Lateral control rod for a cab suspension system

• US 7,331,627 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Link Manufacturing Limited
• Original Assignee: Link Manufacturing Limited
• Inventors: Van Den Brink, Joel Dean, Hulstein, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow; Jason S
• Application Number:
  US11/132,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 296/190.05, 296/190.04, 296/190.07, 296/1.03, 180/89.13, 180/89.14, 180/89.18, 180/89.19, 188/129, 248/562, 248/560, 248/613, 248/581, 267/203, 267/201, 267/291, 267/292, 267/293, 267/294, 267/140.11, 267/140.13
• US Class Current: 296/190.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/341 Panhard rod
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/111 of adjustable length
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0604 Cabs insulated against vibrations or noise, e.g. with elastic suspension resilient connections between superstructure sub-units B62D27/04; damping noise in general G10K11/00; for vehicles in general B60R13/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/445 the spring material being contained in a generally closed space F16F1/393 takes precedence

Abstract

A lateral control rod for use in a vehicle cab suspension wherein the control rod has an attenuation assembly imposed therein between the ends thereof which reduces the transmission of vibration and shock therethrough.

Claims

1. A lateral control rod for use in a vehicle cab suspension system with the vehicle including a frame and a cab having a rear end which is movably mounted with respect to the frame, comprising:

an elongated tube having first and second ends;

said first end of said tube being adapted to be secured to one of the frame or the cab at the rear end thereof;

a tubular housing having first and second ends;

said first end of said housing being secured to said tube at said second end thereof so that said housing extends from said tube parallel to said tube;

an elongated rod having first and second ends;

said first end of said rod being adapted to be secured to the other of the frame or the cab at the rear end thereof;

said second end of said rod movably extending inwardly through said housing and being longitudinally movably received by said second end of said tube;

a compression plate, having first and second sides, movably positioned within said housing and being secured to said rod for movement therewith;

a first resilient member positioned between said first side of said compression plate and said first end of said housing;

a second resilient member positioned between said second side of said compression plate and said second end of said housing;

said second end of said rod extending through said compression plate;

the movement of said rod towards said tube causing said first resilient member to be to be compressed.

4. The lateral control rod of claim 1 wherein a first end cap secures said first end of said housing to said tube.

5. The lateral control rod of claim 4 wherein a second end cap is secured to said second end of said housing with said rod movably extending through said second end cap.

6. The lateral control rod of claim 1 wherein said first end of said tube has a transversely extending collar secured thereto which has a resilient bushing positioned therein.

7. The lateral control rod of claim 6 wherein said first end of said rod has a transversely extending collar secured thereto which has a resilient bushing positioned therein.

8. The lateral control rod of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second resilient members are generally cylindrical in shape and have opposite ends and center portions with the center portions thereof having a greater diameter than the ends thereof.

9. The lateral control rod of claim 1 wherein said rod movably extends through said resilient members.

10. The lateral control rod of claim 1 wherein said rod has a pair of spaced-apart annular grooves formed therein, said compression plate being positioned on said rod between said pair of annular grooves, and wherein a snap ring is positioned in each of said spaced-apart annular grooves to secure said compression plate to said rod.

2. A lateral control rod for use in a vehicle cab suspension system with the vehicle including a frame and a cab having a rear end which is movably

mounted with respect to the frame, comprising:

an elongated tube having first and second ends;

said first end of said tube being adapted to be secured to one of the frame or the cab at the rear end thereof;

an elongated rod having first and second ends;

said first end of said rod being adapted to be secured to the other of the frame or the cab at the rear end thereof;

a cylindrical, hollow housing having first and second ends;

said first end of said housing being secured to said tube at said second end thereof so that said housing extends from said tube parallel to said tube;

said second end of said rod movably extending through said second end of said housing and into said second end of said tube; and

a two-way attenuation assembly positioned in said housing which is operatively coupled to said rod to yieldably resist the inward movement of said rod with respect to said tube and to yieldably resist the outward movement of said rod with respect to said tube;

a compression plate, having opposite sides, secured to said rod within said housing for movement therewith;

a first resilient member embracing said rod between one side of said compression plate and said first end of said housing; and

a second resilient member embracing said rod between the other side of said compression plate and said second end of said housing.

11. The lateral control rod of claim 2 wherein each of said first and second resilient members are generally cylindrical in shape and have opposite ends and center portions with the center portions thereof having a greater diameter than the ends thereof.

3. A lateral control rod for use in a vehicle cab suspension system with the vehicle including a frame and a cab having a rear end which is movably mounted with respect to the frame, comprising:

an elongated tube having first and second ends;

said first end of said tube being adapted to be secured to one of the frame or the cab at the rear end thereof;

an elongated rod having first and second ends;

said first end of said rod being adapted to be secured to the other of the frame or the cab at the rear end thereof;

a cylindrical, hollow housing having first and second ends;

said first end of said housing being secured to said tube at said second end thereof so that said housing extends from said tube parallel to said tube;

said second end of said rod movably extending through said second end of said housing and into said second end of said tube; and

a two-way attenuation assembly positioned in said housing which is operatively coupled to said rod to yieldably resist the inward movement of said rod with respect to said tube and to yieldably resist the outward movement of said rod with respect to said tube;

a first end cap secured to said second end of said tube which has a central opening formed therein for slidably receiving said second end of rod;

a second end cap spaced from said first end cap which has a central opening formed therein which slidably receives said rod; and

a housing member secured to said first and second end caps and extending therebetween.

12. The lateral control rod of claim 3 wherein said rod has a pair of spaced-apart annular grooves formed therein, said compression plate being positioned on said rod between said pair of annular grooves, and wherein a snap ring is positioned in each of said spaced-apart annular grooves to secure said compression plate to said rod.