Tubular axle beam suspension mount
AssigneeArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
InventorGonzalo Luna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension mount for a vehicle axle includes first and second mount components that are positioned on opposing sides of the axle. A spring is supported by the first and second mount components. The axle is comprised of a tubular beam body that encloses a cavity. The tubular beam body has a fore wall, an aft wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall that bound the cavity. The first mount component is positioned adjacent the fore wall and the second mount component is positioned adjacent the aft wall. At least one fastener extends through the cavity and through the fore and aft walls to secure the first and second mount components to the tubular beam body.
Claims20
A suspension mount for a vehicle axle comprising:
- a tubular beam body enclosing a cavity, said tubular beam body having a fore side and an aft side;
- a first mount component positioned adjacent said fore side;
- a second mount component positioned adjacent said aft side wherein one of said first and second mount components includes a portion that extends through an opening in a wall of the tubular beam body;
- and
- at least one fastener extending into said portion and through said cavity from said fore side to said aft side to secure said first and said second mount components to said tubular beam body.
A suspension mount for a vehicle axle comprising:
- a tubular beam body enclosing a cavity, said tubular beam body having a fore side and an aft side;
- a first mount component positioned adjacent said fore side;
- a second mount component positioned adjacent said aft side;
- and
- at least one fastener extending through said cavity from said fore side to said aft side to secure said first and said second mount components to said tubular beam body, wherein said tubular beam body extends in a lateral direction, and wherein at least one of said first and said second mount components includes an extension portion that extends in a longitudinal direction from a respective one of said fore and said aft sides of said tubular beam body into said cavity.
A suspension mount for a vehicle axle comprising:
- a tubular beam body enclosing a cavity, said tubular beam body having a fore side and an aft side;
- a first mount component positioned adjacent said fore side wherein said first mount component comprises a first axle bracket with a first extension portion extending into said cavity from said fore side;
- a second mount component positioned adjacent said aft side wherein said second mount component comprises a second axle bracket with a second extension portion extending into said cavity from said aft side;
- and
- at least one fastener extending through said cavity from said fore side to said aft side to secure said first and said second mount components to said tubular beam body, said at least one fastener extending through said first and said second extension portions.
A suspension mount for a vehicle axle comprising:
- a tubular beam body enclosing a cavity, said tubular beam body having a fore side and an aft side;
- a first mount component positioned adjacent said fore side wherein said first mount component comprises a first axle bracket;
- a second mount component positioned adjacent said aft side wherein said second mount component comprises a second axle bracket;
- and
- least one fastener extending through said cavity from said fore side to said aft side to secure said first and said second mount components to said tubular beam body, and wherein one of said first and said second axle brackets includes an extension portion extending into said cavity from one of said fore and said aft sides, said extension portion having a distal end surface that is spaced apart from an interior surface of a beam body wall at the other of said fore and said aft sides when said at least one fastener is under a first torque load condition, and wherein said distal end surface is in abutting contact with said interior surface when said at least one fastener is under a second torque load condition greater than said first torque load condition.
A suspension mount for a vehicle axle comprising:
- a tubular beam body enclosing a cavity, said tubular beam body having a fore side and an aft side;
- a first mount component positioned adjacent said fore side wherein said first mount component comprises a first adaptor with a first extension portion extending into said cavity from said fore side;
- a second mount component positioned adjacent said aft side wherein said second mount component comprises a second adaptor with a second extension portion extending into said cavity from said aft side;
- a first axle bracket associated with said first adaptor;
- a second axle bracket associated with said second adaptor;
- and
- at least one fastener extending through said cavity from said fore side to said aft side to secure said first and said second mount components to said tubular beam body, said at least one fastener extending through said first and said second axle brackets and through said first and said second extension portions to secure said first and said second axle brackets to said tubular beam body.
A suspension mount for a vehicle axle comprising:
- a tubular beam body enclosing a cavity, said tubular beam body having a fore side and an aft side;
- a first mount component positioned adjacent said fore side;
- a second mount component positioned adjacent said aft side wherein said first and said second mount components each include spring pads positioned vertically above an upper wall of said tubular beam body, and with at least one leaf spring being supported by said spring pads;
- and
- at least one fastener extending through said cavity from said fore side to said aft side to secure said first and said second mount components to said tubular beam body.
An axle and suspension mount assembly comprising:
- a tubular axle beam extending in a lateral direction, said tubular axle beam defining a cavity that is bounded by a fore wall, an aft wall, an upper wall connecting said fore and said aft walls, and a lower wall connecting said fore and said aft walls;
- a first mount component positioned adjacent said fore wall, said first mount component including a first spring pad positioned above said upper wall;
- a second mount component positioned adjacent said aft wall, said second mount component including a second spring pad positioned above said upper wall, wherein said first and said second spring pads cooperate to support a spring that extends in a longitudinal direction that is transverse to said lateral direction;
- and
- at least one fastener extending in the longitudinal direction through said cavity from said fore wall to said aft wall to secure said first and said second mount components to said tubular beam body.
A method of securing a leaf spring to a vehicle axle comprising:
- attaching a first mount component to a fore side of a tubular beam body having an enclosed cavity;
- attaching a second mount component to an aft side of the tubular beam body wherein one of the first and second mount components includes a portion that extends through an opening in a wall of the tubular beam body;
- fastening at least one fastener to the first and second mount components such that the at least one fastener extends through the portion and through the enclosed cavity from the fore side to the aft side;
- and
- attaching a spring bracket to the first and second mount components to secure at least one leaf spring to the tubular beam body.
A method of securing a leaf spring to a vehicle axle comprising:
- attaching a first mount component to a fore side of a tubular beam body having an enclosed cavity;
- attaching a second mount component to an aft side of the tubular beam body;
- providing one of the first and the second mount components with an extension portion that extends through one of a fore wall and an aft wall of the tubular beam body into the cavity,
- fastening at least one fastener to the first and second mount components such that the at least one fastener extends through the enclosed cavity from the fore side to the aft side;
- spacing a distal end surface of the extension portion apart from a mating engagement surface associated with the other of the fore wall and the aft wall when the at least one fastener is under a first torque load condition;
- abutting the distal end surface against the mating engagement surface when the at least one fastener is under a second torque load condition greater than the first torque load condition;
- and
- attaching a spring bracket to the first and second mount components to secure at least one leaf spring to the tubular beam body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.