Mounted At End Of Retarder Patents (Class 267/220)
  • Patent number: 11623490
    Abstract: A vibration attenuation assembly that includes a strut weight configured to attenuate resonant frequency of a vehicle strut assembly. The strut weight has an upper surface and a lower surface. The strut weight has a rod receiving opening that extends from a central area of the upper surface to the lower surface. The upper surface has a conical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: José Bernardo Hernández Sánchez, Jesús Gerardo Brito
  • Patent number: 11434967
    Abstract: A pressure buffer stop for a vibration damper that comprises for being at least partially received in a dome bearing housing an outer contour and for coaxial arrangement on a piston rod of the vibration damper a hollow-cylindrical basic structure with an inner contour, wherein the outer contour of the pressure buffer stop comprises in at least one region for being at least partially received in the dome bearing housing a three-dimensionally structured surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP BILSTEIN GMBH, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Alexander Ehinger, Amin Nezami
  • Patent number: 11396908
    Abstract: A suspension thrust bearing device for use with a suspension spring in an automotive suspension strut of a vehicle. The device includes a bearing having upper and lower annular bearing members in relative rotation, the lower annular bearing member, and a damping element. An axial stiffening insert in a hub of lower annular bearing member provides a lower end curved towards the interior of the device. Lower annular bearing member has at least one slender groove opening radially outwards and having a bottom end opening axially downwards, the damping element providing a portion fitted within the slender groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Xavier Blanchard, Guillaume Jouanno, Bruno Montboeuf, Desire Vidot
  • Patent number: 11370260
    Abstract: A suspension thrust bearing device for use with a suspension spring in an automotive suspension strut of a vehicle. The device provides a bearing having upper and lower annular bearing members in relative rotation, lower bearing member having a lower cup having at least one protruding indexation element. The device also provides a damping element made of resilient material and interposed between the lower cup and the suspension spring. The indexation element is made of a different material than that of the lower cup, the lower cup being made of a rigid plastic material and the indexation element being made of a resilient material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Xavier Blanchard, Guillaume Jouanno, Bruno Montboeuf, Desire Vidot
  • Patent number: 11299201
    Abstract: A lightweight suspension upright or knuckle for a vehicle including a bearing connection interface arranged coaxial with the rolling bearing and including a first sleeve element and a second sleeve element arranged radially outside the first sleeve element and including a BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body that is sandwiched between a first and second shell elements, which are coupled together in a radially superimposed manner and which are preferably obtained in a semi-cured state as self-supporting elements, to be chemically and mechanically bonded together and with the BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body in a later stage during a step of forming a core (11) to fill either completely or partially an empty space (12) delimited between the first and second shell elements (8,9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Inventors: Valentin Fleury, Marco Falossi, Remi Sarlin
  • Patent number: 11255402
    Abstract: A spring element for a vehicle shock absorber. The spring element includes a longitudinal axis and a basic body that extends along the longitudinal axis and is deformable resiliently between an uncompressed basic state and a state compressed in the direction of a longitudinal axis, and which includes an end side with a stop surface configured for contact against a damper cap of the vehicle shock absorber. The stop surface is at least partially structured. A passenger motor vehicle car can include such a spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventor: Frank Thye-Moormann
  • Patent number: 11206760
    Abstract: A utility vehicle equipped with a cover displaceably attached to a chassis through a suspension mechanism, each suspension mechanism includes a shaft installed between the chassis and cover, a guide member having a plate member provided on lower half of the shaft and multiple plates installed above and below the plate member to be contactable with the plate member and respectively formed at their centers with through holes for passage of the shaft, a compression spring of roughly frustoconical shape for biasing the cover toward the chassis whose upper seating edge is attached to upper half of the shaft and lower seating edge is attached to periphery of the through hole of the cover, and an elastic member of roughly frustoconical shape formed at its center with a through hole to pass the shaft therethrough, wherein the cover is formed in roughly frustoconical shape similar to the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Matsuzawa, Koji Kasai, Takahide Konchi, Takeshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11110768
    Abstract: Provided is a damper mount (1, 101, 201) configured to be interposed between a damper (11) of a wheel suspension device and a vehicle body (9). The damper mount includes: an annular outer member (22) fixed to the vehicle body; an annular inner member (21) fixed to the damper, one of the outer member and the inner member being received in another of the outer member and the inner member; a first magneto-elastic member (24) radially interposed between the inner member and the outer member; and a coil (25) configured to apply a magnetic flux to the first magneto-elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuho Ito, Toshio Inoue
  • Patent number: 10988176
    Abstract: An exemplary system for aligning a relative position between two components includes a locating member and an alignment insert member configured to couple with the locating member. The alignment insert member includes a radially-extending tab. The radially-extending tab has a plurality of identifying markers to identify a radial position of the locating member. The locating member is rotatable within the alignment insert member to adjust a radial position of the locating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric B. Hoyer, Jacek Marchel, Patrick Paquin
  • Patent number: 10926598
    Abstract: Vehicle top suspension mount comprising an anti-vibratory block housed in casing. The casing may comprise at least one securing element movable between an assembly position and a securing position. The securing element may be configured to block, in the securing position, the vehicle top suspension mount in relation to a vehicle body when the vehicle top suspension mount is joined to said vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Vibracoustic Nantes SAS
    Inventors: Jérôme Kieffer, Gerard Poindessault
  • Patent number: 10889156
    Abstract: A suspension bearing unit for a motor vehicle, comprising an upper cup, a lower cup and a bearing interposed between the upper cup and the lower cup in rotation in relation to each other about a principal axis. The suspension bearing unit also comprises at least one seal in a hollow housing provided on one face of a first element from among the lower cup and the upper cup. The hollow housing comprises a plurality of protruding ribs spaced apart circumferentially, the ribs protruding into the base of the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Bruno Montboeuf, Charles Bedeau, Francois De Lemps
  • Patent number: 10857847
    Abstract: Suspension bumper for the suspension of a motor vehicle, comprising a molded part made of elastomer being essentially symmetrical in revolution about a main axis of compression, this bumper comprising one end forming a crown comprising bearing faces (48) designed to receive pressure from a moving part, the end crown comprising protuberances (58, 60) that are separated from one another by notches (54) distributed over the perimeter of this crown, these bosses having bearing faces (48) arranged at various heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: PSA AUTOMOBILES SA
    Inventors: Olivier Marck, Damien Piranda, Jerome Muller, Jean Marc Allegre, Frederic Guigand
  • Patent number: 10549595
    Abstract: A strut assembly for a vehicle may include a shock absorber housing cover, into which a strut is inserted, and which is mounted, along with the strut, to a vehicle body, a shock absorber mounting panel configured to cover an upper portion of the shock absorber housing cover, and mounted to the vehicle body, and a coupling bolt inserted upward into a bolt coupling hole formed in the shock absorber housing cover, wherein the shock absorber mounting panel includes a contact surface portion having a cross-sectional area less than a cross-sectional area of a nut coupled with the coupling bolt, the contact surface portion having a hole corresponding to the bolt coupling hole, and the shock absorber mounting panel is brought into contact with the shock absorber housing cover by the contact surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Se-Woong Jung, In-Seb Choi, Ji-Won Chang, Yun-Bae Chun
  • Patent number: 10543729
    Abstract: End mount assemblies include a mounting bracket dimensioned for securement to an end member of a gas spring and damper assembly. The end mount assembly can include an inner mounting element dimensioned for securement to an elongated damping rod of the gas spring and damper assembly. A first plurality of bushing elements can be operatively disposed between the inner mounting element and the mounting bracket. A second plurality of bushing elements can be operatively disposed between the inner mounting element and the end member. Gas spring and a damper assemblies including such an end mount assembly as well as suspension systems and methods of assembly are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
    Inventor: Joshua R. Leonard
  • Patent number: 10480148
    Abstract: Elastic support with a fastening, in particular with uplift protection, for uncoupling foundations and buildings and/or cores of buildings, whereby it comprises a support element (1), an elastically compressible insulator (3) and stabiliser (2), a fastening element (8) and a pre-stress element (11), whereby the support element (1) is vertically movable by a tensile force (PB) and/or a pressure force (PA), whereby, the stabiliser (2) extends at least partly in a stabiliser chamber (16) having a free space (17) between a bulge side (14) and a wall (18), whereby the bulge side (14) of the stabiliser (2) is free and its bulging is not hindered in a free position as long as a given authorised deflection (26) is not exceeded, and whereby the bulge side (14) of the stabiliser (2) bulges out up against the wall (18) which prevents any further bulging in a blocked position when the stabiliser (2) is being compressed and the given authorised deflection (26) is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CDM NV
    Inventor: Patrick Carels
  • Patent number: 10464385
