Stabilizer link
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A stabilizer link comprising:
- a) a pair of cylinders, cylinder defining a pair of contiguous bores opening in opposite directions, each pair of bores defining an axis;
b) a stem joining the cylinders;
c) two pairs of bushings, each bushing received into a respective bore, each bushing defining a channel;
d) two shafts, each shaft received into the channels of a respective pair of bushings; and
e) a plurality of fastening elements for securing the shafts within the channels of respective pairs of bushings.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stabilizer link for a steering and suspension assembly for a bus or other vehicle comprising a pair of shafts and a housing that is defined by a pair of cylinders that are joined together by a rod or stem. Each cylinder defines a pair of contiguous tapered bores opening in opposite directions for receiving one of the shafts. Each shaft secured to the housing by replaceable components, namely, a pair of washers, a pair of bushings, and a nut secured to the other threaded end of the shaft. Each pair of bushings is matingly received within bores.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A stabilizer link comprising:
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a) a pair of cylinders, cylinder defining a pair of contiguous bores opening in opposite directions, each pair of bores defining an axis; b) a stem joining the cylinders; c) two pairs of bushings, each bushing received into a respective bore, each bushing defining a channel; d) two shafts, each shaft received into the channels of a respective pair of bushings; and e) a plurality of fastening elements for securing the shafts within the channels of respective pairs of bushings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A stabilizer link comprising:
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a) a pair of cylinders, each cylinder defining a pair contiguous bores opening in opposite directions, each pair of bores defining an axis; b) a stem joining the cylinders, with the axes of the pairs of bores being substantially parallel; c) two pairs of bushings having a length and two ends, each bushing being matingly received into a respective bore with one end extending beyond the respective bore, each bushing defining a substantially cylindrical channel along its length with the channels of respective pairs of bushings being aligned; d) two shafts, each shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and being received into the channels of a respective pair of bushings, the distal ends being adapted to be engageable with a component of a vehicle; e) two pairs of washers, each pair of washers disposed about a respective shaft and located outside of the bores and channels, each washer being in abutting engagement with one of the ends of a respective bushing; and f) two fasteners on the proximal ends of the shafts engaging two of the washers for securing the shafts within the channels. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A stabilizer link comprising:
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a) a pair of cylinders, each cylinder defining a pair of open ends and having an inner wall that defines a pair of connected tapered bores contiguous with respective open ends and tapered to open in opposite directions along a common axis; b) a stem having two ends, each end being joined to one of the cylinders with the axes of the pairs of bores being substantially parallel; c) two pairs of bushings, each bushing matingly received into a respective bore, each bushing defining a cylindrical channel and including a pair of parallel flat ends and first and second frustoconical outer bushing walls with tapers that narrow toward the bushing flat ends, the first outer bushing wall extending along most of the length of the bushing and being matingly received by its respective bore, the second outer bushing wall extending beyond the respective bore, the flat ends of the bushings being substantially perpendicular to the axes of the bores; d) two shafts, each shaft received into the channels of a respective pair of bushings, each shaft comprising (i) first and second threaded ends, the first threaded end being engageable with a component of a vehicle;
(ii) a tapered portion located adjacent the first threaded end to matingly engage correspondingly tapered portions on the components of the vehicle;
(iii) a bushing portion extending into the channels of the respective pair of bushings; and
(iv) a central portion joining the tapered and bushing portions and defining a lateral face adjacent the bushing portion, the bushing portion having a diameter less than the diameters of the tapered and central portions;e) two pairs of first and second washers, each pair disposed about one of the shafts and located outside the bores, the first washers being in abutting engagement with the flat ends of respective bushings and the lateral faces of the central portion of its respective shaft and the second washers being in abutting engagement with the flat ends of the other respective bushings; and f) a pair of nuts, each being engageable with the other threaded end of one of the shafts and being in abutting engagement with the second washers. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A replacement kit for a stabilizer link that has a pair of cylinders, each cylinder defining a pair of contiguous tapered bores opening in opposite directions, each bore having an axis;
- a stem joining the cylinders, and two shafts, each received into a respective pair of bores;
the kit comprising;a) two pairs of bushings, each bushing configured to be matingly received into one of the respective bores, each bushing defining a generally cylindrical channel and the channels of each pair of bushings configured to receive one of the respective shafts; and b) two pairs of washers for retaining the bushings within the bores; and c) a container that retains the bushings and washers. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 40)
- a stem joining the cylinders, and two shafts, each received into a respective pair of bores;
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34. A replacement kit for a stabilizer link that has a pair of cylinders, each cylinder defining a pair of contiguous tapered bores opening in opposite directions, each bore having an axis;
- a stem joining the cylinders, with the axes of the bores of the respective cylinder being substantially parallel; and
two shafts, each received into one of the bores;
the kit comprising;a) two pairs of bushings, each bushing configured to be matingly received into one of the respective bores, each bushing defining a cylindrical channel and including a pair of parallel flat ends and first and second frustoconical outer bushing walls with tapers that narrow toward the bushing flat ends, the first outer bushing wall extending along most of the length of the bushing and configured to be matingly received by its respective bore, the second outer bushing wall configured to extend beyond the one bore when the first outer bushing wall is matingly received by its respective bore, the flat ends of the bushings being configured to be substantially perpendicular to the axes of the bores when the bushings are received into the bores; b) a pair of first and second washers, each pair configured to be disposed about one of the respective shafts and located outside the bores, the first washers adapted to be in abutting engagement with the flat ends of respective bushings and the second washers adapted to be in abutting engagement with the flat ends of the other bushings, each washer having a flat portion and a circumferential flange angled with respect to the flat portion, the flanges of each pair of washers angled to extend in opposite directions away from the respective bushings when the washers are disposed about the shafts; c) a pair of nuts, each being engageable with one of the respective shafts, one of the washers of each pair of washers adapted to abuttingly engage a respective castle nut; and d) a container retaining the bushings, washers and nuts. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
- a stem joining the cylinders, with the axes of the bores of the respective cylinder being substantially parallel; and
Specification