# US 2014/0151144 A1 · Mechanically Self-Powered Driveshaft Center Bearing Height Adjustment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151144 A1 - Document ID: US20140151144A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,703 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Djamel Bouzit; Bill Ickes; Ariosto Mancini - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151144A1 ## CPC - B60K 17/24: Arrangement of mountings for shafting - B23P 11/00: Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for (connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00) - Y10T 29/49622: Vehicular structural member making - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A link is configured to mechanically transfer movement sensed at an axle suspension assembly to a center bearing bracket for a vehicle driveshaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A link configured to mechanically transfer movement sensed at an axle suspension assembly to a center bearing bracket for a vehicle driveshaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The link of claim 1, wherein the link is a cable link. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The link of claim 1, wherein the link is a rack link. ### Claim 4 A vehicle chassis, comprising: a vehicle frame; and a driveshaft mounted with respect to the frame by a self-actuated, self-powered height adjustment mechanism. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The chassis of claim 4, wherein the height adjustment mechanism, includes: a link coupled to a suspension system at one end; and a movable bracket assembly coupled to another end of the link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The chassis of claim 5, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a pulley coupled to the link; a gear train having a gear configured to rotate with the pulley; and a drive screw fixed to another gear in the gear train at one end and configured to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The chassis of claim 6, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a return spring between the driveshaft and vehicle frame. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The chassis of claim 5, wherein the height adjustment mechanism is configured to displace the driveshaft at a ratio of 1:10 for suspension system movement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The chassis of claim 4, wherein the height adjustment mechanism, includes: a height sensing system configured to sense displacement of a suspension system; and a link configured to engage the height sensing system at one end and engage a movable bracket assembly at another end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The chassis of claim 9, wherein the height sensing system includes: a support shaft coupled to the suspension system, the support shaft including a threaded end; and a first driven gear having internal threads configured to receive the threaded end of the support shaft; wherein the link includes a first rack configured to engage the first driven gear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The chassis of claim 10, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a gear train having a second driven gear configured to engage a second rack in link; and a drive screw fixed to another gear in the gear train at one end and configured to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The chassis of claim 11, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a return spring between the driveshaft and vehicle frame. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The chassis of claim 10, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a second driven gear configured to engage a second rack in the link and fixed to a drive screw; wherein the drive screw is configured to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end. ### Claim 14 An automatic, self-powered vehicle driveshaft height adjustment mechanism, comprising: a cable link coupled to a suspension system at one end; and a movable bracket assembly coupled to the cable link at another end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The mechanism of claim 14, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a pulley coupled to the link; a gear train having a gear configured to rotate with the pulley; and a drive screw fixed to another gear in the gear train at one end and configured to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The mechanism of claim 15, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a return spring configured to apply a force to a portion of the movable bracket assembly attached to the driveshaft with respect to another portion of the movable bracket assembly attached to a vehicle frame. ### Claim 17 An automatic, mechanically, self-powered vehicle driveshaft height adjustment mechanism, comprising: a height sensing system configured to sense displacement of a suspension system; and a link configured to engage the height sensing system at one end and engage a movable bracket assembly at another end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The mechanism of claim 17, wherein the height sensing system includes: a support shaft coupled to the suspension system and including a threaded end; and a first driven gear having internal threads configured to receive the threaded end of the support shaft; wherein the link includes a first rack configured to engage the first driven gear. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The mechanism of claim 18, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a gear train having a second driven gear configured to engage a second rack in link; and a drive screw fixed to another gear in the gear train at one end and configured to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The mechanism of claim 19, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: spring configured to apply a force to a portion of the movable bracket assembly attached to the driveshaft with respect to another portion of the movable bracket assembly attached to a vehicle frame. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The mechanism of claim 18, wherein the movable bracket assembly includes: a second driven gear configured to engage a second rack in the link and fixed to a drive screw; wherein the drive screw is configured to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end. ### Claim 22 A method of manufacturing a vehicle chassis, comprising: mounting a driveshaft with respect to a vehicle frame by an automatic, mechanically self-powered height adjustment mechanism. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising: coupling a link in the height adjustment mechanism to a suspension system at one end; and coupling the link to a movable bracket assembly at another end. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: coupling the link to a pulley in the movable bracket assembly; adding a gear train to the movable bracket assembly and configuring one driving gear in the gear train to rotate with the pulley; coupling a drive screw to another driven gear in the gear train at one end; and engaging the drive screw with a threaded movable bracket at another end. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising: adding a return spring to the movable bracket assembly between the driveshaft and the vehicle frame. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: adding a height sensing system configured to sense displacement of a suspension system; and configuring the link to engage the height sensing system at one end and engage a movable bracket assembly at another end. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26 further comprising: coupling a support to the suspension system; threading the support at one end; threading a first driven gear so as to receive the threaded end of the support; and configuring the first driven gear to engage the link at a first rack of the link. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: configuring a second driven gear in a gear train to engage a second rack in the link; and coupling a drive screw to another gear in the gear train at one end; and configuring the drive screw to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising: adding a return spring to the movable bracket assembly between the driveshaft and the vehicle frame. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: configuring a second driven gear to engage a second rack in the link; coupling the second driven gear to a drive screw; and configuring the drive screw to engage a threaded movable portion of the bracket at another end.