    Abstract: A jounce bumper can be dimensioned for securement along an end member of a gas spring assembly adjacent a sensing device. The jounce bumper can include a bumper body with a sensing passage extending their through such that the sensing device can communicate through the sensing passage. A gas spring assembly including a sensing device and such a jounce bumper as well as a suspension system including one or more of such gas spring assemblies are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
    Inventors: Brian S. DeBruler, Todd A. Chapman
  • Patent number: 10399403
    Abstract: A spring aid assembly for a vehicle suspension system. The spring aid assembly includes: a housing having a generally cylindrical cavity formed therein, a damper including a rod extending through a cap, and a spring aid having a proximal end retained within the cavity of the housing, a distal end extending in an axial direction away from the housing, and an outer circumferential groove formed therein. The cavity in the housing is bounded by a generally cylindrical inner peripheral wall that has a plurality of axially and radially extending projections extending therefrom. A ring is positioned in the outer circumferential groove of the spring aid. The ring provides a positive stop to the spring aid assembly and prevents the cap of the damper from coming into direct contact with the housing during full compression of the damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Diana Chambers, James Burt, Shaun Blundell, Davide Migliorini, Rodney Weston
  • Patent number: 10173488
    Abstract: An air spring assembly for a vehicle having a damper body which is decoupled from a piston, allowing the damper to rotate freely without inducing torsion into the piston. The air spring assembly includes a damper body, and a decoupling mechanism connected to the damper body, where a portion of the decoupling mechanism surrounds the damper body. A piston is connected to the decoupling mechanism such that the decoupling mechanism allows for rotation of the damper body relative to the piston, preventing torsion from being transferred from the damper body to the piston. The decoupling mechanism also includes a rotatable machine element, such as a bearing, surrounding the damper body, and the bearing is adjacent the cup portion such that the rotatable machine element facilitates relative rotation between the damper body and the spring cup portion to limit torsion applied to the piston from the damper body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Garrett Mark Pniewski, Joseph G Jerisk
  • Patent number: 10060498
    Abstract: A thrust bearing for a pressurized shock absorber has an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve and an elastomer body. The elastomer body connects the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve and is configured to delimit a pressurizable space of the shock absorber. The elastomer body has at least one sealing geometry on the inner sleeve and/or on the outer sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ANVIS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Waldemar Hermann, Volker Kalkhof, Alexander Noll
  • Patent number: 9975388
    Abstract: An upper mount assembly for a shock absorber of an automotive vehicle. The upper mount assembly comprises a top plate and a bottom plate spaced from the top plate. The top and bottom plates are fixedly secured to the vehicle and operatively coupled to the shock absorber. An inner hub is seated between the top and bottom plate. A damper is supported by the inner hub between the top and bottom plate for cooperating with the shock absorber. The damper includes a plurality of spaced apart grooves formed therein for selectively varying the spring rate of the damper to absorb loads from the shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturing Limited
    Inventor: Matthew Thomas Brown
  • Patent number: 9969230
    Abstract: A top mount assembly including a housing for being connected to the frame of the vehicle. A rod connection assembly is disposed in the housing for being attached to a piston rod of the damper assembly. A chamber is defined between the rod connection assembly and the housing for receiving a fluid. A resilient member is disposed between the rod connection assembly and the housing. A partition assembly is positioned between the resilient member and the housing and axially divides the chamber into an upper chamber region and a lower chamber region. The partition assembly defines at least one passage that extends between the upper chamber region and the lower chamber region. At least one electromagnetic coil is disposed adjacent to the passage for selectively modifying the characteristics of the fluid passing through the passage to modify the damping characteristics of the top mount assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BeijingWest Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bobby Isaac, David John Barta, Timothy Michael Schlangen
  • Patent number: 9950582
    Abstract: A suspension stop device provides an upper contact cap, a lower support cap and at least one bearing arranged between the caps. The upper contact cap provides a centering portion for a damper pad, inside which the pad, which is external to the device, is intended to be mounted. The centering portion extends axially inside a bore in the lower support cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Charles Bedeau, Sylvain Bussit, Francois De Lemps, Daniel Jansen, Bruno Montboeuf, Jean-Marc Soudee
  • Patent number: 9895777
