Tapered axle/suspension system beam for heavy-duty vehicles
AssigneeHendrickson USA, L.L.C.
InventorsSean T. Lindsay, Shane A. Tipton, Matthew J. Van Meter, Gary E. Gerstenslager, Michael P. Robinson
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Abstract
An axle/suspension system for a heavy-duty vehicle with a pair of suspension assemblies which each are mounted on a hanger outboardly offset from the outboard surface of the vehicle main member from which it depends. Each suspension assembly includes a beam pivotally attached to the hanger outboardly offset from the outboard surface of the main member. The beam has a tapered profile including an upward outboard taper on at least the inboard side of the beam, which provides clearance between each beam and its respective vehicle main member during upward jounce travel or lifting of the axle/suspension system.
Claims15
An axle/suspension system for a heavy-duty vehicle including a pair of suspension assemblies, said axle/suspension system comprising:
- a) an axle extending transversely between and being connected to said suspension assemblies, each one of the suspension assemblies including:
- i) a hanger attached to, depending from and being offset outboardly from a respective one of a pair of longitudinally extending main members of a frame of said vehicle;
- and
- ii) a longitudinally extending beam, said beam including a first end and a second end, said beam first end being pivotally connected to said hanger and said beam second end being connected to said respective main member, the beam capturing said axle, said beam having an upward tapered transverse cross-sectional profile, whereby clearance is provided between the beam and the main member during upward pivotal movement of said beam during suspension assembly jounce or lifting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.