Patents by Inventor William E. Hedenberg

William E. Hedenberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7077408
    Abstract: An improved air suspension system for the rear axle of a vehicle such as a light to medium duty truck. The system includes a torque arm extending forward of the axle with its forward end mounted on the frame and an intermediate point mounted on the axle. The rear end of the torque arm extends rearwardly of the rear axle and has a hanger bracket attached thereto. The forward end of a lever arm is supported on a shackle assembly that in turn is mounted on the hanger bracket, and the rear end of the lever arm is mounted on a bushing affixed to the chassis. An air spring is mounted on the lever arm and the air spring and lever arm support major portion of the vehicle weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: ChassisPro, LLC
    Inventor: William E. Hedenberg
  • Patent number: 6527287
    Abstract: An air suspension system mountable on the axle of a vehicle such as a pickup truck. The suspension system includes an air spring, a pusher torque rod and a lever arm. The torque rod has one end pivotably affixed to the chassis and its other end affixed to the axle housing to control movement of the axle housing in an arcuate path. The lever arm has an end pivotably affixed to the chassis and its other shiftably and slidably supported on an axle bracket. The air spring is mounted on the lever arm to provide load support to the chassis. The shock absorbers for the vehicle are controlled from the same air pressure source as the air spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Lenk Mfg., Ltd.
    Inventor: William E. Hedenberg
  • Publication number: 20020096841
    Abstract: An air suspension system for light to medium duty vehicles. The system includes pneumatically controlled and hydraulic operated shock absorbers. The shock absorbers for the vehicle are adjusted and tuned to be operated in conjunction with the air springs for the vehicle; and, the shock absorbers and the air springs are supplied from the same air supply source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventor: William E. Hedenberg
  • Publication number: 20020070524
    Abstract: An air suspension system mountable on the axle of a vehicle such as a pickup truck. The suspension system includes an air spring, a pusher torque rod and a lever arm. The torque rod has one end pivotably affixed to the chassis and its other end affixed to the axle housing to control movement of the axle housing in an arcuate path. The lever arm has an end pivotably affixed to the chassis and its other shiftably and slidably supported on an axle bracket. The air spring is mounted on the lever arm to provide load support to the chassis. The shock absorbers for the vehicle are controlled from the same air pressure source as the air spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventor: William E. Hedenberg
  • Patent number: 6398243
    Abstract: An air suspension system mountable on the axle of a vehicle such as a pick-up truck. The suspension system includes an air spring, a pusher torque rod and a lever arm. The torque rod has one end pivotably affixed to the chassis and its other end affixed to the axle housing to control movement of the axle housing in an arcuate path. The lever arm has an end pivotably affixed to the chassis and its other shiftably and slidably supported on an axle bracket. The air spring is mounted on the lever arm to provide load support to the chassis. The shock absorbers for the vehicle are controlled from the same air pressure source as the air spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Link Mfg Ltd.
    Inventor: William E. Hedenberg
  • Patent number: 5351986
    Abstract: An air suspension system for a vehicle such as a pick-up truck, wherein an air spring is mounted directly on the leaf spring of the vehicle and the air spring and leaf spring support the weight of the vehicle frame and load, effectively in series. The combination of the air spring and leaf spring provides a reduction in ride vibration whereby the vehicle rides as smoothly when it is unloaded as when it is carrying a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Inventors: William E. Hedenberg, Dennis E. Hedenberg
  • Patent number: 4518171
    Abstract: An air suspension system for each rear wheel of van-type vehicles features a seven-point articulated system. A pair of rearwardly diverging torque rods are pivotally attached to the axle hanger to provide a modified parallelogram linkage. The angle of divergence is set by an adjustable torque rod pivot point and an automatic pneumatic height restoration feature to dispose the torque rods at optimum orientation to provide, among other things, a measure of anti-rise action on braking. A pair of air springs mounted on articulated carrier arms carries the weight of the vehicle without the use of assisting springs. Anti-sway is provided by specification of elastic rates of bushings in pivots providing the articulation of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Inventor: William E. Hedenberg
  • Patent number: 4379572
    Abstract: An air suspension system adaptable to various types and sizes of vehicles, including automobiles, trucks, vans and the like, to improve their riding characteristics and stability, including a carrier arm assembly pivotally mounted at one end to the frame of the vehicle and connected near its opposite end to the vehicle axle. The system has an air spring disposed between the first pivotal end of the carrier arm assembly and the axle and interposted between the carrier arm assembly and the vehicle frame so that the air spring supports at least the major portion of the vehicle load and responds to any deflection of the wheels mounted at the opposite ends of the axle. The air suspension system is adjustable relative to the axle and the frame to permit alignment of the axle. The system also includes a means of supplying air to the air spring through independent reservoirs and releases air from the air spring at desired rates to control the compressibility of the spring and the riding characteristics of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1983
    Inventor: William E. Hedenberg