    Abstract: An air spring for air suspension system comprises a piston assembly and a damper assembly where the piston assembly is spaced apart from the damper assembly to at least partially define an air chamber. A seal is molded with piston walls to form an integrated piston assembly. The seal includes at least one sealing lip extending radially inward from the piston assembly at an angle that is non-perpendicular to an axis of the damper and the at least one sealing lip contacts the damper assembly when the piston assembly and the damper assembly are assembled together to seal the air chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Schallmeier, Ralf Pielock, Sunny Makkar, Garrett Mark Pniewski
  • Patent number: 9873458
    Abstract: A vehicle rear structure includes rear wheel houses that are provided on right and left sides of a vehicle and have shook absorber housings for housing shook absorbers and a rear bulkhead. The shock absorber housings have bag structures having closed spaces therein formed in upper portions thereof. The bag structures have the shock absorbers secured thereto and secured to the bulkhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Fukutomi, Gen Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9829036
    Abstract: A thrust bearing for a compressed air shock absorber is provided. The thrust bearing includes an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and an elastomer body connected to the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve and ending in a compressed air chamber of the air shock absorber, wherein the elastomer body is designed as a conical spring that extends between an inner sleeve connection area from the inner sleeve and an outer sleeve connection area from the inner sleeve, and wherein at least one of the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve near an axial end section of the inner sleeve connection area and the outer sleeve connection area, respectively, has a radial projecting support edge for bracing of the elastomer body in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Anvis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Kondor, Daniela Hadwiger
  • Patent number: 9701170
    Abstract: A damper rod bushing operatively connects an end member of a gas spring and a damper rod of a damper to at least partially form a gas spring and damper assembly. The damper rod bushing is constructed for exposure to gas pressure within a spring chamber of a gas spring and damper assembly such that pre-load forces due to gas pressure within said spring chamber act on said damper rod bushing. The damper rod bushing can include an outer support element, an inner support element and an elastomeric connector element operatively connected between the outer and inner support elements such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween. A gas spring and damper assembly including such a damper rod bushing, as well as a suspension system including one or more of such gas spring and damper assemblies and a method of assembly are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
    Inventors: Brian S. DeBruler, Pradipta N. Moulik, Joshua R. Leonard
  • Patent number: 9630469
    Abstract: A gas spring and gas damper assembly can include a gas spring and a gas damper. The gas spring can include a first end member, a second end member and a flexible wall that at least partially form a spring chamber. The gas damper can include first, second and third damper elements that are telescopically interconnected with one another. The first and third damper elements can be operatively connected to the first and second end members. The second damper element can be operatively supported between the first and third damper elements. First and second biasing elements can be operatively interconnected between the second damper element and one of the first and third damper elements. A method of assembling a gas spring and gas damper assembly is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
    Inventor: Joshua R. Leonard
  • Patent number: 9574635
    Abstract: A shock absorber including a cylindrical outer shell and a piston rod slidably inserted into the outer shell, the shock absorber includes a cylindrical dust cover that is coupled to the piston rod and that permits an entry of the outer shell to inside thereof, and a cylindrical bellows whose one end is attached to the outer shell and whose another end is arranged inside the dust cover at all times to cover an outer periphery of the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: KYB Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Takeo
  • Patent number: 9522585
    Abstract: A polymer composite strut insulator may include a polymer composite bracket made of polymer composite, divided into a mounting fastening portion having an inserter into which mounting bolts are press-inserted to penetrate and a bearing assembling portion, and provided with a central hole at a central portion, an elastic mass cross-linked to the polymer composite bracket in order for the cup hole surrounding the central hole formed at the central portion of the polymer composite bracket to be divided into an upper cup hole and a lower cup hole, the upper cup hole being coupled to an upper cup and the lower cup hole being coupled to a lower cup, and a bearing disposed at the bearing assembling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Iljin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-Ho Jang, Hyun-Min Kang, Chang-Kyu Kim, Deok-Woo Yun, Dong-Gyu Lim, Tea-Sung Kwon, Sung-Keun Lee
  • Patent number: 9434228
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a structure for mounting a damper to a vehicle structural member. The structure includes a hollow rigid mount body having an upper portion that extends through a structural member aperture so as to project above the member, and a lower portion disposed beneath the member. The lower portion outer diameter can be larger than the upper portion outer diameter. A securing member is disposed around the rigid mount body, so that the vehicle structural member is located between the securing member and rigid mount body lower portion. A bearing assembly is disposed within the rigid mount body lower portion, and configured to retain an upper portion of the piston rod of the damper within the rigid mount body lower portion, while allowing the piston rod to move in a direction at an angle relative to an axis of the aperture of the vehicle structural member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: James H. Nazarian, Jr., Robert James Dunham, III
