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US 6,648,373 B2Granted
Fender assembly and mounting bracket assembly therefor
AssigneeFleet Engineers, Inc.
InventorTimothy R. Hawes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibration-decoupling connector for mounting a fender to a support arm, the vibration-decoupling connector comprising an isolator having a first surface for directly contacting either the upper or lower surface of the fender; whereby the isolator dampens vibrations between the support arm and the fender to reduce the transfer of vibration forces between the frame and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame.
Claims53
A fender assembly for a vehicle comprising a longitudinal frame and carrying ground engaging wheels supporting the frame above a road surface and positioned laterally of the frame, the fender assembly comprising:
- a fender adapted to overlie at least one of the wheels and having an upper surface and a lower surface of a relatively linear cross dimension;
- a support arm having a first portion adapted to mount to the vehicle frame and an elongated, relatively linear second portion extending laterally from the first portion and across an upper or lower surface of the fender in alignment with the linear cross dimension;
- and
- at least one vibration-decoupling connector mounted between the support arm and the fender, the vibration-decoupling connector including a vibration dampening isolator adapted to dampen vibrations between the support arm and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame and further comprising a first fastener directly connecting the isolator to the fender, a second fastener directly connecting the isolator to the support arm, and the first and second fasteners joined and separated by the isolator.
1 more element
A fender assembly for a vehicle comprising a longitudinal frame and carrying ground engaging wheels supporting the frame above a road surface and positioned laterally of the frame, the fender assembly comprising:
- a fender adapted to overlie at least one of the wheels and having an upper surface and a lower surface of a relatively linear cross dimension;
- a support arm having a first portion adapted to mount to the vehicle frame and an elongated, relatively linear second portion extending laterally from the first portion and across an upper or lower surface of the fender in alignment with the linear cross dimension;
- at least one vibration-decoupling connector mounted between the support arm and the fender, the vibration-decoupling connector including a vibration dampening isolator adapted to dampen vibrations between the support arm and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- wherein the isolator includes an elastomeric body that forms a relatively wide surface that is in direct contact with, and conforms to, the upper or lower surface of the fender;
- wherein the vibration-decoupling connector further comprises a first fastener assembly connecting the isolator to the fender and a second fastener assembly connecting the isolator to the support arm;
- wherein the first fastener assembly comprises a mechanical fastener that compresses the isolator relatively wide surface against the fender;
- and
- wherein the mechanical fastener comprises an internally threaded bushing in the isolator and a threaded fastener passing through the fender and threaded into the internally threaded bushing.
5 more elements
A fender assembly for a vehicle comprising a longitudinal frame and carrying ground engaging wheels supporting the frame above a road surface and positioned laterally of the frame, the fender assembly comprising:
- a fender adapted to overlie at least one of the wheels and having an upper surface and a lower surface of a relatively linear cross dimension;
- a support arm having a first portion adapted to mount to the vehicle frame and an elongated, relatively linear second portion extending laterally from the first portion and across an upper or lower surface of the fender in alignment wit the linear cross dimension;
- and
- at least one vibration-decoupling connector mounted between the support arm and the fender, the vibration-decoupling connector including a vibration dampening isolator adapted to dampen vibrations between the support arm and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- wherein the isolator includes an elastomeric body that forms a relatively wide surface that is in direct contact with, and conforms to, the upper or lower surface of the fender;
- wherein the vibration-decoupling connector further comprises a first fastener assembly connecting the isolator to the fender and a second fastener assembly connecting the isolator to the support arm;
- and
- wherein the second fastener assembly comprises a sleeve in which the support arm is received and the sleeve is mounted to the isolator independent of the first fastener assembly.
5 more elements
A fender assembly for a vehicle comprising a longitudinal frame and carrying ground engaging wheels supporting the frame above a road surface and positioned laterally of the frame, the fender assembly comprising:
- a fender adapted to overlie at least one of the wheels and having an upper surface and a lower surface of a relatively linear cross dimension;
- a support arm having a first portion adapted to mount to the vehicle frame and an elongated, relatively linear second portion extending laterally from the first portion and across an upper or lower surface of the fender in alignment with the linear cross dimension;
- at least one vibration-decoupling connector mounted between the support arm and the fender, the vibration-decoupling connector including a vibration dampening isolator adapted to dampen vibrations between the support arm and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- and
- wherein the vibration-decoupling connector comprises a pair of members with surfaces that are in contact with and conform to the upper and lower surfaces of the fender and a sleeve having an opening that receives the support arm, and wherein one of the members and the sleeve forms the isolator.
