Internal bulkhead for spring seat reinforcement

Abstract

A vehicle chassis having a hollow structural member is provided with an opening at an end. A cavity extends from the opening and is defined by interior walls. The hollow structural member may be an axle or a portion of a frame. A bulkhead is arranged in the cavity transverse to the interior walls and spaced from the opening. The bulkhead substantially extends between and connects the interior walls, preferably at a right angle. The chassis component, such as an air spring or a member clamped to the hollow structural member with a U-bolt, is supported exteriorly on the hollow structural member. The chassis component generates a force and the bulkhead provides a counterforce to maintain the structural integrity of the hollow structural member. In this manner, the hollow structural member is relatively thin to save weight and cost and is better able to withstand bending and torsional forces without the use of specialized brackets.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.