  • Patent number: 9340086
    Abstract: The suspension thrust bearing device for a motor vehicle comprises a rolling bearing forming an axial thrust bearing and provided with an upper ring, with a lower ring and with at least one row of rolling elements arranged between the rings, a bearing cap in contact with the upper ring, and a support cap in contact with the lower ring and forming a bearing means for a suspension spring. The support cap comprises a body of rigid material and seals of flexible material fixed to the body and comprising dynamic sealing lips in contact with the bearing cap or one of the rings of the rolling bearing and delimiting radially a sealed space containing at least the rolling elements of the rolling bearing. The support cap further comprises an annular ring to which the lower ends of the seals are connected and forming a bearing surface for the suspension spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Richard Corbett, Jerôme Dubus, Bruno Montboeuf, Samuel Viault
  • Patent number: 9322435
    Abstract: A suspension thrust bearing including at least one rolling bearing forming an axial thrust bearing disposed on a lower cap is provided. The lower cap includes a body with an annular rolling bearing portion for a spring and a tubular portion including a bore in which a shock absorber bump stop is inserted. An axial contact surface is defined on the lower portion of the bore of the tubular portion against which the shock absorber bump stop when deformed exerts a radial force. The tubular portion includes a reinforcing insert located at the level of this axial contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Cedric Brouty, Sylvain Bussit, Christophe Houdayer, Hemanth Kumar G N, Pascal Quenardelle, Jean-Marc Soudee
  • Patent number: 9315085
    Abstract: An angled spacer mount for a suspension of a vehicle is disclosed. The angled spacer mount has upper and lower flanges that are set apart from each other at a specific skewed angle. By doing so, the angled spacer mount may be mounted to a spring perch of the suspension of the vehicle to change a curvature characteristic of a coil spring used in the vehicle suspension. The angled spacer mount may be operative to straighten a coil spring to better isolate road conditions from a passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Fabtech Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Riley, Steven Erdelyi
  • Patent number: 9308793
    Abstract: A one-piece, multi-density, jounce bumper is provided. The multi-density jounce bumper incorporates the necessary soft or low entry rate or stiffness, which is necessary to provide adequate feel and ride control, as well as the necessary energy capacity to manage peak loads, during a high-intensity impact event, such as an encounter with a pothole or the like. The multi-density jounce bumper may be configured as a single unitary component having a body, which may include a tip end and a base end. The body may be composed of a resilient material, the resilient material having a density that transitions from a first density at the tip end to a second density at the base end. The body may increase or decrease in density, in g/cc, from tip end to base end, along the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Joseph S. Fedullo
  • Patent number: 9308795
    Abstract: In a suspension support structure, an upper end of a piston rod of a damper is supported by a vehicle body. The suspension support structure is provided with a base body and a lid body which is press-fitted in the base body. The base body has a peripheral wall extending from a flange joined to the vehicle body, and a bottom formed at the lower end of the peripheral wall and through which the piston rod is inserted. An elastic body and the upper end of the piston rod are supported on the bottom. The lid-body is press-fitted to the inner surface of the peripheral wall such that the lid body covers at least the upper surface of the elastic body while facing the bottom of the base body. When the lid body is attached to the base body is contained below the upper end of the peripheral wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kosuke Matsushita
  • Patent number: 9302561
    Abstract: A mount structure for a vehicle damper is provided with: an upper damper mount (26) and a lower damper mount (28) which grip a body panel (16) in the vertical direction; a collar member (40) penetrating through the upper damper mount (26) and the lower damper mount (28); a pair of gripping members (42a, 42b) for gripping both the upper damper mount (26) and the lower damper mount (28) from the outside; a fastening member (44) for fastening and integrating each of the collar member (40), the upper damper mount (26), and the lower damper mount (28) to a piston rod (18); and a transmission member (46) gripped between the upper damper mount (26) and the lower damper mount (28) and transmitting to the body panel (16) an input transmitted from the damper body (14) side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sumitaka Itou
  • Patent number: 9145036
