Suspension Travel Control System
AssigneeHendrickson USA, L.L.C.
InventorsAshley Thomas Dudding, Jerry Michael Lovett, Richard John Aumann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension travel control system for a vehicle suspension is disclosed. The suspension travel control system includes a stop post secured to the vehicle frame and a suspension travel control formation that includes a base and a body. The stop post is positioned in a space defined by the body. The suspension travel control formation may be secured to the axle, the main support member or incorporated into the axle coupling assembly to provide a rebound and jounce stop as well as longitudinal redundancy in the event of the failure or loss of a longitudinal linkage.
Claims43
A suspension travel control system for a vehicle, comprising,
- a vehicle frame,
- a stop post secured at one end to the vehicle frame and presenting at least one contact surface,
- a vehicle suspension system comprising,
- an axle,
- a suspension linkage, said suspension linkage being longitudinally disposed and movably connected to the vehicle frame,
- a suspension travel control formation having a body and a base, the body having an interior surface defining an interior space,
- wherein the axle, the suspension linkage and the suspension travel control formation are coupled by an axle coupling assembly in a manner that permits the axle, the suspension linkage and the suspension travel control formation to move at least in part in a vertical direction, and
- wherein the stop post is positioned in the interior space for the engagement of the at least one contact surface of the stop post with the interior surface of the body of the suspension travel control formation to limit downward travel of the axle or the suspension linkage.
A suspension travel control system for a vehicle, comprising,
- a vehicle frame,
- a stop post secured at one end to the vehicle frame and presenting a first contact surface,
- a vehicle suspension system comprising,
- an axle,
- a suspension linkage having a first end portion, the suspension linkage movably connected to the vehicle frame at the first end portion of the suspension linkage to permit the suspension linkage to move at least in part in a vertical direction,
- a suspension travel control formation having a body and a base and presenting an interior surface defining an interior space,
- wherein the axle, the suspension linkage, and the suspension travel control formation are fixed in relation to one another by one or more fasteners and undergo generally vertical movement between a first position or jounce position, and a second position or rebound position,
- wherein the stop post is positioned in the interior space for the engagement of the first contact surface with a first portion of the interior surface of the suspension travel control formation to limit travel of the axle or the suspension linkage in a first direction that is not parallel to the generally vertical movement of the axle.
A suspension travel control system for a vehicle, comprising,
- a vehicle frame,
- a stop post secured at one end to the vehicle frame and presenting a first surface and a second surface,
- a vehicle suspension system comprising,
- an axle,
- a suspension linkage, said suspension linkage being longitudinally disposed and movably connected to the vehicle frame,
- a suspension travel control formation having a body and a base and presenting a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the first contact surface spaced apart from, and on opposite sides of the stop post from the second contact surface,
- wherein the axle, the suspension linkage and the suspension travel control formation are fixed in relation to one another by one or more fasteners, and
- wherein the suspension travel control formation and stop post are configured to move relative to one another and in accordance with the movement of the suspension system during operation, and
- wherein the first surface of the stop post and the first contact surface of the suspension travel control formation are positioned for engagement with one another to limit movement of the suspension system in a first direction, and the second surface of the stop post and the second contact surface of the suspension travel control formation are positioned for engagement with one another to limit movement of the suspension system in a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction are generally opposite one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.