Vibration dampening assembly

Spring devices – Vehicle – Lever and nontorsion spring

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C267S259000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06220587

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vibration dampening assembly. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a vibration dampening assembly for use in a suspension system in a vehicle and, in particular, in a suspension system between a cab and a frame of a truck. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a suspension system for use, for example, between a cab and a frame of a truck.
2. State of the Prior Art
In Conaway et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,853, a vibration dampening device is disclosed for use between a truck body and a cab. The vibration dampening device includes a link pivotably mounted at one end to the frame of a truck and pivotably mounted at another end to a lever. The lever is pivotably mounted at one end to a suspended member, for example, a cab of a truck and is pivotably mounted at another end to one end of a shock absorber. The other end of the shock absorber is pivotably mounted also to the suspended body or cab at a pivot point spaced from the pivot point mounting of the lever first end to the suspended body. This device is said to isolate a suspended body or truck cab from the force vibration of the supporting body and provide a non-linear response to vibrational movement of the suspended body with respect to the support body. Whereas some beneficial vibration isolation takes place with a device according to the Conaway et al. '853 patent, there are some operational limitations in the design of a suitable dampening assembly and there are practical difficulties in manufacturing this vibration dampening device with proper design characteristics. The distance between the axes of pivot mounts of the lever to the suspended body (main pivot) and the lever to the link controls the relative amount of vertical movement between the suspended and supporting bodies and influences the displacement versus resistive force characteristics of the device. It has been found that the axes of these two pivots should be spaced about ⅜″ apart. Greater spacing between these two pivot axes gives a wider range of uncontrolled oscillation, and results in a fairly abrupt transition between the oscillation force and dampening force. A smooth transition between the oscillation and the dampening portion of the force versus displacement curve is necessary for an acceptable dampening device. However, at {fraction (3/18)}″ spacing between the pivot axes, manufacture of the dampening device becomes difficult because the bearings of the pivot axes overlap. However, the geometry of the device precludes this type of arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, a vibration dampening assembly for isolating a suspended body from the force vibrations of a supporting body comprises an impact plate adapted to be mounted to the suspended body or the supporting body, a support plate adapted for mounting to the other of the suspended body or supporting body, a link having first and second ends, the link first end pivotably interconnected with the support plate at a first support pivot and a lever having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends. The first end of the lever is pivotably interconnected with the link member second end at a link pivot. A shock absorber, preferably hydraulic, has a central axis and first and second ends. The first end of the shock absorber is pivotably interconnected with the lever member second end at a shock pivot and the second end of the shock absorber is pivotably interconnected with the support plate or the impact plate at a second support pivot spaced from the first support pivot. The lever member is pivotably interconnected with the impact plate at a main pivot connection located intermediate the first and second ends of the longitudinal axis of the lever member. By this arrangement, the configuration is easily manufacturable and the vibration isolation is enhanced significantly.
In a preferred embodiment, the shock absorber central axis and the lever member longitudinal axis are parallel when the supporting body and the suspended body are in a static or design height condition. Further, the main pivot also lies on the lever member longitudinal axis. Preferably, the second support pivot and the link pivot also lie on the lever member longitudinal axis.
In one embodiment of the invention, a second lever member is interconnected to the support plate at a first lever pivot and the impact plate is pivotably interconnected with the second lever member at a second lever pivot laterally spaced from the first pivot support, and the first lever pivot is intermediate the first support pivot and the second lever support. In this embodiment, the second lever functions as a lever, pivotably mounted to the second lever pivot at one end, and an air spring can be mounted between another end of the support plate and the impact plate.
In another embodiment of the invention, a second lever member is interconnected with the impact plate at a first lever pivot, the second lever member and the impact plate are interconnected at a second lever pivot spaced laterally from the first lever pivot, and the first lever pivot is intermediate the link pivot and the second lever pivot. In this embodiment, the second lever member forms a secondary lever and an air spring can be mounted between the impact plate and the second lever member.
In one embodiment, a cross member extends from the support plate toward the impact plate and the shock absorber second end and the link first end pivots are interconnected with the cross member.
Still further according to the invention, a suspension system for supporting a suspended body on a supporting body comprises a first plate adapted for mounting to one of the suspended body or the supporting body and a second plate adapted for mounting to the other of the suspended body and supporting plate. A link member has first and second ends, the first end of which is pivotably interconnected with the second plate at a first support pivot. A first lever member has a longitudinal axis and first and second ends. The first end of the first lever member is pivotably interconnected with the link member second end at a link pivot. A shock absorber has a central axis and first and second ends. The first end of the shock absorber is pivotably interconnected with the first lever member second end at a shock pivot and the second end of the shock absorber is pivotably interconnected with the first or second plate at a second support pivot spaced laterally from the first support pivot. A second lever member is pivotably interconnected with the second plate at one end at a first lever point and pivotably interconnected with the first plate at a second lever pivot spaced from the first lever pivot. An air spring is mounted at one end to the second plate and at another end to the second lever member at a second end thereof. The first lever member is pivotably interconnected with the second lever member at a main pivot connection located intermediate the first and second ends of the first lever member.
In one embodiment, the shock absorber central axis and the first lever member longitudinal axis are parallel when the supporting body and suspended body are in a static condition or at design height. Preferably, the main pivot connection also lies on the lever member longitudinal axis when the supporting body and the suspended body are in a static condition or at design height. Further, the second support pivot and the link pivot also lie on the lever member longitudinal axis when the supporting body and the suspended body are in the static condition or at design height.
Preferably, the air spring has an axis of movement which is transverse to the vertical. In one embodiment, the axis of movement of the air spring is about 45° to the vertical.
Preferably, the main pivot connection is located on the second lever member intermediate the second end and the second lever point.
Still further according to the invention, a suspension system for supporting a suspended body on a support

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