Vehicle control safety system
First Claim
1. A safety system for a vehicle having a chassis with two parallel substantially horizontal spaced-apart lower chassis frame extension legs and two parallel substantially horizontal spaced-apart upper chassis frame extension legs associated with the front and rear ends of said vehicle and an axle assembly for each of the wheels, comprising:
- a suspension assembly for each axle assembly including a cylinder and an air piston normally movable in said cylinder, said cylinder being pivotably coupled to said chassis and said air piston being pivotably coupled to said axle assembly, said cylinder being formed with at least one air port opening;
valve means for selectively opening and closing said at least one air port opening so as to arrest the movement of said air piston in said cylinder, and to maintain said piston in a relatively rigid, non-compressible state when said air port opening is closed, including biasing means urging said valve means to open said air port opening;
means for activating the closing of said valve means; and
at least one bumper assembly including a short stroke retractable bumper slidably mounted on said chassis for movement between a normal, extended position and a retracted position, by means of a first pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart hollow support arms, each of which being mounted to one of said lower chassis frame extension legs and a second pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart hollow support arms, each of which being mounted to one of said upper chassis frame extension legs, and a pair of lower and a pair of upper generally parallel, spaced-apart rods connected to said bumper, each of which being telescopically received in a corresponding one of said hollow support arms.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A safety system for a vehicle, which has a chassis with two parallel spaced-apart horizontal legs, and an axle assembly for each wheel, includes a suspension assembly with at least one cylinder, and an air piston reciprocally movable in the cylinder, the cylinder pivotably connected to the chassis and the air piston connected to one of the axle assemblies. The cylinder is formed with at least one air excape opening. A valve is provided for selectively opening and closing the air escape opening so as to permit or arrest the air piston arrestor in the cylinder, and to maintain it in a relatively rigid, non-compressible state when the air escape opening is closed. A resilient spring biases the valve to the open position, and means are provided for activating the valve. At least one bumper assembly is provided, which includes a short stroke retractable bumper slidably mounted on the chassis for movement between a normal, extended position and a retracted position, a pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart hollow support arms, each of which may be mounted on one of the chassis legs, and a pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart rods connected to the bumper, each of which is telescopically received in a corresponding one of the hollow support arms.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A safety system for a vehicle having a chassis with two parallel substantially horizontal spaced-apart lower chassis frame extension legs and two parallel substantially horizontal spaced-apart upper chassis frame extension legs associated with the front and rear ends of said vehicle and an axle assembly for each of the wheels, comprising:
-
a suspension assembly for each axle assembly including a cylinder and an air piston normally movable in said cylinder, said cylinder being pivotably coupled to said chassis and said air piston being pivotably coupled to said axle assembly, said cylinder being formed with at least one air port opening; valve means for selectively opening and closing said at least one air port opening so as to arrest the movement of said air piston in said cylinder, and to maintain said piston in a relatively rigid, non-compressible state when said air port opening is closed, including biasing means urging said valve means to open said air port opening; means for activating the closing of said valve means; and at least one bumper assembly including a short stroke retractable bumper slidably mounted on said chassis for movement between a normal, extended position and a retracted position, by means of a first pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart hollow support arms, each of which being mounted to one of said lower chassis frame extension legs and a second pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart hollow support arms, each of which being mounted to one of said upper chassis frame extension legs, and a pair of lower and a pair of upper generally parallel, spaced-apart rods connected to said bumper, each of which being telescopically received in a corresponding one of said hollow support arms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification