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US 9,751,370 B2Granted
Adjustable control arm
AssigneeNiwot Corporation
InventorsJesse Aaron Weifenbach, James Roger Frens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Discussed herein is an adjustable control arm that includes a first arm and a second arm that may be independently adjustable relative to one another. The first arm and the second arm may have intersecting axes that pass though the kinematic center of joints located at both ends of each arm. The control arms are adjustable allowing for variable positioning of the joint located at the intersection of the axes. The control arms may pivot relative to one another at the intersection of their axes. The connection of the control arms may also house a ball joint minimizing the height of the connection with the ball joint.
Claims24
An adjustable control arm comprising
- a first arm having a first flexible joint and a first joint section connected by a first link that is independently adjustable in length;
- and
- a second arm having a second flexible joint and a second joint section connected by a second link that is independently adjustable in length;
- a joint assembly having a single joint with multiple degrees of freedom including at least a portion of the first joint section and a portion of the second joint section that connect together forming the joint assembly, with the joint assembly being operable to connect to a portion of a steering or suspension mechanism, wherein the joint assembly is positionally adjustable without incurring binding between the first arm and the second arm, the adjustment is provided by changing the length of either or both of the first link and the second link,
- wherein the first joint section includes a first joint head housing at least a portion of the joint assembly in an internal chamber, the first joint section having a first section mating surface associated with a first section alignment feature and the second joint section includes a second joint head with a second section mating surface surrounding an aperture defined by an alignment feature, the second joint head including a second section alignment feature, wherein the first section alignment feature and the second section alignment feature are engaged thereby aligning the second joint head and the first joint head and providing rotational engagement between the second joint head relative to the first joint head;
- and the joint assembly extends from the internal chamber and passes through the aperture.
3 more elements
An upper control arm joint comprising
- a first joint section having a first joint head that is operable to rotate about an axis;
- a second joint section having a second joint head that is operable to rotate about the axis and engage in rotational movement relative to the first joint head,
- wherein the first joint section and the second joint section connect together forming a joint assembly, with the joint assembly being operable to connect to a portion of a steering or suspension mechanism and wherein the first joint head and the second joint head are each operable to receive at least one of a ball joint or a stud with the at least one of the ball joint or the stud having a central axis, wherein the axis is at least one of a steering axis or the central axis,
- wherein the first joint head houses at least a portion of the joint assembly in an internal chamber, the first joint section having a first section mating surface associated with a first section alignment feature and the second joint head includes a second section mating surface surrounding an aperture defined by an alignment feature and a second section alignment feature,
- wherein the first section alignment feature and the second section alignment feature are engaged aligning the second joint head and the first joint head along the axis,
- wherein the joint assembly extends from the internal chamber and passes through the aperture.
3 more elements
A method of minimizing the height of an upper control arm and ball joint comprising
- providing a rotatable first arm connected to a first joint section having a first joint head and a first interior volume operable to receive a portion of a spherical portion of a ball joint;
- providing a rotatable second arm connected to a second joint section having a second joint head independent of the first joint section having the first joint head, the second joint head having a second interior volume operable to receive a portion of a ball joint;
- and
- mating the second joint head to the first joint head, with the first joint head and the second joint head forming a single interior volume that is operable to receive the spherical portion of a ball joint.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.