Adjustable bushing
AssigneeNai Neway, Inc.
InventorWilliam C. Pierce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elastomeric bushing for mounting a first member to a second member which permits limited articulation of one of the members relative to the other. The bushing comprises an inner element, an outer element, and a highly compressed elastomeric insert retained between the outer and inner elements, wherein the outer element further comprises an adjustable portion to permit limited reduction of the circumference of the outer element from a maximum circumference. The outer element is constructed to restrain the expansion forces of the highly compressed elastomeric insert to maintain substantially constant, the circumference of the outer element at a predetermined circumference, while being capable of withstanding the shear forces during installation without buckling or tearing.
Claims23
A bushing assembly for a vehicle suspension wherein a suspension member is mounted to a vehicle frame through the bushing assembly with limited articulation between the suspension member and the vehicle frame, said suspension member having an aperture defined by a cylindrical wall having a predetermined circumference, said bushing assembly comprising:
- a rigid inner element adapted to be securely fixed to the vehicle frame,
- a substantially inflexible tubular outer element having an outer surface and having a circumference nominally greater than the predetermined circumference, said inner element being disposed within and spaced from the outer element,
- an elastomeric insert having a diameter in an uncompressed state greater than an inside diameter of the outer element and compressively retained between the outer element and the inner element and the outer element having sufficient rigidity to resist a spring force of the elastomeric insert in compression,
- the outer element including an adjustable portion for enabling the circumference thereof to be reduced by applying a force to the outer surface against the spring force, whereby upon reducing the circumference of the outer element to a dimension less than the predetermined circumference, the bushing assembly can be easily received in the aperture whereupon the spring force will urge the outer surface to bear directly against the cylindrical wall to frictionally retain the bushing assembly within the aperture.
In a suspension system for mounting a wheel bearing axle to a vehicle frame, the suspension comprising:
- a trailing arm having at least one trailing arm aperture of predetermined circumference;
- a hanger bracket pivotably mounted to one end of the trailing arm through a first bushing and adapted to mount the trailing arm to a vehicle frame;
- an air spring mounted to another end of the trailing arm and adapted to mount to a vehicle frame;
- an axle bracket for mounting an axle and mounted to the trailing arm through a second bushing;
- the improvement which comprises:
- at least one of said first and second bushings comprising an inner element, said inner element further being securely fixable to one of the vehicle frame and axle, an outer element mountable to the trailing arm anal having an outer surface and a circumference nominally greater than the predetermined circumference of the trailing arm aperture, said inner element being disposed within and spaced from the outer element, said outer element being substantially rigid, an elastomeric insert having a diameter in an uncompressed state greater than an inside diameter of the outer element and compressively retained between the outer element and the inner element and the outer element having sufficient rigidity to resist a spring force of the elastomeric insert in compression, and
- the outer element including an adjustable portion for enabling the circumference thereof to be reduced by applying a force to the outer surface against the spring force, whereby upon reducing the circumference of the outer element to a dimension less than the predetermined circumference, the bushing assembly can be easily received in the aperture whereupon the spring force will urge the outer surface to bear directly against the cylindrical wall to frictionally retain the bushing assembly within the aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.