Drive axle suspension
AssigneeHolland Neway International, Inc.
InventorWilliam C. Pierce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive axle suspension for maintaining a differential pinion gear at a substantially constant position in response to engine torque induced or vehicle roll induced twisting forces acting on the differential axle housing. The drive axle suspension comprises a trailing arm having one end pivotally mounted to the vehicle through a hanger bracket, depending from a frame rail of the vehicle, and another end connected to the vehicle frame rail through an air spring. The trailing arms have a blade-like configuration that permits the blades to twist longitudinally and bend laterally to relieve the axle twisting forces that would otherwise rotate the differential and undesirably rotate the pinion gear, changing its angular orientation.
Claims30
In a drive axle trailing arm suspension assembly supporting a rigid drive axle comprising a differential having opposing axle shafts mounted to the differential and connected to a pinion gear contained within the differential, the pinion gear forms an angle relative to the ground and is coupled to a drive shaft for transferring torque from an engine to the axle shafts through the differential, the drive axle trailing arm suspension comprising:
- a pair of trailing arm assemblies adapted to mount to opposite sides of a vehicle and support the drive axle housings, each trailing arm assembly comprising a trailing arm having a longitudinal axis and a first portion adapted to be mounted to a vehicle frame for pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane, an air spring positioned between a second portion of the trailing arm and a vehicle frame for resiliently resisting the pivotal movement of the trailing arm, and a torque rod extending between the trailing arms, the drive axle mounted to the trailing arm between the first and second portions of the trailing arm, the improvement comprising:
- each trailing arm comprising a blade-shaped beam capable of twisting about the trailing arm longitudinal axis for flexibility of the axle with respect to the vehicle frame other than in the vertical plane.
A drive axle trailing arm suspension assembly for supporting a drive axle relative to a vehicle frame, the drive axle comprising a differential having a pinion gear forming an angle relative to the ground and opposing drive axle housings containing axle shafts connected to the pinion gear, which is adapted to be coupled to a drive shaft for transferring torque from an engine to the axle shafts through the differential, the drive axle trailing arm suspension comprising:
- a pair of trailing arm assemblies adapted to mount to opposite sides of a vehicle for supporting the drive axle housings, each trailing arm assembly comprising a trailing arm having a longitudinal axis and a first portion adapted to be mounted to the vehicle frame for pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane;
- an air spring positioned between a second portion of the trailing arm and a vehicle frame for resiliently resisting the pivotal movement of the trailing arm;
- a torque rod extending between the trailing arms;
- each trailing arm comprising a blade-shaped beam capable of twisting about the trailing arm longitudinal axis for flexibility of the axle with respect to the vehicle frame other than in the vertical plane;
- an axle bracket adapted to be mounted to the axle housing;
- and
- a first bushing assembly mounted to the axle bracket and received within an opening in the trailing arm to pivotally mount the axle bracket to the trailing arm.
In a drive axle trailing arm suspension assembly adapted to support a drive axle comprising a differential having opposing drive axle housings containing axle shafts connected to a pinion gear, which forms an angle relative to the ground and coupled to a drive shaft transferring torque from an engine to the axle shafts through the differential, the drive axle trailing arm suspension comprising:
- a pair of trailing arm assemblies adapted to mount to opposite sides of a vehicle and support the drive axle housings, each trailing arm assembly comprising a trailing arm having a longitudinal axis and a first portion adapted to be mounted to a vehicle frame for pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane, an air spring positioned between a second portion of the trailing arm and a vehicle frame for resiliently resisting the pivotal movement of the trailing arm, and a torque rod extending between the trailing arms, the drive axle mounted to the trailing arm between the first and second portions of the trailing arm, the improvement comprising:
- each trailing arm comprising a blade-shaped beam capable of twisting about the trailing arm longitudinal axis for flexibility of the axle with respect to the vehicle frame other than in the vertical plane;
- an axle bracket adapted to be mounted to one of the axle housings;
- and
- a first bushing assembly mounted to the axle bracket and shrunk-fit within an opening in the trailing arm to pivotally mount the axle bracket to the trailing arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.