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US 6,543,857 B1Granted
Vehicle axle
AssigneeMeritor Heavy Vehicle Systems, LLC
InventorsPaul John Griffiths, David James Fanning
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMeritor Heavy Vehicle Systems, LLC
InventorsPaul John Griffiths, David James Fanning
Estimating the term…
A vehicle axle, for example for a driven; undriven, steering or trailer system, comprises a member (1) formed as a hollow monocoque structure which includes at least one integral location (3, 20, 23) formed in the structure as a low stress area adapted to receive an attachment (24, 31, 34) thereto for use of the axle in a vehicle. The monocoque structure may be rigid, or substantially so, or it may include one or more compliant portions. It distributes throughout the member stresses to which the member is subjected when the axle is use in a vehicle and parts of the structure may be specifically shaped to suit the particular stresses to which they will be subjected when in use. In one embodiment the monocoque structure includes an axle beam part of a hollow lobed cross-section which gives roll compliance without necessarily having to add resilient components. In this embodiment trailing arms (4) are formed as an integral part of the monocoque structure which forms part of a trailing suspension system.
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto and a pair of trailing arms formed as a portion of said hollow monocoque structure, said hollow monocoque structure comprising a hollow cross-section which extends in a bending force direction of the axle.
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto and a pair of trailing arms formed as a portion of said hollow monocoque structure, said hollow monocoque structure rounded where walls thereof meet.
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto and a pair of trailing arms formed as a portion of said hollow monocoque structure, said hollow monocoque structure comprises a cavity to receive a drive and differential gearing assembly.
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto and a pair of trailing arms formed as a portion of said hollow monocoque structure, said hollow monocoque structure comprises a parallelogram structure to provide a cross beam such that said monocoque structure has cantilever beams integrally formed therewith which are positioned to be above and below a central horizontal axis of said monocoque structure when the axle is installed for use.
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto and a pair of trailing arms formed as a portion of said hollow monocoque structure;
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive a support for a brake camshaft;
A vehicle axle comprising a plurality of hollow monocoque structures, at least one of said plurality of hollow monocoque structures comprising at least one integral formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto;
A vehicle axle comprising a first and a second hollow monocoque structure secured to an intermediate sections, at lest one of said first and second hollow monocoque structures comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto;
A vehicle axle comprising:
A vehicle axle comprising:
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure having a hollow cross-section which extends in a main bending force direction and comprises three or more lobes, said hollow monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto.
A vehicle axle comprising a hollow monocoque structure comprising one or more arms extending perpendicular to said monocoque structure comprising at least one integral location formed in the structure as a low stress seating area to receive an attachment thereto and a brake at a juncture of the monocoque structure and the one or more arms, said brake bracket mounted away from a load part of the beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.