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US 12,415,394 B2Granted
Vehicle
AssigneePolaris Industries Inc.
InventorsDonald S. Hansen, Timothy J. Giese, Matthew S. Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension assembly for a vehicle includes a lower alignment arm, an upper alignment arm, and a linear force element. The lower alignment arm includes a first portion, second portion, a third portion, and a linear force element mount. The linear force element mount includes a bearing for pivotably coupling the linear force element to the lower alignment arm.
Claims26
A suspension arm for a vehicle, the suspension arm comprising:
- a first portion having an upper surface;
- and
- a second portion coupled to the first portion and positioned over at least a portion of the upper surface, and the first portion and the second portion together define an upper surface of the suspension arm, wherein the first portion and the second portion together define a location for coupling with a shock absorber,
- wherein the first portion includes a first lateral extension and a second lateral extension, and the second portion extends along a portion of the first and second lateral extensions of the first portion.
1 more element
A suspension assembly for a vehicle, the suspension assembly comprising:
- an alignment arm including:
- a mounting assembly having an upper member;
- a bearing plate coupled to an upper surface of the upper member, the bearing plate including:
- a ball joint recess extending through a thickness of the bearing plate;
- and
- a bearing opening;
- a bearing member, and the bearing member is removably coupled within a portion of the bearing plate through the bearing opening;
- a ball joint housing on a laterally outer end of the alignment arm, wherein the ball joint recess is at the ball joint housing and reveals the ball joint housing;
- wherein a portion of the upper member is exposed by the ball joint recess, and the ball joint recess is configured to permit coupling of a ball joint with the portion of the upper member and
- a linear force element extending through the bearing opening, the linear force element movably coupled to the alignment arm at the bearing member, the linear force element configured to distribute a load along at least a portion the alignment arm.
7 more elements
A suspension arm for a vehicle, the suspension arm comprising:
- an upper portion having a lower extent extending downward relative to a longitudinal axis of the upper portion, the upper portion includes a ball joint housing;
- a lower portion having an upper extent extending upward relative to a longitudinal axis of the lower portion, the lower portion coupled to the upper portion such that the upper portion and the lower portion define a clamshell arrangement, and the upper extent of the lower portion overlaps a lower extent of the upper portion to define overlapping sides of the upper and lower portions, and the upper portion is coupled to the lower portion at the overlapping sides;
- and
- a bearing plate coupled along the upper portion, the bearing plate extends along the longitudinal axis of the upper portion, and the bearing plate includes:
- a ball joint recess configured to reveal the ball joint housing;
- and
- a bearing opening spaced from the ball joint recess, the bearing opening configured to receive a linear force element.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a suspension arm for a vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a first portion;
- providing a second portion;
- providing a third portion;
- permanently coupling the first portion to the second portion along an upper surface of the first portion, wherein the first portion includes a first lateral extension and a second lateral extension, and the second portion extends along a portion of the first and second lateral extensions of the first portion, and wherein the first portion and the second portion define a coupling location for a shock absorber;
- aligning an upper extent of the third portion with a lower extent of the first portion;
- and
- permanently coupling the first portion to the third portion along the lower extent of the first portion.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.