Bearing For Vehicle Suspension
AssigneeZhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd.
InventorXiayang Hu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bearing device includes two co-axially arranged radial spherical bearings and can be used for mounting a pivoting swing arm of a vehicle suspension to a vehicle frame. By using the two radial spherical bearings together the pivot attachment only has a single degree of freedom. The radial spherical bearings are positioned against shoulders in a sleeve of the swing arm and around a spacer sleeve. One or more lubricant grooves are formed at the sliding interface of the bearings. A bushing with a lip holds a lubricant seal for each bearing, and a dust cover protects each lubricant seal. A pivot pin rod is inserted through openings in the vehicle frame and through the two bearings and other components, and is tightened in place such as with a nut.
Claims20
A bearing device for mounting a pivoting swing arm of a vehicle suspension to a vehicle frame, the bearing device comprising:
- first and second radial spherical bearings, each of the first and second radial spherical bearings having a ball swivel portion mating with a socket portion, the outer surface of the ball swivel portion defining a portion of a sphere having a sphere center, with the sphere centers of the first and second radial spherical bearings defining a pivot axis;
- a portion of a vehicle frame rigidly secured to one of the ball swivel portion and the socket portion of each of the first and second radial spherical bearings;
- and
- a swing arm rigidly secured to the other of the ball swivel portion and the socket portion of each of the first and second radial spherical bearings;
- such that the swing arm can pivot about the pivot axis with a single degree of freedom.
A method of assembling a vehicle suspension, comprising:
- attaching a first bearing on a first end of a sleeve;
- attaching a second bearing on a second end of a sleeve, such that the first bearing and the second bearing are coaxially arranged to define a pivot axis;
- positioning the sleeve between a first and a second mounting plate, the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate being fixed relative to each other, each mounting plate having an pivot pin opening defined therein;
- inserting a pivot pin rod through the pivot pin opening of the first mounting plate, through the first bearing, through the sleeve, through the second bearing and through the pivot pin opening of the second mounting plate;
- and
- securing the pivot pin rod such that it is fixed relative to the first and second mounting plates;
- such that the sleeve can pivot relative to the first and second mounting plates about the pivot axis with a single degree of freedom.
A rear swing arm pivot assembly for a rear wheel vehicle suspension, comprising:
- a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate rigidly disposed relative to each other, the first mounting plate having a first pivot pin opening, the second mounting plate having a second pivot pin opening;
- a sleeve positioned between the first and second mounting plates, the sleeve having a first end and an opposing second end, one of the sleeve or the mounting plates rigidly secured to a rear swing arm of a rear wheel suspension, the other of the sleeve or the mounting plates rigidly secured to the frame of a vehicle;
- a first bearing on the first end of the sleeve;
- a second bearing on the second end of the sleeve, such that the first bearing and the second bearing are coaxially disposed so as to define a pivot axis;
- and
- a pivot pin rod extending through the pivot pin opening of the first mounting plate, through the first bearing, through the sleeve, through the second bearing and through the pivot pin opening of the second mounting plate
- such that the rear swing arm can pivot relative to the frame of the vehicle about the pivot axis with a single degree of freedom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.