Unitary trunnion bracket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414227-B2
Application number	US-201715699402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2017
Priority date	Sep 8, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

An axle assembly having a unitary trunnion bracket, an axle, and a support bracket. The unitary trunnion bracket may include an axle interface portion and a bracket interface portion. The bracket interface portion may extend from the axle interface portion. The axle may engage the axle interface portion. The support bracket may engage the bracket interface portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An axle assembly comprising:
a unitary trunnion bracket including:
an arm interface portion defining a bore, the bore having a first central axis extending therethrough,
an axle interface portion having a second central axis extending substantially orthogonal to the first central axis, and
a bracket interface portion extending from the axle interface portion along a third central axis disposed parallel to and offset from the first central axis;

an axle that engages the axle interface portion; and
a support bracket that engages the bracket interface portion, wherein the support bracket includes a unitary support plate having a mounting portion disposed on the bracket interface portion, an intermediate portion extending from the mounting portion, and an attachment portion extending from the intermediate portion that is disposed on the axle.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the unitary trunnion bracket is substantially free of welds between the arm interface portion and the axle interface portion, and is substantially free of welds between the axle interface portion and the bracket interface portion.

3. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the bracket interface portion defines a generally rectangular body extending along the third central axis, the generally rectangular body defining a bracket support surface that supports the support bracket.

4. The axle assembly of claim 3 wherein the bracket interface portion has first and second support wings that extend from opposite sides of the generally rectangular body and from a side wall of the axle interface portion, wherein the first and second support wings extend at a downward angle from the generally rectangular body.

5. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the bracket interface portion extends above a top surface of the axle interface portion.

6. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the axle interface portion defines a longitudinal edge extending along a longitudinal length of the axle interface portion, the longitudinal edge having opposing end regions and a reduced height region extending between the opposing end regions, wherein the bracket interface portion extends from the reduced height region.

7. The axle assembly of claim 6 wherein the axle interface portion extends along an arc of approximately 180°.

8. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the unitary trunnion bracket further comprises a side rib that extends along an exterior wall of the unitary trunnion bracket from the arm interface portion to the axle interface portion.

9. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the unitary trunnion bracket further comprises a pair of rear ribs that extends along an exterior wall of the unitary trunnion bracket from the arm interface portion to the axle interface portion and are disposed on opposite sides of the bracket interface portion.

10. The axle assembly of claim 9 further comprising at least one rib that is disposed in a cavity of the axle interface portion and that extends from a bottom surface of the cavity.

11. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the arm interface portion defines a hollow cylinder, and wherein an exterior surface of the hollow cylinder defines a curved exterior surface.

12. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting portion is disposed in a first plane, the intermediate portion is disposed in a second plane that is disposed at a non-zero angle with respect to the first plane, and the attachment portion is at least partially disposed in a third plane that is disposed at a non-zero angle with the second plane.

13. The axle assembly of claim 12 wherein the attachment portion has a first region extending in the second plane and a second region extending in the third plane.

14. The axle assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment portion is wider than the intermediate portion.

15. An axle assembly comprising:
a unitary trunnion bracket including:
an arm interface portion defining a bore, the bore having a first central axis extending therethrough,
an axle interface portion having a second central axis extending substantially orthogonal to the first central axis, and
a bracket interface portion extending from the axle interface portion along a third central axis disposed parallel to and offset from the first central axis:

an axle that engages the axle interface portion; and
a support bracket that engages the bracket interface portion, wherein the bracket interface portion defines a generally rectangular body extending along the third central axis, the generally rectangular body defining a bracket support surface that supports the support bracket, and the bracket interface portion defines at least one support wing extending between the generally rectangular body and a side wall of the axle interface portion.

16. The axle assembly of claim 14 , wherein the support bracket includes a unitary support plate having a mounting portion disposed on the bracket interface portion, an intermediate portion extending from the mounting portion, and an attachment portion extending from the intermediate portion that is disposed on the axle.

17. An axle assembly comprising:
a unitary trunnion bracket including:
an arm interface portion defining a bore, the bore having a first central axis extending therethrough,
an axle interface portion having a second central axis extending substantially orthogonal to the first central axis, and
a bracket interface portion extending from the axle interface portion along a third central axis disposed parallel to and offset from the first central axis;

an axle that engages the axle interface portion; and
a support bracket that engages the bracket interface portion, wherein the axle interface portion includes interior cavity walls extending from a support surface of the axle interface portion that engages the axle to the arm interface portion to define a cavity having a continuous bottom wall.

18. The axle assembly of claim 17 wherein the unitary trunnion bracket further comprises at least one rib extending within the cavity between the arm interface portion and an interior cavity wall of the axle interface portion.

19. An axle assembly comprising:
a unitary trunnion bracket including:
an arm interface portion defining a bore having a first central axis extending therethrough and a hollow cylinder, wherein an exterior surface of the hollow cylinder defines a curved exterior surface,
an axle interface portion having a second central axis extending substantially orthogonal to the first central axis, and
a bracket interface portion extending from the interface portion along a third central axis disposed parallel to and offset from the first central axis;

an axle that engages the axle interface portion;
a support bracket that engages the bracket interface portion; and
an axle lift interface portion extending from the curved exterior surface, the axle lift interface portion having a forward engagement wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the first central axis.

20. The axle assembly of claim 19 wherein the axle lift interface portion further comprises opposing side al Is extending from opposite ends of the axle lift interface portion and from the curved exterior surface.

Assignees

• Arvinmeritor Technology Llc

Inventors

• Begov Angel
• Kunert Jerome M
• Brown Edward

Classifications

• F16D2055/0008

  Brake supports · CPC title

• F16D2051/003

  Brake supports · CPC title

• F16D65/02

  Braking members; Mounting thereof (friction linings or attachment thereof F16D69/00) · CPC title

• B61H1/00

  Applications or arrangements of brakes with a braking member or members co-operating with the periphery of the wheel rim, a drum or the like · CPC title

• B60T13/741

  acting on an ultimate actuator · CPC title