directly connected to the second actuator and the axle mount; and wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are disposed vertically between the leaf spring and the axle mount and are actuatable to change a distance between the leaf spring and the axle mount. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, further comprising a top plate disposed between the leaf spring and the first actuator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The suspension system of claim 2, wherein the top plate is directly attached to the leaf spring and to the first actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The suspension system of claim 2, further comprising a U-bolt holding the top plate and the leaf spring together. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are oriented to actuate parallel to each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the axle mount includes a top axle-mount section and a bottom axle-mount section, and the first and second bottom plates are directly attached to the top axle-mount section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The suspension system of claim 6, wherein the first and second bottom plates and the top axle-mount section are integral. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the first bottom plate and the second bottom plate are horizontally aligned. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the axle mount is between the first actuator and the second actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The suspension system of claim 10, wherein the first actuator is oriented to actuate vertically. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is electronically actuatable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The suspension system of claim 12, further comprising a ride-height sensor coupled to the axle mount, and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the first actuator and the ride-height sensor, wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to actuate the first actuator based on data from the ride-height sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The suspension system of claim 13, wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to lengthen the first actuator in response to data from the ride-height sensor indicating a decrease in ride height, and to shorten the first actuator in response to data from the ride-height sensor indicating an increase in ride height. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The suspension system of claim 12, further comprising an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the first actuator, wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to shorten the first actuator in response to an ignition switching to off. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The suspension system of claim 12, further comprising an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the first actuator, wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to shorten the first actuator in response to a proximity of a key fob to a vehicle including the suspension system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the leaf spring is elongated along an axis, and the first actuator is closer to a center of the leaf spring than to either end of the leaf spring along the axis. ### Claim 18 A suspension system comprising: a leaf spring; a first actuator attached to the leaf spring; a second actuator attached to the leaf spring; a top plate disposed between the first actuator and the leaf spring and between the second actuator and the leaf spring; a U-bolt holding the top plate and the leaf spring together; and an axle mount attached to the first actuator and the second actuator; wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are disposed vertically between the leaf spring and the axle mount and are actuatable to change a distance between the leaf spring and the axle mount. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The suspension system of claim 18, wherein the U-bolt is disposed laterally between the first actuator and the second actuator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The suspension system of claim 18, wherein the top plate is directly attached to the leaf spring, to the first actuator, and to the second actuator.