Suspension System for Heavy and Vocational Vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle suspension system includes a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a vehicle frame, a trailing arm member pivotably coupled to the first mounting bracket, an axle member adjustable between a first pinion angle and a second pinion angle, an axle mounting assembly securing the axle member to the trailing arm member and including an upwardly disposed, curved abutment surface, and a stop member adapted to be operably coupled to a vehicle frame, the stop member including a downwardly disposed, curved abutment surface adapted to abut the abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly, thereby limiting travel of the trailing arm with respect to the vehicle frame to a constant value when the axle member is at both the first pinion angle and the second pinion angle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle suspension system, comprising:
 a first mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a vehicle frame;   a first trailing arm member pivotably coupled to the first mounting bracket;   a second mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a vehicle frame;   a second trailing arm member pivotably coupled to the second mounting bracket;   an axle member extending between the first and second trailing arm members and adjustable between a first pinion angle and a second pinion angle that is different than the first pinion angle;   a first axle mounting assembly securing the axle member to the first trailing arm member; a second axle mounting assembly securing the axle member to the second trailing arm member, wherein at least one of the first axle mounting assembly and the second axle mounting assembly includes an upwardly disposed, curved abutment surface; and   a stop member adapted to be operably coupled to a vehicle frame, the stop member including a downwardly disposed, curved abutment surface adapted to abut the abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly, thereby limiting travel of at least a select one of the first trailing arm member and the second trailing arm member with respect to a vehicle frame to a constant value when the axle member is at both the first pinion angle and the second pinion angle.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the curved abutment surfaces of the axle mounting assembly and the stop member are mirror images of one another. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein a center of curvature of the curved abutment surface of the stop member is forwardly offset from a radius of curvature of the curved abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the axle mounting assembly includes an axle clamping assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 4 , wherein the axle clamping assembly includes a plate member that includes the abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 1 , wherein the curved abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly is upwardly convex, and the curved abutment surface of the stop member is downwardly concave. 
     
     
         7 . A vehicle suspension system, comprising:
 a first mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a vehicle frame;   a first trailing arm member pivotably coupled to the first mounting bracket;   a second mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a vehicle frame;   a second trailing arm member pivotably coupled to the second mounting bracket;   an axle member extending between the first and second trailing arm members and   adjustable between a first pinion angle and a second pinion angle;   an upwardly disposed, curved first stop surface fixed for movement with the axle member; and a downwardly disposed, curved second stop surface adapted to be fixed for movement with respect to a vehicle frame, and adapted to abut the first stop surface, thereby limiting travel of at least a select one of the first trailing arm member and the second trailing arm member with respect to a vehicle frame to a constant value when the axle member is at both the first pinion angle and the second pinion angle.   
     
     
         8 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 3 , wherein the curved abutment surfaces of the axle mounting assembly and the stop member are mirror images of one another. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 7 , wherein a center of curvature of the curved abutment surface of the stop member is forwardly offset from a radius of curvature of the curved abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 7 , wherein the axle mounting assembly includes an axle clamping assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 10  wherein the axle clamping assembly includes a plate member that includes the abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle suspension system of  claim 7 , wherein the curved abutment surface of the axle mounting assembly is upwardly convex, and the curved abutment surface of the stop member is downwardly concave.