Disconnectable sway bar link
AssigneeSuper ATV, LLC
InventorsJason T. Stewart, Aaron Kirklin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A selectively engageable sway bar link for an off-road vehicle that includes a shaft with a first mounting point and a notch that is spaced apart from the first mounting point. The sway bar link includes a slide with a second mounting point and a detent mechanism. The shaft extends through the slide and the slide is selectively movable along the length of the shaft. The detent mechanism includes a locking member that, in a first state, engages the notch on the shaft to arrest movement of the slide relative to the shaft. In a second state, the locking member does not engage the notch. Further, in the first state, the slide is moveable relative to the shaft unless the locking member is longitudinally aligned with the notch in the shaft.
Claims18
A selectively engageable sway bar link for a vehicle, the sway bar link comprising:
- a shaft comprising a first mounting point, the shaft defining a notch, wherein the notch is spaced apart from the first mounting point;
- a slide comprising a second mounting point and a detent mechanism, wherein the shaft extends through the slide, wherein the slide is selectively movable along a length of the shaft;
- wherein the detent mechanism comprises a locking member that, in a first state, engages the notch on the shaft to arrest movement of the slide relative to the shaft and, in a second state, does not engage the notch, and wherein, in the first state, the slide is moveable relative to the shaft unless the locking member is longitudinally aligned with the notch in the shaft;
- a first tubular body;
- a second tubular body that is movable relative to the first tubular body, wherein the shaft extends through the first and second tubular bodies;
- a track and a guide that cooperate to constrain movement of the second tubular body relative to the first tubular body, wherein movement of the guide relative to the track is constrained by the track, wherein the track extends radially around a portion of either the first or second tubular body between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position that is longitudinally offset from the first longitudinal position, wherein the guide is coupled to the one of the first or second tubular body that does not include the track;
- and
- a spring that biases the first tubular body relative to the second tubular body, wherein, when the guide is in the first longitudinal position, the locking member is biased against the shaft and wherein, when the guide is in the second longitudinal position, the locking member is not biased.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.