Patent · US Expired

Load distribution unit for vehicle suspension system

US6270098A · kind A · utility

67Cited by
7References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 1999
Grant dateAug 7, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 29, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60G17/056
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A load distribution unit is utilized in a vehicle suspension system having at least one pair of laterally adjacent forward wheel assemblies, and at least one pair of laterally adjacent rear wheel assemblies. A wheel ram is associated with each of the wheel assemblies, each wheel ram including a major chamber therein. The load distribution unit includes a plurality of fluid chambers, each fluid chamber being divided into at least two control chambers by at least one piston supported therein. Two pairs of the control chambers which vary in volume proportionally and in opposite senses therein with piston motion are system chambers, and at least two of the remaining control chambers are bump chambers. The pistons are interconnected by at least one connection device. The major chamber of each wheel ram is in fluid communication with a respective system chamber. The vehicle suspension system provides a roll stiffness and a pitch stiffness while providing minimum cross-axial articulation stiffness.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.