Vehicle with elastomeric bearing suspension system and elastomeric bearing therefor
AssigneeLord Corporation
InventorsSCOTT R. LEFFERTS, Stefan Barbulescu, Timothy J. Kubat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle suspension system for large vehicles includes at least one elastomeric bearing. The bearing includes at least one substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion, at least one substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion, and at least one non-extensible shim disposed between and bonded to the substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion and the substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion.
Claims25
A vehicle suspension system comprising an elastomeric bearing assembly, the elastomeric bearing assembly comprising:
- a substantially cylindrical outer member;
- a substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion coupled to said cylindrical outer member;
- a shim coupled to said substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion;
- a substantially frustospherical elastomeric section coupled to said shim;
- and
- an inner member coupled to said frustospherical elastomeric portion.
A tracked vehicle suspension system comprising:
- at least one elastomeric bearing comprising:
- at least one substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion;
- at least one substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion;
- and
- at least one substantially non-extensible shim disposed between and bonded to the substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion and the substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion.
A tracked vehicle comprising:
- a first moving track roller frame assembly;
- a second moving track roller frame assembly;
- an equalizer link coupled to said first and second moving track roller frame assembly, said link comprising a first end portion and a second end portion;
- a first elastomeric bearing at least partially coupling said first end portion to said first moving track roller frame assembly, said first elastomeric bearing assembly comprising:
- at least one substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion;
- at least one first substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion;
- and
- at least one substantially non-extensible shim disposed between and bonded to the substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion and the substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion.
An elastomeric bearing assembly for a vehicle suspension system, the elastomeric bearing assembly comprising:
- at least one substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion;
- at least a first substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion;
- at least a first substantially nonextensible nonelastomeric shim disposed between and bonded to the substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion and the substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion;
- said substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion, said first substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion, and said first substantially nonextensible nonelastomeric shim concentrically centered around a center bore axis,
- said first substantially nonextensible nonelastomeric shim having a first end portion and a distal second end portion,
- said substantially frustospherical elastomeric portion having a spherical shape terminating at a first end portion and a distal second end portion,
- said substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion having a first end portion and a distal second end portion, said substantially cylindrical elastomeric first end portion elongated outwardly extending axially along said bore axis out beyond said substantially frustospherical elastomeric first end portion, and said substantially cylindrical elastomeric second end portion elongated outwardly extending axially along said bore axis out beyond said substantially frustospherical elastomeric second end portion.
A method of making a vehicle suspension system elastomeric bearing assembly, the method of making a vehicle suspension system elastomeric bearing assembly comprising:
- providing a substantially cylindrical shaped elastomeric layer disposed between a first nonextensible nonelastomeric member surface and a second nonextensible nonelastomeric member surface, with the first and second nonextensible nonelastomeric member surfaces configured such that the substantially cylindrical elastomeric layer therebetween includes an end portion that is substantially thicker than at least one other thinner portion of the substantially cylindrical elastomeric layer,
- and providing a substantially frustospherical shaped elastomeric layer disposed between a third nonextensible nonelastomeric member surface and a fourth nonextensible nonelastomeric member surface, the fourth and third nonextensible nonelastomeric members are configured such that the substantially frustospherical elastomeric layer therebetween includes an end portion that is substantially thicker than at least one other thinner portion of the substantially frustospherical elastomeric layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.