# US 11,298,998 B2 · Suspension assembly for a vehicle axle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,998 B2 - Document ID: US11298998B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/754,441 - Filed: 2018-10-10 - Published: 2020-10-29 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-10 - Assignees: Carraro S.p.A. - Applicants: Carraro S.p.A. - Inventors: Andrea Spazio - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298998B2 ## CPC - B60G 9/027: {the axle having either a triangular, a "T" or "U" shape and being directly articulated with the chassis only by its middle apex, e.g. De Dion suspension} - B60G 13/08: hydraulic - B60G 2200/324: with a single pivot point and a triangular "T" or "U"-shaped axle, e.g. DeDion arrangement - B60G 2200/34: Stabilising mechanisms, e.g. for lateral stability - B60G 2200/422: Driving wheels or live axles - B60G 2200/44: steerable - B60G 2204/423: Rails, tubes, or the like, for guiding the movement of suspension elements - B60G 2204/45: Stops limiting travel - B60G 2300/08: Agricultural vehicles - B60G 2300/082: Tractors - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) ## Abstract A suspension assembly for a vehicle axle. The assembly comprises a support structure, a housing element rotatably connected, about a transverse axis, to a support element in which the support structure is configured in a such a manner that it can rotate in relation to the support element about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and is secured to the main chassis of the vehicle by a pair of hydraulic cylinders. The support structure comprises a pair of main guides, which can be fixed to the main chassis and a rolling element which slides between the pair of main guides and a contact element with a pair of further guides, the contact element operatively associated with the pair of further guides so as to come into contact with one of the further guides following a rotation about the rolling element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A suspension assembly for a vehicle axle of a vehicle being suitable for off-road use and having a main chassis and a longitudinal axis, the suspension assembly comprising: a support element connected to the main chassis of the vehicle; a support structure for the axle, the support structure having a pair of main guides fixed to the main chassis and a disc shaped rolling element which slides between the pair of main guides, wherein the support structure is configured to rotate relative to the support element about a rotational axis; a pair of hydraulic cylinders securing the support structure to the main chassis; a housing element for a driveshaft, the housing element being rotatably connected, about a transverse axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, to the support element; a pair of further guides affixed to the main chassis; and a disc shaped contact element secured to the support structure and located between the pair of further guides and operatively connected to the pair of further guides so as to come into contact with one of the further guides following a rotation about the rolling element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main guides and the further guides are straight and are, in use, substantially vertical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rolling element and the contact element have the same diameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main guides have a distance between each other and the further guides have a distance between each other that is greater than the distance between the main guides. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the further guides extend as extensions of the main guides. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one stop element fixed to the main chassis and configured to contact the support structure following a vertical motion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing crossbar and wherein the further guides have lower extremities and are joined at one of their lower extremities by the reinforcing crossbar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an extremity opposite to the housing element and wherein the rolling element and the contact element are located at the extremity that is opposite to the housing element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the further guides and the main guides is formed as a single part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The suspension assembly according to claim 9, further having a vertical axis and wherein the single part forming each of the further guides and the main guides includes a connection portion that is inclined in relation to the vertical axis and divergent from the vertical axis as the connection portion moves away from the rolling element, the connection portion being located between the further guide and the main guide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, further having a vertical axis and wherein, when the support structure has zero rotation, the rolling element and the contact element are aligned in relation to the vertical axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a ball joint and wherein the housing element is connected to the support element by the ball joint. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The suspension assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing and wherein the housing element has extremities and is hinged to the support element at one of the extremities of the housing element and is rotatably connected to the support structure by the bearing at one of the opposite extremities of the housing element. ### Claim 14 A suspension assembly for a vehicle axle of a vehicle being suitable for off-road use and having a main chassis and a longitudinal axis, the suspension assembly comprising: a support element connected to the main chassis of the vehicle; a support structure for the axle, the support structure having a pair of main guides fixed to the main chassis and a rolling element which slides between the pair of main guides, wherein the support structure is configured to rotate relative to the support element about a rotational axis; a pair of hydraulic cylinders securing the support structure to the main chassis; a housing element for a driveshaft, the housing element being rotatably connected, about a traverse axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, to the support element; a pair of further guides affixed to the main chassis; and a contact element secured to the support structure and located between the pair of further guides and operatively connected to the pair of further guides so as to come into contact with one of the further guides following a rotation about the rolling element, wherein the contact element is located beneath the rolling element in relation to the rotational axis. ### Claim 15 A suspension assembly for a vehicle axle of a vehicle being suitable for off-road use and having a main chassis and a longitudinal axis, the suspension assembly comprising: a support element connected to the main chassis of the vehicle; a support structure for the axle, the support structure having a pair of main guides fixed to the main chassis with a distance between the main guides and a rolling element which slides between the pair of main guides, wherein the support structure is configured to rotate relative to the support element about a rotational axis; a pair of hydraulic cylinders securing the support structure to the main chassis; a housing element for a driveshaft, the housing element being rotatably connected, about a transverse axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, to the support element; a pair of further guides affixed to the main chassis and extending as extensions of the main guides, the further guides having a distance between each other that is greater than the distance between the main guides; a contact element secured to the support structure and located between the pair of further guides and operatively connected to the pair of further guides so as to come into contact with one of the further guides following a rotation about the rolling element; at least one stop element fixed to the main chassis and configured to contact the support structure following a vertical motion; and a reinforcing crossbar wherein the further guides have lower extremities and are joined at one of their lower extremities by the reinforcing crossbar. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The suspension assembly according to claim 15 wherein the main guides and the further guides are straight and are, in use, substantially vertical. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The suspension assembly according to claim 15 wherein the rolling element and the contact element are both disc shaped and have the same diameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The suspension assembly according to claim 15 wherein the contact element is located beneath the rolling element in relation to the rotational axis. ### Claim 19 A suspension assembly for a vehicle axle of a vehicle being suitable for off-road use and having a main chassis and a longitudinal axis, the suspension assembly comprising: a support element connected to the main chassis of the vehicle; a support structure for the axle, the support structure having a pair of main guides fixed to the main chassis with a distance between the main guides and a rolling element which slides between the pair of main guides, wherein the support structure is configured to rotate relative to the support element about a rotational axis; a pair of hydraulic cylinders securing the support structure to the main chassis; a housing element for a driveshaft, the housing element being rotatably connected, about a transverse axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, to the support element; a pair of further guides affixed to the main chassis and extending as extensions of the main guides, the main guides and the further guides being straight and substantially vertical in use, the further guides having a distance between each other that is greater than the distance between the main guides; a contact element secured to the support structure and located between the pair of further guides and operatively connected to the pair of further guides so as to come into contact with one of the further guides following a rotation about the rolling element, wherein the rolling element and the contact element are both disc shaped and have the same diameter and the contact element is located beneath the rolling element in relation to the rotational axis; at least one stop element fixed to the main chassis and configured to contact the support structure following a vertical motion; and a reinforcing crossbar wherein the further guides have lower extremities and are joined at one of their lower extremities by the reinforcing crossbar.