Trailer suspension apparatus
First Claim
1. A wheel suspension system for mounting a wheel to the frame of a vehicle adjacent a floor of the vehicle, which comprises:
- a wheel support member;
a wheel mounted to said wheel support member for rotation about a horizontal rotation axis;
attachment means for attaching said wheel support member to a vehicle frame to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis displaced from said rotation axis of said wheel to move said wheel vertically between a first, uppermost position and a second lowermost position;
means for providing lateral support to said wheel connected between the vehicle frame and said wheel support member at a location displaced from said rotation axis and the pivot axis; and
biasing means for biasing said wheel support member to an intermediate position between the uppermost and lowermost positions and permitting resisted movement away from the intermediate position, said biasing means including a resilient member positioned between opposed surfaces of said wheel support member and the vehicle frame,wherein the resilient component and the pivot axis are both positioned to the same side of the rotation axis of the wheel relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel suspension system is disclosed which includes a wheel support member pivotally mounted to a vehicle frame, a wheel rotatably mounted to the support member on a stub axle, and an airbag positioned between the wheel support member and the vehicle frame to bias the support member into an intermediate position between a lowermost position and an uppermost position, the rotational axis of the wheel being positioned at or above the cargo floor of the vehicle at least when the wheel support member is in the uppermost position. The suspension system provides a compact lateral profile and also aligns the pivot axis and biasing airbag on a common side of the wheel to provide a compact profile along the length of the vehicle. The compact lateral profile of the suspension system is enhanced by a lateral stabilizer configuration that includes a leaf spring extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle directly adjacent the suspension system, thus providing maximum distance between the wheels and permitting the cargo floor to be supported between the wheels below the rotational axis of the wheels.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A wheel suspension system for mounting a wheel to the frame of a vehicle adjacent a floor of the vehicle, which comprises:
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a wheel support member; a wheel mounted to said wheel support member for rotation about a horizontal rotation axis; attachment means for attaching said wheel support member to a vehicle frame to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis displaced from said rotation axis of said wheel to move said wheel vertically between a first, uppermost position and a second lowermost position; means for providing lateral support to said wheel connected between the vehicle frame and said wheel support member at a location displaced from said rotation axis and the pivot axis; and biasing means for biasing said wheel support member to an intermediate position between the uppermost and lowermost positions and permitting resisted movement away from the intermediate position, said biasing means including a resilient member positioned between opposed surfaces of said wheel support member and the vehicle frame, wherein the resilient component and the pivot axis are both positioned to the same side of the rotation axis of the wheel relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A wheeled vehicle for movement along a support surface, which comprises:
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a vehicle body including a vehicle frame and a planar floor supported by said frame; a wheel support member; a wheel mounted to said wheel support member for rotation about a horizontal rotation axis; attachment means for attaching said wheel support member to the vehicle frame to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis displaced from the rotation axis of said wheel to move said wheel vertically between a first, uppermost position and a second, lowermost position, the rotation axis of said wheel being vertically above the floor when said wheel support member is in its uppermost position; means for providing lateral support to said wheel connected between the vehicle and said wheel support member at a location displaced from said rotation axis and said pivot axis; and biasing means for biasing said wheel support member to an intermediate position between the uppermost and lowermost positions and permitting resisted movement away from the intermediate position, said biasing means including a resilient member positioned between opposed surfaces of said wheel support and the vehicle frame, wherein the resilient component and the pivot axis are both positioned to the same side of the rotation axis of the wheel relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.
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16. A wheeled vehicle for movement along a support surface, which comprises:
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a vehicle body including a vehicle frame and a planar floor; a wheel support member; a wheel mounted to said wheel support member for rotation about a horizontal rotation axis; attachment means for attaching said wheel support member to the vehicle frame to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis displaced from the rotation axis of said wheel to move said wheel vertically between a first, uppermost position and a second, lowermost position; means for providing lateral support to said wheel connected between the vehicle frame and said wheel support member at a location displaced from said rotation axis and said pivot axis; biasing means for biasing said wheel support member to an intermediate position between the uppermost and lowermost positions and permitting resisted movement away from the intermediate position; and a brake assembly including; braking means for braking the rotation of the wheel; an actuator; linkage means connected between said actuator and said means for braking for actuating said braking means in response to said actuator; and means for supporting said actuator on said wheel support member so that said actuator and said linkage means moves with said wheel support member as said member pivots about said pivot axis. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A wheel suspension system for mounting a wheel to the frame of a vehicle adjacent the floor of the vehicle, which comprises:
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a wheel support member; a wheel mounted to said wheel support member for rotation about a horizontal rotation axis; attachment means for attaching said wheel support member to the vehicle frame to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis displaced from the rotation axis of said wheel to move said wheel vertically between a first, uppermost position and a second, lowermost position, the rotation axis of said wheel being vertically above the floor when said wheel support member is in its uppermost position; means for providing lateral support to said wheel connected between the vehicle frame and said wheel support member at a location displaced from said rotation axis and said pivot axis; biasing means for biasing said wheel support member to an intermediate position between the uppermost and lowermost positions and permitting resisted movement away from the intermediate position; and a brake assembly including; braking means for braking the rotation of the wheel; an actuator; linkage means connected between said actuator and said means for braking for actuating said braking means in response to said actuator; and means for supporting said actuator on said wheel support member so that said actuator and said linkage means moves with said wheel support member as said member pivots about said pivot axis. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A wheel suspension system for mounting a wheel to the frame of a vehicle adjacent a floor of the vehicle having a longitudinal axis, which comprises:
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a wheel support member; a wheel mounted to said wheel support member for rotation about a horizontal rotation axis; attachment means for attaching said wheel support member to a vehicle frame to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis displaced from said rotation axis of said wheel to move said wheel vertically between a first, uppermost position and a second, lowermost position; biasing means for biasing said wheel support member to an intermediate position between the uppermost and lowermost positions and permitting resisted movement away from the intermediate position; and means for providing lateral support to said wheel including a stabilizer member connected at a first end to said wheel support member at a location longitudinally displaced from said pivot axis and pivotably connected at a second end to the vehicle frame at a location longitudinally aligned with said pivot axis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification