Suspension Travel Control System

Abstract

A suspension travel control system for a vehicle suspension is disclosed. The suspension travel control system includes a stop post secured to the vehicle frame and a suspension travel control formation that includes a base and a body. The stop post is positioned in a space defined by the body. The suspension travel control formation may be secured to the axle, the main support member or incorporated into the axle coupling assembly to provide a rebound and jounce stop as well as longitudinal redundancy in the event of the failure or loss of a longitudinal linkage.

1 . A suspension travel control system for a vehicle, comprising,
 a vehicle frame,   a stop post secured at one end to the vehicle frame and presenting at least one contact surface,   a vehicle suspension system comprising,
 an axle, 
 a suspension linkage, said suspension linkage being longitudinally disposed and movably connected to the vehicle frame, 
 a suspension travel control formation having a body and a base, the body having an interior surface defining an interior space, 
   wherein the axle, the suspension linkage and the suspension travel control formation are coupled by an axle coupling assembly in a manner that permits the axle, the suspension linkage and the suspension travel control formation to move at least in part in a vertical direction, and   wherein the stop post is positioned in the interior space for the engagement of the at least one contact surface of the stop post with the interior surface of the body of the suspension travel control formation to limit downward travel of the axle or the suspension linkage.   
     
     
         2 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  wherein the interior space of the suspension travel control formation is elongated. 
     
     
         3 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the interior surface of the suspension travel control formation is C shaped or U shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  wherein the body and the base of the suspension travel control formation form a closed loop. 
     
     
         5 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  wherein the suspension linkage includes a main support member, 
     
     
         6 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  wherein the body of the suspension travel control formation is in the shape of an upside down U having a first leg and a second leg, the first leg and the second leg being of unequal length. 
     
     
         7 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the suspension travel control formation includes a first frame member, a second frame member and a third frame member providing the interior surface defining the interior space. 
     
     
         8 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7 ,
 the first frame member, the second frame member and the third frame member each having a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion,   the first frame member and the third frame member spaced apart, each extending generally vertically from their respective first longitudinal end portions which connect with or transition from the base,   the respective second longitudinal end portions of the first frame member and the third frame member each connect with or transition from, respectively, the first and second longitudinal end portions of the second frame member, and the second frame member positioned at the top of the interior space.   
     
     
         9 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 8 ,
 the suspension linkage movably connected to the vehicle frame at a first end of the suspension linkage to permit the suspension linkage to pivot about a rotational axis,   the first frame member and the third frame member of the suspension travel control formation extending along a path that follows an arc about the rotational axis of the suspension linkage.   
     
     
         10 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7 , the first frame member, the second frame member and the third frame member being integrally formed together. 
     
     
         11 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , the stop post having a central axis and an exterior surface that extends in the axial direction and in the radial direction. 
     
     
         12 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7 , the stop post having a contact surface positioned for engagement with the interior surface of the second frame member of the suspension travel control formation to limit downward rebound travel of the axle or the suspension linkage. 
     
     
         13 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7 , the stop post having a contact surface positioned for engagement with the interior surface of the third frame member to limit movement of the axle or the suspension linkage in a forward direction generally perpendicular to a path defined by the movement of the stop post within the suspension travel control formation between a rebound and a jounce position. 
     
     
         14 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7 , the stop post having a contact surface positioned for engagement with the interior surface of the first frame member to limit movement of the axle or the suspension linkage in a rearward direction generally perpendicular to a path defined by the movement of the stop post within the suspension travel control formation between a rebound and a jounce position. 
     
     
         15 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7  further comprising a flange mounted to the stop post, the suspension travel control formation disposed between the vehicle frame and the flange, the flange having an inboard facing contact surface positioned for engagement with the suspension travel control formation to limit outboard travel of the axle, the suspension linkage or the suspension travel control formation. 
     
     
         16 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  further comprising a flange mounted to the stop post, the suspension travel control formation disposed between the vehicle frame and the flange, the flange having an inboard facing contact surface positioned for engagement with the suspension travel control formation to prevent lateral separation of the suspension travel control formation from the stop post during lateral movement of the suspension linkage or the axle in relation to the vehicle frame. 
     
     
         17 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 15 , the inboard facing contact surface of the flange being nonparallel or perpendicular to a central axis of the stop post. 
     
     
         18 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 15 , the inboard facing contact surface being longitudinally centered with respect to the central axis of the stop post. 
     
     
         19 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 15 , wherein the flange spans the distance between the first frame member and the third frame member of the body of the suspension travel control formation. 
     
