Uncoupled strut suspension system

• US 4,159,125 A
• Filed: 11/04/1977
• Issued: 06/26/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Buchwald, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carroll, John A.
• Application Number:
  US05/848,381
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 280/96.1, 280/663, 280/666, 280/667, 280/668, 280/673, 280/675, 280/696, 280/701, 280/67 A, 267/15 R, 267/20 R, 267/20 A
• US Class Current: 280/124.146
• 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 15/06 and fluid damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/021 the mechanical spring being a coil spring B60G17/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1244 on a suspension arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/06 the arm being rigid

Abstract

The drawings illustrate a strut-type suspension system used with a front wheel drive vehicle and including a preassembled shock absorber and elongated coil spring retainer member having the respective upper ends thereof resiliently mounted in juxtaposition on a mounting bracket, and a coil spring connected to the retainer member. The lower end of the shock absorber is adapted to being secured to the steering knuckle behind the drive axle, and the coil spring is adapted to being confined between the bottom end of the retainer member and a retainer seat formed on a control arm in front of the drive axle. The bracket of the subassembly is adapted to being mounted in a laterally extending attitude at the top of the wheel well.

Claims

1. In a suspension system on a motor vehicle having a frame supporting a body, a drive axle, and a road wheel operatively connected to the outer end of the drive axle, and including a laterally extending control arm having the inner end thereof pivotally connected to the frame, and a steering knuckle pivotally connected to the outer end of the control arm and surrounding the drive axle for rotatably supporting the wheel, the improvement comprising mounting bracket means mounted in a predetermined lateral attitude on the body of the vehicle above the drive axle and including a laterally oriented connector bushing, a telescopic shock absorber having the upper end thereof secured to the connector bushing and the lower end thereof secured to the steering knuckle rearward of the drive axle, on elongated coil spring retainer member secured at the upper end thereof to the connector bushing in juxtaposition with the upper end of the telescopic shock absorber, the elongated coil spring retainer and shock absorber diverging downwardly from the connector bushing so that the axes thereof define a predetermined angle therebetween as seen in the side view of the vehicle, and a coil spring mounted between the lower end of the elongated retainer member and the control arm forward of the drive axle with the axis of the coil spring coincident with the axis of the elongated coil spring retainer member.

2. In a suspension system on a motor vehicle having a frame supporting a body, a drive axle, and a road wheel operatively connected to the outer end of the drive axle, and including a laterally extending control arm having the inner end thereof pivotally connected to the frame, and a steering knuckle pivotally connected to the outer end of the control arm and surrounding the drive axle for rotatably supporting the wheel, the improvement comprising a mounting bracket including inner and outer end wall portions mounted in a predetermined lateral attitude on the body above the drive axle and having an opening formed through each end wall portion, a support shaft secured adjacent its ends in the openings, resilient bushing means mounted around the support shaft intermediate the end wall portions, a telescopic shock absorber having the upper end thereof secured to the resilient bushing means and the lower end thereof secured to the steering knuckle rearward of the drive axle, an elongated coil spring retainer member secured at the upper end thereof to the resilient bushing means in juxtaposition with the upper end of the telescopic shock absorber, the elongated coil spring retainer and shock absorber diverging downwardly from the resilient bushing means so that the axes thereof define a predetermined angle therebetween as seen in the side view of the vehicle, a downwardly facing retainer seat formed on the lower end of the retainer member, an upwardly facing retainer seat formed adjacent the outer end of the control arm forward of the drive axle, and a coil spring mounted at the upper end thereof in the downwardly facing retainer seat of the elongated retainer member and at the lower end thereof on the upwardly facing retainer seat of the control arm so that the axis of the coil spring is coincident with the axis of the elongated coil spring retainer member.

3. For use in a suspension system on a motor vehicle having a frame supporting a body, a drive axle, and a road wheel operatively connected to the outer end of the drive axle, and including a laterally extending control arm having the inner end thereof pivotally connected to the frame, and a steering knuckle pivotally connected to the outer end of the control arm and surrounding the drive axle for rotatably supporting the wheel, an uncoupled strut subassembly comprising a mounting bracket adapted to being mounted on the body above the drive axle, a support shaft secured to the bracket, resilient bushing means mounted around the support shaft, a telescopic shock absorber having the upper end thereof secured to the resilient bushing means and the lower end thereof adapted to being secured to the steering knuckle rearward of the drive axle, an elongated coil spring retainer member secured at the upper end thereof to the resilient bushing means in juxtaposition with the upper end of the telescopic shock absorber, the elongated coil spring retainer and shock absorber diverging downwardly from the resilient bushing means so that the axes thereof define a predetermined angle therebetween as seen in the end view of the bracket, a coil spring mounted at the upper end thereof against the lower end of the elongated retainer member, and removable clamp means mounted between the retainer member and the bottom of the coil spring for compressing the coil spring a predetermined amount and retaining it as a component of the subassembly prior to assembly on the vehicle.

4. For use in a suspension system on a motor vehicle having a frame supporting a body, and including a laterally extending control arm having the inner end thereof pivotally connected to the frame, and a steering knuckle pivotally connected to the outer end of the control arm for rotatably supporting a wheel, an uncoupled strut subassembly comprising a mounting bracket adapted to being mounted on the body and including oppositely disposed end walls, resilient bushing means mounted between the end walls, fastener means for securing said resilient bushing means to said end walls, a telescopic shock absorber having the upper end thereof secured to the resilient bushing means and the lower end thereof adapted to being secured to the steering knuckle, an elongated coil spring retainer member secured at the upper end thereof to the resilient bushing means in juxtaposition with the upper end of the telescopic shock absorber, the elongated coil spring retainer and shock absorber diverging downwardly from the resilient bushing means so that the axes thereof define a predetermined angle therebetween as seen in the end view of the bracket, a coil spring mounted at the upper end thereof against the lower end of the elongated retainer member, and removable clamp means mounted between the retainer member and the bottom of the coil spring for compressing the coil spring a predetermined amount and retaining it as a component of the subassembly prior to assembly on the coil spring on the control arm.

5. A suspension system on a motor vehicle having a frame supporting a body, a drive axle, and a road wheel operatively connected to the outer end of the drive axle, said suspension system comprising a laterally extending control arm having the inner end thereof pivotally connected to said frame, a steering knuckle pivotally connected to the outer end of said control arm and surrounding said drive axle for rotatably supporting said wheel, a mounting bracket including oppositely disposed end walls mounted in a predetermined lateral attitude on said body above the drive axle and having an opening formed through each end wall, resilient bushing means including outer and inner metal sleeves, an elastomeric bushing confined between said sleeves adjacent each end thereof, a support bolt extended through said end walls and said inner sleeve such that said resilient bushing means is mounted intermediate said end walls, a telescopic shock absorber having the upper end thereof secured to said outer metal sleeve and the lower end thereof secured to said steering knuckle rearward of said drive axle, an elongated coil spring retainer member secured at the upper end thereof to said outer metal sleeve in juxtaposition with the upper end of the telescopic shock absorber, said elongated coil spring retainer and shock absorber diverging downwardly from said outer metal sleeve so that the axes thereof define a predetermined angle therebetween as seen in the end view, a downwardly facing retainer seat formed on the lower end of said retainer member, an upwardly facing retainer seat formed adjacent the outer end of said control arm forward of said drive axle, and a coil spring mounted at the upper end thereof in said downwardly facing retainer seat and at the lower end thereof on said upwardly facing retainer seat so that the axis of said coil spring is coincident with the axis of said elongated coil spring retainer member.