2 more elements
A fender assembly for a vehicle comprising a longitudinal frame and carrying ground engaging wheels supporting the frame above a road surface and positioned laterally of the frame, the fonder assembly comprising:
- a fender adapted to overlie at least one of the wheels and having an upper surface and a lower surface of a relatively linear cross dimension;
- a support arm having a first portion adapted to mount to the vehicle frame and an elongated, relatively linear second portion extending laterally from the first portion and across an upper or lower surface of the fonder in alignment with the linear cross dimension;
- and
- at least one vibration-decoupling connector mounted between the support arm and the fender, the vibration-decoupling connector including a vibration dampening isolator adapted to dampen vibrations between to support arm and the fonder when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- wherein the vibration-decoupling connector further comprises a first fastener assembly connecting the isolator to the fonder and a second fastener assembly connecting to isolator to the support arm;
- wherein the first fastener assembly comprises a plate positioned on the opposite side of the fender from the isolator and at least one mechanical fastener passing through the fender and clamping the fender between the plate and the isolator;
- and
- wherein the second fastener assembly comprises a sleeve in which the support arm is received and the sleeve is mounted to the isolator independent of the first fastener assembly.
5 more elements
A bracket assembly for mounting a vehicle fender to a vehicle frame overlying a ground engaging wheel positioned laterally of the frame, the bracket assembly comprising:
- a support arm having a first portion adapted to mount to the vehicle frame and an elongated linear second portion extending laterally from the first portion and adapted to extend laterally across an upper or lower surface of the fender;
- a pair of vibration-decoupling connectors mounted to the support arm and adapted to mount to the fender, each of the vibration-decoupling connectors including a vibration dampening isolator adapted to decouple vibrations between the support arm and the fender to reduce the transfer of vibration forces between the frame and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- and
- wherein each of the vibration-decoupling connectors comprises a first fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the fender and a second fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the support arm independent of the first fastener assembly and in axial alignment with the first fastener assembly, and wherein the first and second fastener assemblies are joined together by the isolator.
1 more element
A bracket assembly for mounting a vehicle fender to a vehicle frame overlying a ground engaging wheel positioned laterally of the frame, the bracket assembly comprising:
- a support arm having a first portion adapted to mount to the vehicle frame and an elongated linear second portion extending laterally from the first portion and adapted to extend laterally across an upper or lower surface of the fender;
- and
- a pair of vibration-decoupling connectors mounted to the support arm and adapted to mount to the fender, each of the vibration-decoupling connectors including a vibration dampening isolator adapted to dampen vibrations between the support arm and the fender to reduce the transfer of vibration forces between the frame and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- wherein the isolator includes an elastomeric body that has a relatively flat surface that is in direct contact with the upper or lower surface of the fender and that isolates vibrations between the support arm and the fender;
- a first fastener assembly connecting the isolator to the fender and a second fastener assembly connecting the isolator to the support arm;
- and
- wherein the second fastener assembly comprises a sleeve in which the support arm is received and the sleeve is mounted to the isolator independent of the first fastener assembly.
4 more elements
A vibration-decoupling connector for mounting a fender to a support arm, the vibration-decoupling connector comprising:
- an isolator having a first surface for directly contacting either the upper or lower surface of the fender;
- a first fastener assembly adapted to clamp the isolator to the fender;
- and
- a second fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the support arm in axial alignment with first fastener assembly so that the first and second fastener assemblies are joined together by the isolator;
- whereby the isolator decouples vibrations between the support arm and the fender to reduce the transfer of vibration forces between the frame and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame.
2 more elements
A vibration-decoupling connector for mounting a fender to a support arm, the vibration-decoupling connector comprising:
- an isolator having a first surface for directly contacting either the upper or lower surface of the fender;
- a first fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the fender;
- and
- a second fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the support arm;
- whereby the isolator dampens vibrations between the support arm and the fender to reduce the transfer of vibration forces between the frame and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- wherein the first fastener assembly comprises a mechanical fastener adapted to compress the isolator first surface against the fender;
- and
- wherein the mechanical fastener comprises an internally threaded bushing in the isolator and a threaded fastener passing through the fender and threaded into the internally threaded bushing.
5 more elements
A vibration-decoupling connector for mounting a fender to a support arm, the vibration-decoupling connector comprising:
- an isolator having a first surface for directly contacting either the upper or lower surface of the fender;
- a first fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the fender;
- and
- a second fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the support arm;
- whereby the isolator dampens vibrations between the support arm and the fender to reduce the transfer of vibration forces between the frame and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame;
- wherein the first fastener assembly comprises a plate positioned on the opposite side of the fender from the isolator and at least one mechanical fastener passing through the fender and clamping the fender between the plate and the isolator;
- and
- wherein the second fastener assembly comprises a sleeve in which the support arm is received and the sleeve is mounted to the isolator independent of the first fastener assembly.
5 more elements
A vibration-decoupling connector for mounting a fender to a support arm, the vibration-decoupling connector comprising:
- an isolator having a first surface for directly contacting either the upper or lower surface of the fender and having at least one embossment with an opening passing therethrough;
- a first fastener assembly adapted to connect the isolator to the fender and comprises at least one mechanical fastener adapted to pass through the fender and through the opening in the embossment to clamp the fender to the isolator;
- and
- a second fastener assembly adapted to rigidly connect the isolator to the support arm and comprising a wall positioned on the isolator adjacent to the embossment, wherein the isolator embossment is deformed over a portion of the wall to retain the second fastener assembly on the isolator;
- whereby the isolator dampens vibrations between the support arm and the fender to reduce the transfer of vibration forces between the frame and the fender when the support arm is mounted to the frame.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.