Progressive rate leaf spring for vehicle suspension system
AssigneeRassini Suspensiones, S.A. De C.V.
InventorsAnthony Berlingieri, José Guadalupe Ruiz Juárez, Aaron N. Johnson, James N. Zeimet, Juan Jose Wong, Ramón Heberto Diego Guedea
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable rate leaf spring vehicle suspension system includes a vehicle frame. The suspension system also includes a single leaf spring extending from a first end to a second end. The suspension system further includes a tension shackle pivotably coupled to the vehicle frame about an axis, the tension shackle defining a channel, the second end of the leaf spring disposed within the channel of the tension shackle, wherein the axis about which the tension shackle is pivotable is below the second end of the leaf spring.
Claims20
A variable rate leaf spring vehicle suspension system comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- a single leaf spring extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end;
- and
- a tension shackle pivotably coupled to the vehicle frame about an axis, the tension shackle defining a channel, the second end of the leaf spring disposed within the channel of the tension shackle, wherein the axis about which the tension shackle is pivotable is below the second end of the leaf spring, wherein the channel is a slot defined by a first leg and a second leg, each of the first leg and the second leg extending in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring, an upper surface of the leaf spring in contact with the first leg and a lower surface of the leaf spring in contact with the second leg.
A variable rate leaf spring vehicle suspension system comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- a single leaf spring extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end;
- and
- a tension shackle pivotably coupled to the vehicle frame about an axis, the tension shackle defining a channel, the second end of the leaf spring disposed within the channel of the tension shackle, wherein pivoting of the tension shackle in response to an increasing, upward load reduces the effective length of the leaf spring, wherein the channel is a slot defined by a first leg and a second leg, each of the first leg and the second leg extending in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring, an upper surface of the leaf spring in contact with the first leg and a lower surface of the leaf spring in contact with the second leg.
A variable rate leaf spring vehicle suspension system comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- a first leaf spring extending from a first end to a second end;
- a second leaf spring extending from a third end to a fourth end;
- a tension shackle pivotably coupled to the vehicle frame about an axis, the tension shackle defining a channel, the second end of the first leaf spring disposed within the channel of the tension shackle, wherein the axis about which the tension shackle is pivotable is below the second end of the first leaf spring;
- a first bumper disposed between a top surface of the first leaf spring and the vehicle frame;
- and
- a second bumper disposed between a top surface of the second leaf spring and a bottom surface of the first leaf spring, the second bumper spaced from the first leaf spring in a first load condition of the second leaf spring and configured to provide a first overall spring rate, and in contact with the first leaf spring in a load second condition of the second leaf spring, contact between the second bumper and the first leaf spring configured to provide a second overall spring rate, the first bumper spaced from the vehicle frame in a third load condition of the second leaf spring and configured to provide a third overall spring rate, and in contact with the vehicle frame in a fourth load condition of the second leaf spring, contact between the first bumper and the vehicle frame configured to provide a fourth overall spring rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.