Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-07-10
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C280S124170, C280S124163, C267S040000, C267S052000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257606
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an axle seat restraint for a vehicle suspension system, an axle assembly with the axle restraint, and a method of restraining the axle seat during vehicle operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1
,
2
A and
2
B show a prior art vehicle suspension system in which one or more leaf springs
10
are coupled to an axle
12
with the leaf springs positioned below the axle. In general, configuring the suspension with the leaf springs
10
below the axle
12
provides a lower height suspension, which is desirable in some applications.
In this prior art construction, the axle
12
may have an upwardly projecting dowel or pin
14
that is inserted into an aperture of an upper axle retainer
16
. An axle seat
18
is positioned between the leaf springs
10
and the axle
12
. The axle seat
18
bears against the lower surface of the axle
12
. As shown in
FIG. 2A
, the axle seat
18
may have an aperture
19
for receiving a dowel or pin
21
extending from the upper surface of the uppermost leaf spring of the leaf springs
10
to position the axle seat
18
relative to the leaf springs
10
. The leaf springs
10
may be slidably or otherwise connected directly and/or indirectly (e.g., through shock absorbers as shown or otherwise coupled through other components) to a frame rail
24
of the vehicle.
A clamping element
20
, which is generally aligned with the axle seat
18
and the upper axle retainer
16
, may be provided and held in place by a pair of U-bolts
22
, one being positioned on each side of the leaf springs
10
. As a result, the leaf springs
10
and the axle
12
are held in place relative to each other by the combination of the upper axle retainer
16
with the pin
14
received in the aperture thereof, the axle seat
18
, the pin
21
, the clamping element
20
and the U-bolts
22
that secure this assembly together.
In other prior art configurations where the axle is positioned below the leaf springs, rather than above the leaf springs as shown in
FIGS. 1
,
2
A and
2
B, it is possible to weld the axle seat to the top surface of the axle. Due to stress concentrations that occur at the lower surface of the axle, however, welding the axle seat at this location can cause problems.
The prior art construction of
FIGS. 1
,
2
A and
2
B is satisfactory for vehicles operated on smooth surfaces, e.g., highways. After operation under severe conditions, however, such as on washboard roads or during off-road operation, the components of the suspension can wear and/or loosen. As a result, the assembly of the springs, axle seat, axle seat retainer and U-bolts can migrate or shift to some extent in the direction of the axle either inboard toward the frame rail or outboard away from the frame rail, which is undesirable.
SUMMARY
It would be desirable to provide an axle seat construction that would limit lateral migration or shifting of the leaf spring and the axle seat in the direction of the axle (or “axle direction”) that can occur over the operating life of the vehicle.
Accordingly, in one implementation, a spring movement limiting device includes a first element and a second element. The first element is coupled to the axle and to the spring. The second element, which is separate or distinct from the first element, is fixed in place at a predetermined position relative to the vehicle axle. As a result, engagement between the first element and the second element limits movement of the first element along the axle, and thereby also limits movement of the spring along the vehicle axle.
The first element may comprise a spring retainer or axle seat, which includes a projecting leg with a slot, and the second element may comprise a fixed-length link with a projection, such as a hook end, which is engageable with the slot. The engagement between the projection and the slot limits movement of the spring retainer element relative to the axle.
The second element may be secured at a predetermined position along the direction of the axle, e.g., by being bolted to a brake flange extending from the axle. The second element may comprise a link with at least two apertures and a stem portion projecting from the base that terminates in the projection. The second element may be configured so as not to contact the spring.
The brake flange may include a periphery with a plurality of spaced brake flange apertures such that the apertures in the base of the link can be aligned with a corresponding number of brake flange apertures. Although variable, in specific implementations, the base may include two apertures or three apertures.
The first element may comprise a spring retainer with a first side with a first projecting leg that includes a first slot, and a second side with a second projecting leg that includes a second slot. This construction facilitates the use of the spring retainer at either side of the vehicle axle as one of the slots is oriented proximate the brake flange for engagement by a link coupled to the brake flange.
The axle may include an axle housing and a rotating axle rotatably supported within the axle housing. The axle housing may have a substantially flat surface, and the first element may have a substantially flat mating surface that contacts the flat surface of the axle housing. The first element may abut the axle housing below the axle. Alternatively, the first element may be positioned above the axle and may be separated from the axle by another component.
The axle seat may include a spring receiving portion, an engagement portion and an axle coupling portion. The spring receiving portion may be coupleable to a spring of the vehicle. The engagement portion may extend from the spring receiving portion and be slidingly engageable with an axle seat retainer. The axle coupling portion may be coupled to the spring receiving portion and be coupleable to the axle.
The spring retainer may include cradle portions extending from the mating surface in the fore and aft directions, respectively. The cradle portions may be engageable with respective fore and aft sides of the axle housing.
The axle seat retainer may include a mounting portion that is fixed in place at a predetermined position and an engagement portion attached to the mounting portion. The engagement portion may be slidingly engageable with the axle seat.
The first element may include an eyelet or aperture, and the second element may include a hook portion engageable with the eyelet.
The present invention is directed to new and unobvious features of this construction alone and in combination with one another, and also to methods related thereto.
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Hynes Paul R.
Larson James W.
Wheeler David R.
Divine David
Freightliner LLC
Klarquist Sparkman Campbell & Leigh & Whinston, LLP
Swann J. J.
LandOfFree
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