US 11,110,765 B2Granted

Suspension spring saddle

AssigneeMahindra N.A. Tech Center

InventorsDavid E. Peck, Olivier A-M Thomas

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Abstract

A suspension interconnection assembly comprises first and second saddle brackets and a fastener. Each saddle bracket comprises a base, a pair of arms spaced apart and have the base disposed therebetween, and a pair of shoulders. Each shoulder is disposed between the base and a respective arm. Each shoulder has a first beveled surface. The pair of shoulders cooperates with the base and the pair of arms to at least partially define a U-shaped pocket. The U-shaped pockets of each saddle bracket are sized to partially receive an axle housing. The fastener interconnects the saddle brackets to couple the saddle brackets and a spring to the axle housing. The beveled surfaces of each saddle bracket are adapted to operatively engage the peripheral wall. The pairs of arms of each saddle bracket are adapted to operatively engage one another after the beveled surfaces operatively engage the peripheral wall.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A suspension interconnection assembly for a vehicle including a spring and an axle housing having a peripheral wall, the suspension interconnection assembly comprising:

a first saddle bracket comprising a first base, a pair of first arms being spaced apart and having the first base disposed therebetween, and a pair of first shoulders, each first shoulder being disposed between the first base and a respective first arm and having a first beveled surface, the pair of first shoulders cooperating with the first base and the pair of first arms to at least partially define a first U-shaped pocket;
a second saddle bracket comprising a second base, a pair of second arms being spaced apart and having the second base disposed therebetween, and a pair of second shoulders, each second shoulder being disposed between the second base and a respective second arm and having a second beveled surface, the pair of second shoulders cooperating with the second base and the pair of second arms to at least partially define a second U-shaped pocket, the first U-shaped pocket and the second U-shaped pocket being sized to partially receive the axle housing;
and
a fastener interconnecting the first saddle bracket and the second saddle bracket to couple the first saddle bracket, the second saddle bracket, and the spring to the axle housing, the first beveled surfaces being adapted to operatively engage the peripheral wall and the second beveled surfaces being adapted to operatively engage the peripheral wall, wherein the pair of first arms is adapted to directly engage the pair of second arms after the first beveled surfaces and second beveled surfaces operatively engage the peripheral wall.

1 more element

A method of assembling a suspension interconnection assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising:

disposing a first saddle bracket around a first portion of a peripheral wall of an axle housing having a longitudinal axis, the first saddle bracket comprising a first base, a pair of first arms being spaced apart and having the first base disposed therebetween, and a pair of first shoulders, each first shoulder being disposed between the first base and a respective first arm and having a first beveled surface, the pair of first shoulders cooperating with the first base and the pair of first arms to at least partially define a first U-shaped pocket into which the axle housing is at least partially received;
disposing a second saddle bracket around a second portion of the peripheral wall, the second saddle bracket comprising a second base, a pair of second arms being spaced apart and having the second base disposed therebetween, and a pair of second shoulders, each second shoulder being disposed between the second base and a respective second arm and having a second beveled surface, the pair of second shoulders cooperating with the second base and the pair of second arms to at least partially define a second U-shaped pocket into which the axle housing is at least partially received, the pair of first arms being spaced apart from the pair of second arms to define a gap along a first axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;
operatively engaging the first beveled surfaces and the second beveled surfaces with the peripheral wall to generate a first compressive stress in the peripheral wall along the first axis and a second compressive stress in the peripheral wall along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the longitudinal axis;
and
directly engaging the pair of first arms with the pair of second arms to generate a third compressive stress in the pair of first arms and the pair of second arms along the first axis to limit a magnitude of the first compressive stress.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/427,932Filed 31 May 2019
Published: US 2020/0376910 A13 Dec 2020
Granted: 7 Sep 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

B60G 9/003
Resilient suspensions of a rigid axle or axle housing for two or more wheels: the axle being rigidly connected to a trailing guiding device
B60G 11/113
Characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle: mountings on the axle
B60G 11/04
Having leaf springs only: arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle
B60G 11/12
Characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle: links, pins, or bushes

Family

US 2020/0376910 A1Pre-grant publication · published 3 Dec 2020
US 11,110,765 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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