Lightweight heavy duty bushing with easy assembly
AssigneeHendrickson USA, L.L.C.
InventorsRichard Gregory Vogler, Michael Brannigan, Ashley Thomas Dudding, Christopher Wayne Forrest
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lightweight heavy duty bushing assembly for use in a vehicle suspension system and being low cost and having a high assembly tolerance is disclosed. A metal bar pin is press fit into a bushing formed from a metal sleeve bonded to an elastomeric housing. The metal sleeve is deformable such that exact tolerances of the metal sleeve and the bar pin are not required. The metal bar pin has extended ends with a hole in each end for attachment of the metal bar pin to vehicle suspension components, mounting brackets, or to the vehicle frame.
Claims20
A vehicle suspension bushing assembly comprising:
- a deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve having an inner diameter;
- an elastomeric vehicle suspension housing secured to an outer surface of said deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve;
- and
- a metal vehicle suspension bar pin press fit into said deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve, wherein
- the metal vehicle suspension bar pin comprises a central section and an end portion extending beyond each end of the central section,
- the central section of the metal vehicle suspension bar pin includes a plurality of radially extending contact surfaces which bear against the inner diameter of the deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve,
- the metal vehicle suspension bar pin has a greater outer diameter at the contact surfaces than at any other portion, and
- the outer diameter of the contact surfaces is greater than or substantially equal to the inner diameter of the deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve.
A vehicle suspension bushing assembly consisting of:
- a deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve having an inner diameter;
- an elastomeric vehicle suspension housing secured to an outer surface of said deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve;
- and
- a metal vehicle suspension bar pin press fit into said deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve, wherein
- the metal vehicle suspension bar pin comprises a central section and an end portion extending beyond each end of the central section,
- the central section of the metal vehicle suspension bar pin includes a plurality of radially extending contact surfaces which bear against the inner diameter of the deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve,
- the metal vehicle suspension bar pin has a greater outer diameter at the contact surfaces than at any other portion, and
- the outer diameter of the contact surfaces is greater than or substantially equal to the inner diameter of the deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve.
A vehicle suspension mountable to a vehicle frame comprising:
- a plurality of suspension components;
- a plurality of mounting brackets;
- and
- a vehicle suspension bushing assembly comprising
- a deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve having an inner diameter;
- a vehicle suspension housing secured to an outer surface of said deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve;
- and
- a metal vehicle suspension bar pin press fit into said deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve, wherein
- at least a portion of the outermost surface of the vehicle suspension bushing assembly is comprised of an elastomeric material,
- the metal vehicle suspension bar pin comprises a central section and an end portion extending beyond each end of the central section,
- the central section of the metal vehicle suspension bar pin includes a plurality of radially extending contact surfaces which bear against the inner diameter of the deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve,
- the metal vehicle suspension bar pin has a greater outer diameter at the contact surfaces than at any other portion,
- the outer diameter of the contact surfaces is greater than or substantially equal to the inner diameter of the deformable metal vehicle suspension sleeve, and
- the vehicle suspension bushing assembly is attached to one of said plurality of suspension components, one of said plurality of mounting brackets, and/or said vehicle frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.