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a shock absorber apparatus that includes a bump stopper coupled to a piston rod of a shock absorber. A piston housing comes into contact with the bump stopper when the shock absorber is moved vertically. A support supports a spring surrounding the piston housing. An air cap extends from an upper end of the piston housing to the support so as to cover the piston housing and has an upper surface through which a piston rod passes, a side surface downwardly extending from an end of the upper surface, and an air channel through which compressed air of the bump stopper is guided and discharged to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Sang Ho Baek
  • Patent number: 9079472
    Abstract: Provided is a suspension spring for a shock absorber using carbon fiber reinforced plastic. From a structure including a spring unit in which a plurality of bowl-shaped unit bodies are stacked between a first sheet and a second sheet along a length direction of a piston rod, the suspension spring for the shock absorber can achieve weight reduction and durability improvement while exhibiting the same performance as that of steel coil spring by using the carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jung Hwan Lee, Ki Ju Sohn, Woo Il Lee
  • Patent number: 9026268
    Abstract: A system is provided that includes a remote communication module, a control module, and a determination module. The remote communication module is configured to be disposed onboard a remote consist of a vehicle system, and is communicatively connected to at least one additional consist of the vehicle system. The control module is configured to be disposed onboard the remote consist and to provide control commands to at least one powered unit of the remote consist. The determination module is configured to be disposed onboard the remote consist and to determine capability information corresponding to the ability of the at least one powered unit of the remote consist to perform a first command received from one of the at least one additional consist. The determination module is also configured to determine a second command provided to the control module using the first command and the capability information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Glenn Robert Shaffer, Patricia Sue Lacy, Vinaykanth V. Mudiam
  • Patent number: 9010741
    Abstract: The suspension bump stop device comprises a rolling bearing (44) that forms an axial bump stop, equipped with an upper ring (46), with a lower ring (48) and with a plurality of rolling elements positioned between the rings, the upper and lower rings being supported respectively by an upper cup (40) and a lower cup (42), the lower cup forming a bearing means for a suspension spring (18), at least one sealing lip being provided on one of the cups so that it bears against a bearing surface portion of the other cup. The bearing surface portion is substantially cylindrical, the sealing lip being directed downwards away from the rolling bearing and bearing with radial interference against the said surface portion, the said substantially cylindrical surface portion being connected towards the top to a shoulder against which the lip can bear if the two cups become radially eccentric relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Samuel Viault, Yves-André Liverato, Cédric Brulard, Guy Heck
  • Patent number: 9004470
    Abstract: A shock absorber includes an elastomeric jounce bumper which engages a jounce bumper cap during relatively large compression movements of the shock absorber. The jounce bumper cap includes a jounce bumper nose retaining feature which engages the nose of the jounce bumper during the compression movements. The jounce bumper nose retaining feature restricts sliding movement of the elastomeric jounce bumper with respect to the jounce bumper cap to eliminate noises associated with the relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Fleniken, Christopher Conrad, Ben Schaller
  • Patent number: 8960696
    Abstract: A top mount for a suspension damper has a housing with an interior chamber and a damper attachment member disposed in the interior chamber and spaced from the top end and the bottom end. An isolation assembly, formed of MCU, has an upper portion disposed between the member and the top end of the housing and a lower portion disposed between the member and the bottom end of the housing such that the isolation assembly supports the member in the housing. A travel limiter is disposed in the housing and has a first body of resilient material disposed between the member and the top end of the housing and a second body of material disposed between the member and the bottom end of the housing. The isolation assembly is disposed so as to function in parallel to the travel limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Zhongli North America Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan McMullen
  • Patent number: 8939439
    Abstract: Suspension thrust bearing device comprising a rolling bearing (2) and a bottom cover (4) having a bearing surface capable of accommodating a suspension spring (5), the bottom cover (4) comprising a reinforcing framework (8), which framework has a bearing collar (17) placed axially between the rolling bearing (2) and the bearing surface of the spring (5), the framework (8) also comprising an inner radial extension (19). The framework comprises an axial portion (20) extending in a direction away from the rolling bearing (2), protruding axially relative to the inner radial extension (19) and being situated radially outside the radial extension so as to be able to accommodate a shock-absorbing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Richard Corbett, Samuel Viault
  • Patent number: 8931768
