Low profile chassis and suspension

• US 7,559,400 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aloha, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aloha, LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Earl Dallas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Application Number:
  US11/196,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20050263987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 280/124.116, 280/124.128, 280/124.152, 280/124.157, 280/43.18, 280/678, 280/683, 280/86.5, 280/781, 280/789, 280/782, 180/309, 180/291, 414/921
• US Class Current: 180/291
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/27 wherein the fluid is a gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/132 with a single trailing arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/152 Pneumatic spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/38 Low or lowerable bed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/14 the arm being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 5/04 with two or more pivoted arms, the movements of which are resiliently interrelated , e.g. the arms being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/134 Handicapped person handling

Abstract

A low profile chassis and suspension system for a road vehicle. The chassis supports a payload section or cargo compartment, such as for a delivery truck, ambulance, or shuttle bus. The chassis includes a largely planar frame having a top surface which is located beneath the rotational axes of the rear wheels. The wheel suspension system is particularly compact and close to the road surface. A trailing arm-type wheel support supports a stub axle in a cantilevered fashion. A spring urges the wheel support apart from the frame. A planar portion of the wheel support, the wheel support pivot joints, and the spring are located beneath the rotational axis of the wheel. In another embodiment, the frame includes a recessed pocket which facilitates use of ramp for wheel chair access.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a first rear wheel having a first rotational axis;

a second rear wheel having a second rotational axis;

a frame having a planar portion with a top surface and a bottom surface, said frame interconnecting said first and second rear wheels, said planar portion being located between said first and second rear wheels, the first and second rotational axes being located above the top surface, said frame including first and second frame members extending longitudinally across said frame and being located between said first wheel and said second wheels; and

an exhaust pipe supported by said frame and extending longitudinally along said frame below the top surface of the planar portion between said first and second wheels and above the bottom surface of the planar portion between said first and second wheels and between said first and second frame members.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame includes a longitudinal channeled member proximate the centerline of said frame, and said exhaust pipe is located within the channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame includes third and fourth longitudinal members proximate the centerline of said frame and between said first and second frame members, and said exhaust pipe is located between said third and fourth longitudinal members.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises a first stub axle rotatably supporting said first rear wheel and a first wheel support supporting said first stub axle, said first wheel support being pivotally coupled to said frame and pivotal about a first pivot axis, and a second stub axle pivotally supporting said second rear wheel and a second wheel support supporting said second stub axle, said second wheel support being pivotally coupled to said frame and pivotal about a second pivot axis, and a portion of said exhaust pipe passes through a first vertical plane containing said first pivot axis and passes through a second vertical plane containing said second vertical axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said wheel support is pivotal about a pivot axis that is forward and below the rotational axes of said rear wheels.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each pivot axis is parallel to the rotational axes of said rear wheels.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 which further comprises a first pair of pivot joints laterally spaced apart and coupling said first wheel support to said frame, and a second pair of pivot joints laterally spaced apart and coupling said second wheel support to said frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises a first wheel support supporting said first wheel and a first airspring for urging apart said first wheel support from said frame, the top of said first airspring being below the top surface of said frame, and a second wheel support supporting said second wheel and a second airspring for urging apart said second wheel support from said frame, the top of said second airspring being below the top surface of said frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each said wheel support is pivotal about a pivot axis that is forward and below the rotational axes of said rear wheels.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each pivot axis is parallel to the rotational axes of said rear wheels.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 which further comprises a first pair of pivot joints laterally spaced apart and coupling said first wheel support to said frame, and a second pair of pivot joints laterally spaced apart and coupling said second wheel support to said frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises a motor which propels said apparatus and which exhausts combusted gas through said exhaust pipe to ambient conditions behind one of said first rear wheel or said second rear wheel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first rear wheel is pivotably coupled to said frame by a first pivotable attachment, said first pivotable attachment including an inner-member elastomerically coupled to an outer member, one of said inner-member or said outer member being fastened to said frame, and the other of said inner-member or said outer member being fastened to said first wheel support.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said exhaust pipe has an exhaust outlet, and the outlet is located aft of one of said first rotational axis or said second rotational axis.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first rear wheel is a right rear wheel and said second rear wheel is a left rear wheel, said frame is a ladder-type having a right outboard frame member and a left outboard frame member, said exhaust pipe is located inboard of both said right outboard frame member and said left outboard frame member, and a portion of said exhaust pipe is located inboard of both the right rear rotational axis and the left rear rotational axis.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first rear wheel is a right rear wheel and said second rear wheel is a left rear wheel, said frame has a front, and a length of said exhaust pipe is located inboard of a right plane established by said right wheel and inboard of a left plane established by said left wheel and extends from the front of said frame to one of the right rear rotational axis or the left rear rotational axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame is a ladder-type frame.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first rear wheel pivots about a first pivot axis, said second rear wheel pivots about a second pivot axis, and said first pivot axis and said second pivot axis are below the top surface and above the bottom surface.

19. A vehicle, comprising:

a pair of driven front wheels;

a front axle providing power to said front wheels, said front axle having a rotational axis;

an engine and transmission for providing power to said front wheels, said engine having a rotational centerline that is approximately perpendicular to the rotational axis of said front axle, said transmission being located between said front axle and said engine;

a rear frame with a substantially planar top surface; and

a pair of rear wheels coupled to said rear frame, each said rear wheel having a rotational axis located above the planar top surface.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 wherein the rotational axis of said front axle and the rotational centerline of said engine are approximately planar.

21. The vehicle of claim 19 wherein the centerline of said engine is coaxial to the centerline of said transmission, and the centerline of said engine is perpendicular to the rotational axis of said front axle.

22. The vehicle of claim 19 wherein said rear wheels are pivotally coupled to said rear frame, and the pivot axes are located below the planar top surface.