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US 10,981,424 B2Granted
Suspension control arm with integrated resilient element
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDaniel Mainz, Friedrich Wolf-Monheim, Rainer Souschek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided a control arm comprising a shell-like shell of a first material and a reinforcement of a plastic material, wherein the reinforcement has a flex-element which protrudes therefrom and which can be supported or guided by means of a vehicle structure in order in the event of jounce and/or rebound of the suspension to produce a resilient action equivalent to a conventional spring.
Claims14
A vehicle suspension system comprising:
- a hybrid control arm supporting two bushings for movably securing the control arm to a vehicle and including a shell formed of sheet metal having a concave under side and defining an opening, a plastic reinforcement secured to the under side, and a flex-element extending from the reinforcement toward an upper side of the shell, opposite the under side, and through the opening and beyond the upper side;
- and
- a contact-element disposed on the vehicle to contact the flex-element and deflect the flex-element relative to the reinforcement during jounce and/or rebound of the control arm.
A vehicle suspension hybrid control arm comprising:
- a shell formed of a sheet metal having a concave under side and a collar extending around a periphery thereof, and movably secured to a vehicle structure at first and second locations thereof;
- a plastic reinforcement bonded to the concave under side, and defining ribs that extend between opposite edges of the shell defined by the periphery;
- and
- a flex-element extending from the reinforcement toward an upper side of the shell, opposite the under side, and through an opening in the shell to contact the vehicle structure at a third location thereof, movement of the control arm relative to the vehicle causing the flex-element to deflect and thereby absorb energy.
1 more element
A vehicle suspension hybrid control arm comprising:
- a shell formed of a sheet of a first material and supporting a bushing for movably securing the control arm to a vehicle, the shell having a concave side and an upper side opposite the concave side, the shell defining at least one opening between the concave side and the upper side, and the shell further comprising a flange bordering the opening and extending away from the upper side;
- a reinforcement formed of a reinforced plastic material bonded to the concave side of the shell;
- and
- a flex-element extending from the reinforcement, passing through the opening and away from the upper side, and supported by the flange, the flex-element contacting un-sprung vehicle structure and being deflected by the contact during jounce and/or rebound of the control arm.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.