Invertible Stabilizer Bar and System Incorporating the Same
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorMatthew Garn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A suspension assembly for a vehicle may include a first stabilizer bar operably coupled to a first wheel on a first side of the vehicle, a second stabilizer bar operably coupled to a second wheel on a second side of the vehicle, and an chassis coupler comprising an inverter housing and an actuator assembly. The actuator assembly may be operable to arrange the first stabilizer bar and the second stabilizer bar in a selected one of a connected state, a disconnected state, and an inverted state. The inverter housing may be alternately constrained to one of the first stabilizer bar or the chassis coupler based on a position of the actuator assembly to define each of the connected state, the disconnected state and the inverted state.
Claims18
A stabilizer assembly for a vehicle, the stabilizer assembly comprising:
- a first stabilizer bar operably coupled to a first wheel on a first side of the vehicle;
- a second stabilizer bar operably coupled to a second wheel on a second side of the vehicle;
- an inverter housing;
- an actuator assembly;
- and
- a chassis coupler;
- wherein the actuator assembly is operable to arrange the first stabilizer bar and the second stabilizer bar in a selected one of a connected state, a disconnected state, and an inverted state;
- wherein the inverter housing is alternately constrained to one of the first stabilizer bar or the chassis coupler based on a position of the actuator assembly to define each of the connected state, the disconnected state, and the inverted state;
- wherein the actuator assembly comprises a first actuator and a second actuator;
- wherein the first actuator is operably coupled to the first stabilizer bar and the inverter housing to alternately constrain the first stabilizer bar to the inverter housing or enable movement of the first stabilizer bar relative to the inverter housing based on a position of the first actuator;
- wherein the second actuator is operably coupled to the chassis coupler to alternately constrain the chassis coupler to the inverter housing or enable movement of the inverter housing relative to the chassis coupler based on a position of the second actuator;
- and
- wherein, in the connected state, the first actuator constrains the first stabilizer bar to the inverter housing.
5-7. (canceled)
A stabilizer assembly for a vehicle, the stabilizer assembly comprising:
- a first stabilizer bar operably coupled to a first wheel on a first side of the vehicle;
- a second stabilizer bar operably coupled to a second wheel on a second side of the vehicle;
- an inverter housing;
- an actuator assembly;
- and
- a chassis coupler,
- wherein the actuator assembly is operable to arrange the first stabilizer bar and the second stabilizer bar in a selected one of a connected state, a disconnected state, and an inverted state;
- wherein the inverter housing is alternately constrained to one of the first stabilizer bar or the chassis coupler based on a position of the actuator assembly to define each of the connected state, the disconnected state, and the inverted state;
- wherein the actuator assembly comprises a first actuator and a second actuator;
- wherein the first actuator is operably coupled to the first stabilizer bar and the inverter housing to alternately constrain the first stabilizer bar to the inverter housing or enable movement of the first stabilizer bar relative to the inverter housing based on a position of the first actuator;
- wherein the second actuator is operably coupled to the chassis coupler to alternately constrain the chassis coupler to the inverter housing or enable movement of the inverter housing relative to the chassis coupler based on a position of the second actuator;
- and
- wherein, in the inverted state, the second actuator constrains the inverter housing to the chassis coupler.
(canceled)
A suspension system for a vehicle, the suspension system comprising a chassis, a first wheel operably coupled to the chassis via a first suspension assembly, a second wheel operably coupled o the chassis via a second suspension assembly, and a stabilizer assembly,
- wherein the stabilizer assembly comprises:
- a first stabilizer bar operably coupled to the first wheel;
- a second stabilizer bar operably coupled to the second wheel;
- an inverter housing;
- an actuator assembly;
- and
- a chassis coupler;
- wherein the actuator assembly is operable to arrange the first stabilizer bar and the second stabilizer bar in a selected one of a connected state, a disconnected state, and an inverted state,
- wherein the inverter housing is alternately constrained to one of the first stabilizer bar or the chassis coupler based on a position of the actuator assembly to define each of the connected state, the disconnected state and the inverted state;
- wherein the actuator assembly comprises a first actuator and a second actuator;
- wherein the first actuator is operably coupled to the first stabilizer bar and the inverter housing to alternately constrain the first stabilizer bar to the inverter housing or enable movement of the first stabilizer bar relative to the inverter housing based on a position of the first actuator;
- wherein the second actuator is operably coupled to the chassis coupler to alternately constrain the chassis coupler to the inverter housing or enable movement of the inverter housing relative to the chassis coupler based on a position of the second actuator;
- wherein the first actuator constrains the first stabilizer bar to the inverter housing in the connected state or the second actuator constrains the inverter housing to the chassis coupler in the inverted state.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.