Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-04
2004-09-14
Dunn, David (Department: 3616)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C280S124107, C280S124137, C267S188000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06789812
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to vehicle suspensions, and more particularly, to a vehicle Suspension antisway bat assembly and method of installation for the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In currently available vehicle suspensions, it is common to provide an antisway bar to modify the performance of the vehicle. Antisway bars provide a stabilizing effect during turning and cornering. Antisway bars are generally U-shaped and connected at two end points to a vehicle axle. Additional brackets positioned between the two end points are typically used for additional support of the antisway bar.
When the vehicle moves fast through a turn, the vehicle tends to sway or roll to one side or the other as a result of the suspension springs being compressed more on one side than the other side, thereby lifting the end of the antisway bar closer to the frame on one side than on the other. This motion is translated across the antisway bar, causing the antisway bar arm on the opposite side to have a vertical lifting force at its connection to the axle. The reaction force from this lifting force then is transmitted up to the frame or chassis via the antisway bar frame linkages. One linkage will have a compressive force while the other one will have a tension force, thereby tending to reduce the vehicle sway or roll.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, an example vehicle chassis (or frame)
100
including an antisway bar assembly
105
of the prior art is shown. Antisway bar assembly
105
includes an antisway bar
110
, one or more mounting brackets
120
, and two sandwich mounts
150
. Antisway bar
110
has a first end
112
and a second end
114
and a central portion
116
therebetween. First end
112
and second end
114
each have an aperture (not shown) therethrough for receiving a pin
156
. Pin
156
is coupled to the sandwich mount
150
, with sandwich mount
150
securing each of first
112
and second
114
ends of antisway bar
110
to vehicle chassis
100
.
Antisway bar assembly
105
is coupled to vehicle chassis
100
using the sandwich mount
150
on lower A-frame arms
130
. Lower A-frame arms
130
are coupled to vehicle chassis
100
and have a distal end
132
and a proximal end
134
. The sandwich mount
150
is secured to the distal end
132
of lower A-frame arm
130
. Pin
156
is coupled to sandwich mount
150
. Antisway bar
110
is rotatably secured onto pin
156
at each end of antisway bar
110
.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, vehicle chassis
100
includes an axle assembly
102
. Axle assembly
102
includes a king pin
160
around which a wheel assembly
162
rotates. Vehicle chassis
100
also includes an air bag
170
. Air bag
170
acts to reduce forces transmitted from the wheel assembly
162
to the vehicle chassis
100
. Air bag
170
is mounted between an upper air bag mounting bracket
174
and a lower air bag mounting bracket
172
. Lower air bag mounting bracket
172
is typically removably secured to king pin
160
using fasteners (not shown). Upper air bag mounting bracket
174
is fixedly coupled to vehicle chassis
100
.
This configuration is used in many vehicle types, including automobiles and busses. This configuration for the commonly available system described is not completely satisfactory in that the antisway bar tends to be located well below the vehicle's center of roll or roll center, thereby hindering the ability of the antisway bar to stabilize the vehicle. The center of roll is an imaginary point about which a vehicle rotates while in a turn. Each axle has its own roll center. The higher the roll center, the more unsteady the vehicle will feel in a turn. The further the antisway bar is located far from the roll center, the more the traction of the vehicle is reduced, and extreme stresses are placed on the antisway bar and on the frame brackets to which the antisway bar is coupled, thereby causing fatigue and possible failure of the antisway bar or bracket. A need exists for improvements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to an antisway bar suspension assembly and kit for the same for mounting on a vehicle chassis comprising a first mounting arrangement mounted to the vehicle chassis adjacent a first airbag, a second mounting arrangement mounted to the vehicle chassis adjacent a second airbag, and an antisway bar having a first end, a second end, and a central portion, the first end is received into the first mounting; and the second end is received into the second mounting arrangement.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to method of installing an antisway bar system on a vehicle suspension assembly comprising the steps of installing a first mounting arrangement on a first axle assembly of the vehicle, installing a second mounting arrangement on a second axle assembly of the vehicle and securing the first and second ends of the antisway bar into the mounting arrangement.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2961253 (1960-11-01), Allison
patent: 3105699 (1963-10-01), Peras
patent: 3831970 (1974-08-01), Muller
patent: 4691937 (1987-09-01), Raidel
patent: 5076605 (1991-12-01), Umeda
patent: 5549320 (1996-08-01), Ellingsen
patent: 5678845 (1997-10-01), Stuart
patent: 5967536 (1999-10-01), Spivey et al.
patent: 6056305 (2000-05-01), Pribyl
patent: 6073714 (2000-06-01), McHorse et al.
patent: 6105984 (2000-08-01), Schmitz et al.
patent: 6196563 (2001-03-01), Haycraft
patent: 6213221 (2001-04-01), Lewallen
patent: 6244607 (2001-06-01), Nishino
patent: 6394474 (2002-05-01), Warinner et al.
patent: 6585276 (2003-07-01), Boucquey
Dunn David
Featherlite, Inc.
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