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US 5,375,871 AGranted
Vehicle suspension system comprising a wide base beam and axle shell
AssigneeRidewell Corporation
InventorsJames L. Mitchell, Jason M. Klein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle suspension system comprises a beam mounted for pivoting movement to a hanger and securely to a vehicle axle where the beam is constructed with a laterally widening base as it extends longitudinally from the pivot mounting to the vehicle axle and with an axle shell securing the beam to the axle where the shell connection to the axle reduces stress on the vehicle axle.
Claims37
A suspension system beam comprising:
- a generally cylindrical sleeve having a center bore with a generally lateral center axis through the center bore;
- a U-shaped channel having a pair of laterally spaced side panels and a bottom panel connected to and spanning laterally between bottoms of the pair of side panels, the pair of side panels and the bottom panel are formed integrally with each other from a single sheet of metal with the pair of side panels being bent at an angle relative to the bottom panel thereby forming the U-shaped channel, the side panels having top edges and the channel being open between the side panel top edges, and the pair of side panels and the bottom panel each having longitudinally opposite first and second ends, the first ends of the pair of side panels and the bottom panel all being attached to the sleeve;
- and,
- means for receiving and attaching to a vehicle axle, the second ends of the pair of side panels and the bottom panel all being attached to the means for receiving and attaching to a vehicle axle.
1 more element
A suspension system beam comprising:
- a generally cylindrical sleeve having a center bore with a generally lateral center axis through the center bore;
- a pair of laterally spaced side panels, each side panel having opposite first and second ends and a longitudinal length between its opposite first and second ends, the first end of each side panel being attached to the sleeve and the second end of each side panel having means thereon for connecting the second end to a lateral vehicle axle, the means for connecting the side panel second ends to a vehicle axle includes an axle shell formed from a single sheet of metal in a semicircular curved configuration with opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surface being configured to extend over a lateral vehicle axle and the exterior surface spanning laterally between the laterally spaced side panels and being attached to the second ends of the pair of side panels and the pair of side panels diverging laterally from each other as they extend longitudinally from the sleeve to their second ends, whereby the side panel second ends are spaced a greater lateral distance from each other than are the side panel first ends.
A suspension system beam comprising:
- a generally cylindrical sleeve having a center bore with a generally lateral center axis through the center bore;
- a pair of laterally spaced side panels, each side panel having opposite first and second ends and a longitudinal length between its opposite first and second ends, the first end of each side panel being attached to the sleeve;
- a bottom panel having opposite first and second ends and a longitudinal length between its opposite first and second ends, the first end of the bottom panel being attached to the sleeve, the bottom panel having at least one longitudinally extending bend formed therein dividing the bottom panel into at least two sections extending longitudinally between the bottom panel first and second ends, the two sections being positioned at an angle to each other on opposite lateral sides of the bend;
- and,
- means for receiving a vehicle axle being provided at the second ends of the pair of side panels and the bottom panel.
2 more elements
A suspension system beam comprising:
- a generally cylindrical sleeve having a center bore with a generally lateral center axis through the center bore;
- a bottom panel having opposite first and second ends and a longitudinal length extending between the first and second ends, the first end of the bottom panel being connected to the sleeve;
- a top panel vertically spaced from the bottom panel, the top panel having opposite first and second ends and a longitudinal length between its first and second ends, the first end of the top panel being connected to the sleeve;
- means for receiving a vehicle axle provided at the second ends of both the bottom panel and the top panel, and the top panel having at least one bend intermediate the first and second ends of the top panel, the top panel having a configuration where the top panel diverges vertically away from the bottom panel as the top panel extends longitudinally from the first end of the top panel toward the one bend, and where the top panel converges toward the bottom panel as the top panel extends longitudinally from the one bend toward the top panel second end.
1 more element
A suspension system beam comprising:
- a generally cylindrical sleeve having a center bore with a generally lateral center axis through the center bore;
- an axle shell formed from a single sheet of metal in a curved configuration with opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surface being configured to extend over a lateral vehicle axle;
- at least one panel having longitudinally opposite first and second ends and a longitudinal length between its opposite first and second ends, the first end being welded to the sleeve and the second end being welded to the axle shell exterior surface;
- and,
- the axle shell having at least one laterally extending weld edge configured to be positioned against the lateral vehicle axle for being welded thereto, at least a portion of the weld edge being nonparallel to a lateral center axis of the axle.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.