Opposing spring resilient tension suspension system
OwnerPeter E Bryantinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension and method applies the unsprung weight of the wheels and axles to reduce the motion of the sprung weight of chassis. The suspension has a load bolster supporting the sprung weight at a ride height and a rebound member between the sheel axle support and the chassis. The rebound member is to exert increasing force with motion of the sprung weight away from the axle but the member reduces its force on the load bolster during jounce.
Claims9
A vehicle suspension system placed between a chassis having a sprung weight and each of a plurality of wheel axle supports carrying unsprung weight, the vehicle suspension system at least operative to independently control motion between the chassis and each wheel axle support during jounce and rebound, the vehicle suspension system including a plurality of load springs having an elastic constant, each load spring located between the chassis and its respective wheel axle support, each of the plurality of respective load springs for supporting the sprung weight of the chassis carried there on at a set ride height relative to its respective wheel axle support and for substantially carrying the sprung weight during jounce motion of the chassis, each of the respective load springs mounted for flexing between the chassis and its respective wheel axle support for resisting motion of the chassis sprung weight under load and during jounce, the vehicle suspension system comprising:
- a rebound control spring mounted between the chassis and each wheel axle support for exerting increasing force to its respective wheel axle support during rebound motion of the sprung weight of the chassis away from its respective wheel axle support, each rebound control spring operatively mounted in opposition to its respective load spring for increasing resistance to chassis sprung weight rebound motion thereby applying increasingly more of the unsprung weight of each respective wheel axle support through each rebound control spring to resist rebound motion of the chassis sprung weight away from its respective wheel axle support, each respective rebound control spring having an elastic constant less than the elastic constant of its respective load spring for resisting the rebound motion of the chassis sprung weight.
A method of resisting roll with a vehicle suspension system placed between a chassis having a sprung weight and a plurality of wheel axle supports each carrying a portion of an unsprung weight, the vehicle suspension system operative along a line of travel between the chassis and the wheel axle support during jounce and rebound, the method having steps comprising:
- applying loads to the wheel axle support with a resilient load bolster having an elastic constant K, the resilient load bolster mounted to the chassis;
- flexing the resilient load bolster with respect to the wheel axle support with movement along the line of travel under load and during jounce;
- carrying with the resilient load bolster when preloaded the chassis at a preset ride height relative to the wheel axle support;
- connecting a suspension platform to the wheel axle support;
- attaching the suspension platform for bearing against the resilient load bolster;
- reciprocating the suspension platform for along the line of travel during jounce and rebound;
- attaching a resilient member having an elastic constant KT to the suspension platform and to the chassis for exerting increasing force on the chassis along the line of travel and against the rebound motion of the sprung weight of the chassis applying increasingly less rebound force to the resilient load bolster during jounce through and beyond the preset ride height as the resilient member resists the rebound motion of sprung weight away from the wheel axle support;
- operating the resilien member in opposition to the resilient load bolster, and
- resisting the rebound motion of the sprung weight and motion of the unsprung weight during rebound of the unsprung weight away from the chassis for resisting roll of the chassis relative to the wheel axle support because K is always greater than KT as the sprung weight is always greater than the unsprung weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.