# US 10,870,324 B2 · Vehicle suspension having a leaf spring and a control arm joined by elastomer connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,324 B2 - Document ID: US10870324B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/246,487 - Filed: 2019-01-12 - Published: 2019-07-18 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-12 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Friedrich Peter Wolf-Monheim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870324B2 ## CPC - B60G 11/42: the rubber springs being attached to sprung part of the vehicle - B60G 3/06: the arm being rigid - B60G 7/02: Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} - B60G 11/02: having leaf springs only {(B60G11/006 takes precedence)} - B60G 11/12: Links, pins, or bushes - F16F 1/00: Springs (working with fluid F16F5/00, F16F9/00) - F16F 1/26: Attachments or mountings ({F16F1/182, F16F1/22} B60G11/10 take precedence) - B60G 2200/142: with a single lateral arm, e.g. MacPherson type - B60G 2202/11: Leaf spring - B60G 2204/121: Mounting of leaf springs - B60G 2204/143: on the vehicle body or chassis - B60G 2206/10: Constructional features of arms - B60G 2206/73: Rubber; Elastomers - B60G 2800/162: Reducing road induced vibrations - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION ## Abstract A motor vehicle suspension having a leaf spring, a control, and a connector formed of a monolithic piece of elastomer. The connector has a blind-hole cavity receiving an end of the leaf spring and a through-hole cavity through which the control arm extends. The connector is bonded to the leaf spring and to the control arm by vulcanization. The control arm has at least one hole formed through a flat connection portion thereof, and the connector extends through the at least one hole. At least one stiffener plate is embedded in the connector and is arranged substantially parallel to the flat connection portion of the control arm received by the through-hole cavity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motor vehicle suspension comprising: a leaf spring; a control arm; a connector formed of an elastomer and having a first cavity receiving a portion of the leaf spring and a second cavity receiving a portion of the control arm, the connector bonded to the leaf spring and to the control arm by vulcanization; and at least one stiffener embedded within the connector and comprising two plates arranged substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to a surface of the portion of the control arm received by the second cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 1, wherein the connector is a monolithic piece of elastomer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 1, wherein the first cavity is a blind hole and the portion of the leaf spring received therein is an end of the leaf spring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 1, wherein the control arm has at least one hole formed therein, the connector extending therethrough. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 4, wherein the at least one hole is formed in a flat connection portion of the control arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plates is a metal plate. ### Claim 7 A motor vehicle suspension comprising: a connector formed of an elastomer and having a first cavity and a second cavity formed therein; a leaf spring having an end portion retained in the first cavity and extending therefrom, the end portion bonded to the connector by vulcanization; a control arm having a portion retained in the second cavity and bonded to the connector by vulcanization, the control arm extending from the connector; and at least one stiffener embedded within the connector and comprising two plates arranged substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to a surface of the portion of the control arm received by the second cavity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 7, wherein the first cavity is a blind hole. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 7, wherein the control arm has at least one hole formed therein, the connector extending therethrough. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 9, wherein the at least one hole is formed in a flat connection portion of the control arm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 7, wherein at least one of the two plates is a metal plate. ### Claim 12 A motor vehicle suspension comprising: a leaf spring; a control arm having at least one hole formed therethrough; a connector formed of an elastomer and having a blind-hole cavity receiving an end of the leaf spring and a through-hole cavity through which the control arm extends, the connector extending through the at least one hole formed through the control arm, the connector bonded to the leaf spring and to the control arm by vulcanization; and at least two stiffener plates arranged substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to a surface of a portion of the control arm received by the through-hole cavity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 12, wherein the connector is a monolithic piece of elastomer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The motor vehicle suspension of claim 12, wherein the at least one hole is formed in a flat connection portion of the control arm.