Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2003-11-04
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C280S124116, C228S178000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641156
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to devices that permit a suspension system to connect to an axle housing, and more particularly, to devices welded to the axle housing that permit active components of a suspension system to be connected to the axle housing. The present invention is further directed to a method of welding such devices to the axle housing.
A basic object of any suspension system in a vehicle is to suspend the vehicle body above the vehicle wheels. To achieve this end, suspension systems are typically connected between the axle, or its housing, and the vehicle frame. Suspension systems typically include active components, such as springs and the like, to keep the sprung mass (vehicle body) suspended above the unsprung mass (vehicle wheels). A suspension system preferably permits a relatively smooth, yet stable, ride during acceleration, deceleration and cornering of the vehicle, and during jounce and rebound of the axle when the vehicle is driven over bumpy surfaces and the like.
In vehicles, one or more devices are sometimes welded to the axle housing to provide means for connecting the vehicle suspension to the axle housing. An example of such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,716, issued to Nordstrom, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed therein, and as shown in
FIGS. 1-5
of the accompanying drawings, an axle housing
20
having a differential gear housing
22
at a central portion thereof is connected between vehicle wheels
24
positioned on opposite sides of a vehicle. Axle connection devices
26
, which shall later be described in further detail, are welded to the front and rear faces of axle housing
20
in close proximity to each vehicle wheel
24
. These connection devices
26
provide means for connecting a vehicle suspension
30
to the axle housing
20
.
The vehicle includes a frame
32
extending longitudinally down each side of the vehicle. The vehicle suspension
30
is connected between the vehicle frame
32
and the axle housing
20
to suspend the vehicle body (not shown) above the vehicle wheels
24
. The vehicle suspension
30
shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,716, and in
FIGS. 1-2
of the accompanying drawings, is generally known in the art as a Hotchkiss-type suspension. As shown, the suspension includes a main multi-leaf leaf spring pack
34
and an auxiliary multi-leaf leaf spring pack
36
. The leaf springs that form the main leaf spring pack
34
are bundled together by a series of ties
38
. The proximal end of the main leaf spring pack
34
is pivotally connected to a hanger
40
, which in turn is fixedly mounted to the vehicle frame
32
. The distal end of the main leaf spring pack
34
is connected to another hanger
42
, which is also fixedly mounted to the vehicle frame
32
. The distal end, however, is connected to hanger
42
through a shackle
44
that permits the distal end to move during deflection of the main leaf spring pack. The central portion of the main leaf spring pack
34
is seated on axle seating
46
.
The auxiliary leaf spring pack
36
is seated on, and separated from the main leaf spring pack
34
by, a spacer
48
. The leaf springs that form the auxiliary leaf spring pack
36
are bundled together by ties
50
. Under normal circumstances, the auxiliary leaf spring pack
36
is inactive. However, if the vehicle is heavily loaded, the opposite ends of the auxiliary leaf spring pack
36
will engage against brackets
52
, which are fixedly mounted to frame
32
. This, in turn, will cause auxiliary leaf spring pack
36
to deflect during heavy vehicle load conditions.
Several components, a few of which have already been identified, hold the main and auxiliary leaf spring packs together. Those components also connect the leaf spring packs to the axle housing
20
. In this arrangement, the threaded ends of two U-bolts
54
are inserted through bores extending through a guide plate
56
, which is positioned atop the auxiliary leaf spring pack
36
. The U-bolt ends are also inserted through bores extending through the axle seating
46
and bores extending through each of the axle connection devices
26
. Nuts
58
are then tightened to the threaded ends of U-bolts
54
to tighten the entire assembly.
FIGS. 3-5
illustrate the axle connection devices
26
shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,716. As shown, these devices include a baseplate
60
having circular ends
62
and a relatively short and narrow waist
64
dividing the ends. As such, the shape of baseplate
60
is similar to the symbol used to identify the mathematical concept of infinity. This shape permits the welds that connect the baseplate to the axle housing to withstand the forces exerted upon it during torsion of the axle housing.
A horizontal plane
65
projects outwardly from baseplate
60
. Horizontal plane
65
includes a relatively flat and horizontally projecting upper surface
66
and a relatively flat and horizontally projecting lower surface
67
. Upper surface
66
is generally parallel with lower surface
67
. Horizontal plane
65
also includes a waist
68
correspondingly positioned with waist
64
of baseplate
60
to divide plane
65
into two portions, each having a bore
70
extending straight through it. Bores
70
accommodate the threaded ends of U-bolts
54
when the leaf spring packs
34
,
36
are connected to the axle housing
20
. Each axle connection device
26
is welded to the axle housing
20
by way of a continuous weld
72
formed along the edge of baseplate
60
and extending about its entire perimeter.
Although these axle connection devices have proven suitable for permitting connection of a vehicle suspension to an axle housing, they have had some drawbacks. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, each vehicle make and model typically has its own set of pinion angles for each of its axles. The set of pinion angles used for one vehicle is typically not the same used for another. Furthermore, the pinion angle used for one axle of a vehicle is typically not the same used for another axle of that vehicle. All of this considered, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that axle housings typically are not positioned so that they extend straight up and down. Rather, they are rotated to an extent to accommodate the required pinion angle.
In light of the construction of the aforementioned axle connection devices, it was often necessary to use additional parts and components to attach the vehicle suspension to the axle housing. These additional parts and components were required in order to accommodate the pinion angle. Such additional parts and components might, for instance, be uniquely designed shims or washers. Use of these additional parts and components added weight and expense to the suspension system, and required additional worker time and expense to design these components and to position, assemble and service them while the suspension system is connected to the axle housing.
As will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art, axle housings are ordinarily constructed in two halves that are fused or welded together. Often, the two axle housing halves have at least a slight mismatch, and use of the above-described axle connection devices required use of additional parts and components to accommodate this mismatch. Again, this added considerable weight and expense to the suspension system design, and required additional worker time and expense to design these components and to position, assemble and service them while the suspension system is connected to the axle housing.
Another drawback of these welded axle connection devices is that they were welded to the axle housing by a continuous weld run that traversed about the entire perimeter of the device. Use of this much metal added significant weight to the vehicle and amounted to additional expense. In practice, it has been typically necessary to use a continuous triple pass weld about the entire perimeter of the device to hold it t
Barlas Serge A.
Brannigan Michael
Cook Alex McFarron Manzo Cummings & Mehler, Ltd.
Johnson Brian L.
Phan Hau
The Boler Company
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