Vehicle suspension having a leaf spring and a control arm joined by elastomer connector
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorFriedrich Peter WOLF-MONHEIM
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A motor vehicle suspension having a leaf spring, a control, and a connector formed of a monolithic piece of elastomer. The connector has a blind-hole cavity receiving an end of the leaf spring and a through-hole cavity through which the control arm extends. The connector is bonded to the leaf spring and to the control arm by vulcanization. The control arm has at least one hole formed through a flat connection portion thereof, and the connector extends through the at least one hole. At least one stiffener plate is embedded in the connector and is arranged substantially parallel to the flat connection portion of the control arm received by the through-hole cavity.
Claims18
A motor vehicle suspension comprising:
- a leaf spring;
- a control arm;
- and
- a connector formed of an elastomer and having a first cavity receiving a portion of the leaf spring and a second cavity receiving a portion of the control arm, the connector bonded to the leaf spring and to the control arm by vulcanization.
A motor vehicle suspension comprising:
- a connector formed of an elastomer and having a first cavity and a second cavity formed therein;
- a leaf spring having an end portion retained in the first cavity and extending therefrom, the end portion bonded to the connector by vulcanization;
- and
- a control arm having a portion retained in the second cavity and bonded to the connector by vulcanization, the control arm extending from the connector.
A motor vehicle suspension comprising:
- a leaf spring;
- a control arm having at least one hole formed therethrough;
- a connector formed of an elastomer and having a blind-hole cavity receiving an end of the leaf spring and a through-hole cavity through which the control arm extends, the connector extending through the at least one hole formed through the control arm, the connector bonded to the leaf spring and to the control arm by vulcanization;
- and
- at least two stiffener plates arranged substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to a surface of a portion of the control arm received by the through-hole cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.