     
         20 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  wherein the suspension travel control formation resembles a fin. 
     
     
         21 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7 , wherein the first and third members of the suspension travel control formation are generally parallel to one another. 
     
     
         22 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 7 , wherein the first and third frame members of the suspension travel control formation are arcuate in shape. 
     
     
         23 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , the interior surface defining the interior space has a point of inflection. 
     
     
         24 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 9 , the body of the of the suspension control formation positioned above a location along the length of the suspension linkage and between the axle and the first end of the suspension linkage. 
     
     
         25 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , the axle coupling assembly including a first mounting pad. 
     
     
         26 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 25 , the suspension travel control formation is integrally formed with the first mounting pad. 
     
     
         27 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 25 , the first mounting pad and the suspension travel control formation are discrete components. 
     
     
         28 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 25 , the first mounting pad and the suspension travel control formation are bolted together. 
     
     
         29 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 25 , the base of the suspension travel control formation disposed between the first mounting pad and the suspension linkage. 
     
     
         30 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , the base of the suspension travel control formation disposed between the axle and the suspension linkage. 
     
     
         31 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , the base of the suspension travel control formation disposed above and below the suspension linkage. 
     
     
         32 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 28 , the first mounting pad including a first end face and a second end face, the base of the suspension travel control formation having a first flange and a second flange, the base of the suspension travel control formation disposed between the first mounting pad and the suspension linkage,
 wherein the first flange and second flange of the base of the suspension travel control formation respectively engage the first end face and the second end face of the first mounting pad to limit movement of the suspension travel control formation relative to the first mounting pad.   
     
     
         33 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , the axle coupling assembly including at least one fastener assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The suspension travel control system of claim of  claim 33 , the at least one fastener assembly having a U shape. 
     
     
         35 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1 , wherein the suspension linkage is a leaf spring. 
     
     
         36 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 35  wherein the leaf spring is a Z shape leaf spring. 
     
     
         37 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 1  having an air spring positioned between the suspension linkage and the vehicle frame. 
     
     
         38 . A suspension travel control system for a vehicle, comprising,
 a vehicle frame,   a stop post secured at one end to the vehicle frame and presenting a first contact surface,   a vehicle suspension system comprising,
 an axle, 
 a suspension linkage having a first end portion, the suspension linkage movably connected to the vehicle frame at the first end portion of the suspension linkage to permit the suspension linkage to move at least in part in a vertical direction, 
 a suspension travel control formation having a body and a base and presenting an interior surface defining an interior space, 
   wherein the axle, the suspension linkage, and the suspension travel control formation are fixed in relation to one another by one or more fasteners and undergo generally vertical movement between a first position or jounce position, and a second position or rebound position,   wherein the stop post is positioned in the interior space for the engagement of the first contact surface with a first portion of the interior surface of the suspension travel control formation to limit travel of the axle or the suspension linkage in a first direction that is not parallel to the generally vertical movement of the axle.   
     
     
         39 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 38  wherein the first direction is generally perpendicular to the generally vertical movement of the axle. 
     
     
         40 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 39 , the stop post having a second contact surface, the stop post positioned in the interior space for engagement of the second contact surface with a second portion of the interior surface of the body to limit travel of the axle or the suspension linkage in a second direction that is generally opposite the first direction and is not parallel to the generally vertical movement of the axle. 
     
     
         41 . A suspension travel control system for a vehicle, comprising,
 a vehicle frame,   a stop post secured at one end to the vehicle frame and presenting a first surface and a second surface,   a vehicle suspension system comprising,
 an axle, 
 a suspension linkage, said suspension linkage being longitudinally disposed and movably connected to the vehicle frame, 
 a suspension travel control formation having a body and a base and presenting a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the first contact surface spaced apart from, and on opposite sides of the stop post from the second contact surface, 
   wherein the axle, the suspension linkage and the suspension travel control formation are fixed in relation to one another by one or more fasteners, and   wherein the suspension travel control formation and stop post are configured to move relative to one another and in accordance with the movement of the suspension system during operation, and   wherein the first surface of the stop post and the first contact surface of the suspension travel control formation are positioned for engagement with one another to limit movement of the suspension system in a first direction, and the second surface of the stop post and the second contact surface of the suspension travel control formation are positioned for engagement with one another to limit movement of the suspension system in a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction are generally opposite one another.   
     
     
         42 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 41  wherein the first direction and the second direction are generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. 
     
     
         43 . The suspension travel control system of  claim 41  wherein the first direction and the second direction are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.