Independent coil spring suspension for driven wheels

• US 6,105,984 A
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Archer, David W., Schmidt, Daniel J., Schmitz, Geoffrey W., Anderson, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/232,596
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 280/124.135, 280/124.136, 280/124.138, 280/124.139, 280/124.141, 280/124.179, 180/253, 180/254, 180/256, 180/258, 180/359, 180/360, 180/361
• US Class Current: 280/124.136
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/14 having helical, spiral or coil springs only B60G11/006 takes precedence
• 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 2202/312 The spring being a wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1222 Middle mounts of stabiliser on vehicle body or chassis
• 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 2204/15 Mounting of subframes
• 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 2204/43 Fittings, brackets or knuckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4302 for fixing suspension arm on the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4402 Spacers or shims
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/011 Modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/0114 Independent suspensions on subframes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/124 the arm having triangular or Y-shape, e.g. wishbone
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/50 : Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/60 : Subframe construction
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/02 : Trucks; Load vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/026 : Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/07 : Off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/14 : Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/38 : Low or lowerable bed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/20 : all arms being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/24 : a rigid arm being formed by the live axle B60G3/22, B60G3/26 take precedence; driving arrangements B60K17/22, B60K17/30, B60K17/32
• 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: F16F 1/38 : with a sleeve of elastic material between a rigid outer sleeve and a rigid inner sleeve or pin , i.e. bushing-type hydraulically-damped bushes F16F13/14; suppression of vibrations in rotating systems by making use of elastomeric spring members between rotating elements, driveline torque being transmitted therebetween F16F15/126, by making use of a dynamic damping mass attached to a rotating element by means of elastomeric springs F16F15/14; pivots per se F16C11/00; elastic or yielding bearings or bearing supports F16C27/00; parts of sliding-contact bearings, e.g. bushes F16C33/04

Abstract

A modular independent coil spring suspension for steerable/non-steerable wheel assemblies and driven/non-driven axles having a single coil spring with a low spring rate secured (a) to the lower of two vertically spaced control arms which connect the chassis to wheel assembly on one end, and (b) to the chassis at an upper location approximately level with a tire of the wheel assembly at the other end which provides maximum wheel travel, decreased rearward thrust, and tire/ground mobility.

Claims

1. An independent suspension for supporting a pair of driven wheels on a high mobility vehicle, the suspension comprising:

a suspension support structure;

first and second knuckles each including top and bottom ball joints;

a first lower control arm having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end thereof being pivotally attached to the support structure and the outer end thereof being attached to the bottom ball joint of the first knuckle;

a second lower control arm having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end thereof being pivotally attached to the support structure and the outer end thereof being attached to the bottom ball joint of the second knuckle;

a first upper control arm having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end thereof being pivotally attached to the support structure and the outer end thereof being attached to the top ball joint of the first knuckle;

a second upper control arm having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end thereof being pivotally attached to the support structure and the outer end thereof being attached to the top ball joint of the second knuckle;

a first spring including first and second ends, the first end thereof being attached to the support structure and the second end thereof being pivotally attached to the first lower control arm, said first spring having a spring guide disposed therein, said spring guide being coaxial with said spring such that the first knuckle can travel at least 12 inches relative to the support structure without said first spring buckling;

a second spring including first and second ends, the first end thereof being attached to the support structure and the second end thereof being pivotally attached to the second lower control arm, said first spring having a spring guide disposed therein, said spring guide being coaxial with said spring such that the first knuckle can travel at least 12 inches relative to the support structure without said second spring buckling;

a first shock absorber including first and second ends, the first end thereof being attached to the support structure and the second end thereof being pivotally attached to the first lower control arm, wherein the first upper control arm is located between the first spring and the first shock absorber;

a second shock absorber including first and second ends, the first end thereof being attached to the support structure and the second end thereof being pivotally attached to the second lower control arm, wherein the second upper control arm is located between the second spring and the second shock absorber;

a drive assembly supported by the support structure between the control arms, the drive assembly including a first output shaft extending toward the first knuckle and a second output shaft extending toward the second knuckle;

a first wheel end rotatably supported by the first knuckle;

a second wheel end rotatably supported by the second knuckle;

a first brake assembly coupled to the first wheel end and the first knuckle;

a second brake assembly coupled to the second wheel end and the second knuckle;

a first drive shaft assembly coupled between the first output shaft and the first wheel end to transmit torque therebetween; and

a second drive shaft assembly coupled between the second output shaft and the second wheel end to transmit torque therebetween.

2. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the springs are pivotally attached to their respective lower control arms such that the respective knuckles can travel at least 141/2 inches relative to the support structure.

3. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the brake assemblies include respective first and second drums coupled to the respective first and second wheel ends.

4. The suspension of claim 3, wherein the first drive shaft assembly is located between the first spring and the first shock absorber and the second drive shaft assembly is located between the second spring and the second shock absorber.

5. The suspension of claim 4, wherein the springs are coil springs.

6. The suspension of claim 5, further comprising a sway bar assembly supported by the support structure and coupled to the first and second knuckles.

7. The suspension of claim 6, wherein the first upper control arm couples the sway bar to the first knuckle and the second upper control arm couples the sway bar to the second knuckle.

8. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the springs are coil springs.

9. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the first and second drive shaft assemblies each include an intermediate shaft coupled to the respective wheel end with a universal joint and coupled to the respective output shaft with a universal joint.

10. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the first drive shaft assembly is located between the first spring and the first shock absorber and the second drive shaft assembly is located between the second spring and the second shock absorber.

11. The suspension of claim 1, wherein each of the control arms is pivotally attached to the support structure by at least two bushings.

12. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes at least a portion of a frame of an associated vehicle.

13. The suspension of claim 1, further comprising;

a first resilient rebound member supported relative to the support structure and the first wheel end to limit motion of the first wheel end when the first spring is extended; and

a second resilient rebound member supported relative to the support structure and the second wheel end to limit motion of the second wheel end when the second spring is extended.

14. The suspension of claim 13, wherein the first rebound member is attached to the first upper control arm and is fabricated from plastic, and the second rebound member is attached to the second upper control arm and is fabricated from plastic.

15. The suspension of claim 1, further comprising;

a first resilient bump member supported relative to the support structure and the first wheel end to limit motion of the first wheel end when the first spring is compressed; and

a second resilient bump member supported relative to the support structure and the second wheel end to limit motion of the second wheel end when the second spring is compressed.

16. The suspension of claim 15, wherein the bump members are attached to the support structure and fabricated from rubber.