US 9,481,416 B2Granted

Auxiliary axle and suspension assembly

AssigneeSAF-HOLLAND GmbH

InventorsRichard Conaway, Daniel R. Dykstra, Marc Johnson, Doug Thole, Boyd Freeman

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A vehicle suspension assembly includes providing an axle assembly having a first end including a first mounting structure and a second end, providing a first bearing block and a second bearing block, forming a first aperture in the first bearing block and a second aperture in the second bearing block, attaching the first and second bearing blocks to the first mounting structure subsequent to forming the first and second apertures; and providing a first spindle assembly coupled to the first mounting structure by a first spherical bearing located within the first aperture and a second spherical bearing located within the second aperture, wherein a first kingpin assembly extends through the first and second spherical bearings, thereby coupling the first spindle with the first mounting structure.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A vehicle suspension assembly, comprising:

an axle member having a first end and a second end;
a first mounting bracket adapted to couple to a vehicle frame assembly;
a first trailing arm having a first end pivotably coupled to the first mounting bracket, and a second end pivotably coupled to the axle member;
a second mounting bracket adapted to couple to the vehicle frame assembly;
a second trailing arm having a first end pivotably coupled to the second mounting bracket, and a second end pivotably coupled to the axle member;
an integral, one-piece first mounting arrangement coupled to the first end of the axle member, wherein the first mounting arrangement couples the first end of the axle member to a first spindle assembly, and wherein the first mounting arrangement couples a first air spring to the first end of the axle member such that the first air spring is adapted to extend between the first end of the axle member and the vehicle frame assembly;
and
an integral, one-piece second mounting arrangement coupled to the second end of the axle member, wherein the second mounting arrangement couples the second end of the axle member to a second spindle assembly, and wherein the second mounting arrangement couples a second air spring to the second end of the axle member such that the second air spring is adapted to extend between the second end of the axle member and the vehicle frame assembly.

5 more elements

A vehicle suspension assembly, comprising:

an axle member having a first end and a second end;
a first mounting bracket adapted to couple to a vehicle frame assembly;
a first trailing arm having a first end pivotably coupled to the first mounting bracket, and a second end;
a second mounting bracket adapted to couple to the vehicle frame assembly;
a second trailing arm having a first end pivotably coupled to the second mounting bracket, and a second end;
an integrated first mounting arrangement coupled to the first end of the axle member, wherein the first mounting arrangement couples the first end of the axle member to a first spindle assembly, and wherein the first mounting arrangement couples a first air spring to the first end of the axle member such that the first air spring is adapted to extend between the first end of the axle member and the vehicle frame assembly, wherein the first mounting arrangement couples the second end of the first trailing arm to the first end of the axle member at a first location, the first spindle assembly to the first end of the axle member at a second location, and the first air spring to the first end of the axle member at a third location, and wherein a maximum distance between any one of the first location, the second location and the third location is less than or equal to about 14 inches;
and
an integrated second mounting arrangement coupled to the second end of the axle member, wherein the second mounting arrangement couples the second end of the axle member to a second spindle assembly, and wherein the second mounting arrangement couples a second air spring to the second end of the axle member such that the second air spring is adapted to extend between the second end of the axle member and the vehicle frame assembly, wherein the second mounting arrangement couples the second end of the second trailing arm to the second end of the axle member at a fourth location, the second spindle assembly to the second end of the axle member at a fifth location, and the second air spring to the second end of the axle member at a sixth location, and wherein a maximum distance between any one of the fourth location, the fifth location and the sixth location is less than or equal to about 14 inches.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/616,055Filed 6 Feb 2015 · continuation
Priority: 28 Jan 2013
Published: US 2015/0151801 A14 Jun 2015
Granted: 1 Nov 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification40 codes

B62D 65/12
Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components: the…
B60B 35/003
Axle units; Parts thereof ; Arrangements for lubrication of axles: steerable axles
B60B 35/007
With mounting plates or consoles fitted to axles: for mounting suspension elements to axles
B60B 35/008
With mounting plates or consoles fitted to axles: for mounting air suspension elements to axles

Family

Application61/757,471Us provisional application · filed 28 Jan 2013
Application14/132,752Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Dec 2013
US 2015/0151801 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Jun 2015
US 9,290,221 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0210173 A1Published application
US 9,481,416 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.