    Abstract: A mount assembly for a suspension damper is provided which includes a piston rod extending about an axis and a mount housing. A jounce bumper is axially positioned about the piston rod and has an end surface and a radially outer surface. The jounce bumper is formed of a first deformable material selectable for absorbing energy from an axial force applicable through the piston rod. A jounce bumper cup formed of a second deformable material selectable for absorbing additional energy fits onto the end surface of the jounce bumper. The jounce bumper cup has a wall portion extending sufficiently around the radially outer surface of the jounce bumper to retain it in position and a load mount portion extending to the mount housing and being configured to absorb the additional energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert L. Geisler, Ravindra P. Patil, Joseph A. Schudt, Daryl R. Poirier
  • Publication number: 20140374975
    Abstract: In a suspension support structure, an upper end of a piston rod of a damper is supported by a vehicle body. The suspension support structure is provided with a base body and a lid body which is press-fitted in the base body. The base body has a peripheral wall extending from a flange joined to the vehicle body, and a bottom formed at the lower end of the peripheral wall and through which the piston rod is inserted. An elastic body and the upper end of the piston rod are supported on the bottom. The lid-body is press-fitted to the inner surface of the peripheral wall such that the lid body covers at least the upper surface of the elastic body while facing the bottom of the base body. When the lid body is attached to the base body is contained below the upper end of the peripheral wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Kosuke Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8894079
    Abstract: An upper support for vehicle suspension including: an inner cylindrical member; an outer cylindrical member spaced apart peripherally outward from the inner cylindrical member; a rubber elastic body interposed between the inner cylindrical member and the outer cylindrical member while elastically connecting the two members; and a flange portion extending radially outward from the outer cylindrical member while being adapted to be overlapped and fixed onto a mounting portion of a vehicle body. A fastening seat portion is provided to the flange portion over a prescribed area and has a contact face adapted to be in contact against the mounting portion of the vehicle body. A concave/convex portion is formed on the contact face of the fastening seat portion over a prescribed area thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignees: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsumura, Yorikazu Nakamura, Satoshi Uchida, Yusuke Washitani
  • Patent number: 8888081
    Abstract: Disclosed is a strut mount wherein an inclination of an outer circumferential surface of an outer cylinder (2) with respect to the central axis of the outer cylinder (2) is greater than that of an inner circumferential surface of a tapered sidewall (12) of a vehicle body panel (10) which is shaped like an inverted dish. When the strut mount is positioned to be fitted to the vehicle body panel (10), the elastic member (4) is brought into contact with the inner surface of the vehicle body panel (10) only at a portion (4a) of the elastic member (4) that covers the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylinder (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20140291907
    Abstract: A suspension device includes a piston rod having a projecting part projecting from one end of a cylinder of a shock absorber to the outside of the cylinder, a lower mount rubber provided in the piston rod, and a cover plate provided in the piston rod and configured to transmit a shock received by the piston rod to the lower mount rubber, the lower mount rubber includes an inner circumferential groove configured to restrict the cover plate from being displaced with respect to the lower mount rubber in a state in which the piston rod is not arranged inside the lower mount rubber and the cover plate and the cover plate is fixed around the projecting part of the piston rod in a. state in which the piston rod is arranged inside the cover plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiya ENDO
  • Patent number: 8844912
    Abstract: A shock absorber for a vehicle, having a bellows piston, bellows, and a fluid as the damping medium. The shock absorber has a first partition wall, which is situated on the bellows piston, and is implemented to separate a volume area of the bellows piston from a volume area of the bellows. The first partition wall has a first opening, which is implemented to limit a fluid flow between the volume area of the bellows piston and the volume area of the bellows. The shock absorber further has a sprung mass, which is situated inside the shock absorber to influence the fluid flow inside the shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Naber
  • Publication number: 20140265081
    Abstract: An elastic sheet includes: a seating portion by which the coil spring is supported and which has a circular arc shape in a view from the axial direction, one circumferential side of the seating portion being a side of entry of the coil spring; and a pair of sidewall portions extending from respective width-wise opposite ends of the seating portion toward the coil spring side, at least one of the sidewall portions has a wire contact surface that contacts a wire forming the coil spring and an inclined surface inclined so as to approach the spring bearing as the inclined surface extends widthwise outward from the wire contact surface, and a radius of curvature of the wire contact surface at least at a side closest to the inclined surface is smaller than a radius of the wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gota NAKANO, Kazuki HIRAWATA, Nariaki SATO, Kunio SHIBASAKI