Mounting assembly for a vehicle suspension arm

• US 20050001400A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Archer, David W., Anderson, Brian K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,976,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/124.134
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/16 characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0551 Mounting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/422 Driving wheels or live axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/44 steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/12 Wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/135 Stabiliser bar and/or tube
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1224 End mounts of stabiliser on wheel suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/124 Mounting of coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/143 on the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/148 on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/41 Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/416 Ball or spherical joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4502 using resilient buffer
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/0114 Independent suspensions on subframes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/50 Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/601 Hanger bracket
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/91 Assembly procedures
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/02 Trucks; Load vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/14 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/38 : Low or lowerable bed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/00 : Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof means for maintaining substantially constant wheel camber during suspension movement B60G3/26; articulations for wheels B60G5/00; leaf spring attaching means B60G11/10, B60G11/12; trailing arm twist beam axle attaching means B60G21/052; articulations in general F16C
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/04 : Buffer means for limiting movement of arms stops limiting fluid passage in fluid dampers F16F9/49; stroke-limiting stops for fluid dampers F16F9/58
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/11 : with resilient means for suspension , e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32893 : including distinct pin retainer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32901 : Unitary clip or plug

Abstract

A mounting assembly for use with a mounting surface includes an arm, a pin, a pair of clamping blocks and a fastener. The arm has a cylindrical bore at one end. The pin extends through the bore. Each block of the pair of clamping blocks includes a central opening and is circumferentially discontinuous about the central opening. Each clamping block further includes a slot defined by portions of the block. The slot is dimensioned to allow the pin to pass through the slot when the block is in an unclamped position and to tightly grip the pin when the block is in a clamped position. The fasteners extend across the slots and are configured to engage the mounting surface to mount the blocks to the mounting surface.

Claims

1. A mounting assembly for use with a mounting surface, the assembly comprising:

an arm with a first cylindrical bore at one end of said arm;

a first pin extending through said first bore;

a pair of first clamping blocks, each first block having a first central opening, each first clamping block being circumferentially discontinuous about said first central opening and having a first slot defined by portions of said first block, said first slot being dimensioned to allow said first pin to pass through said first slot when the first block is in a first unclamped position and to tightly grip said first pin when the first block is in a second clamped position;

first fasteners extending across the first slots and configured to engage the mounting surface to mount the first blocks to the mounting surface.

2. A mounting assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

portions of each block defining said first slot have aligned holes through which the first fasteners may pass, whereby tightening of said first fasteners causes said slots to close and said blocks to grip said pins,

said first block being mountable to the surface by said fastener and said holes are unthreaded,

said assembly including a pair of bushings,

said bushings being disposed in said first cylindrical bore of said arm,

said first pin having a length greater than the sun of the lengths of said bushings whereby said pin when passing through said bushing has exposed ends grippable by said first clamping blocks,

said bushings having an inner sleeve bearing and an outer elastomeric flanged sleeve and an intermediate sleeve therebetween with a seal at an outer end of said intermediate sleeve,

said flanged sleeve having a flange at an outer end thereof,

said pin has a threaded bore at each end,

a threaded fastener being threadably engageable in said threaded bore,

and said threaded fastener connecting with a washer to properly pre-load said pin between said clamping blocks when said clamping blocks grip said pin.

3. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the pin extends along an axis and wherein the arm rotates relative to the clamping block about the axis.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 1 including a pair of opposing fasteners, one at each end of the first pin.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein each slot is configured to extend in a downward direction when the pair of first clamping blocks are mounted to the mounting surface.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the first fasteners are configured to threadably engage the mounting structure.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the arm includes:

a second cylindrical bore at said one end of said arm;

a second pin extending through the second bore;

a pair of second clamping blocks, each second block having a second central opening, each second clamping block being circumferentially discontinuous about the second central opening and having a second slot defined by a portion of said second block, said second slot being dimensioned to allow said second pin to pass through said second opening when the second block is in a first unclamped position and tightly gripping said second pin when the second block is in a second clamped position; and

second fasteners extending across each slot and configured to engage the mounting surface to mount the second blocks to the mounting surface.