Vehicle chassis assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501123-B2
Application number	US-201815862735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2018
Priority date	Jan 5, 2018
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle chassis assembly having first and second frame rails. The vehicle chassis assembly may have an outrigger subassembly that may support a cab of the vehicle and may be disposed on the first and second frame rails. The vehicle chassis assembly may have an axle assembly that may be fixedly mounted to a mounting plate that may be fixedly mounted to a subframe that may be fixedly disposed on the first and second frame rails.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle chassis assembly comprising:
first and second frame rails; and
an outrigger subassembly that is disposed on the first and second frame rails and is configured to support a cab of a vehicle, the outrigger subassembly including:
a first outrigger that extends from the first frame rail in a direction that extends away from the second frame rail, the first outrigger having a top side that supports the cab;
a linkage that extends from an end of the first outrigger; and
a downtube that is coupled to the linkage.

2. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 1 wherein the cab is an armored cab.

3. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second outrigger that extends from the first frame rail in a direction that extends away from the second frame rail and is spaced apart from the first frame rail, wherein the second outrigger has a linkage that extends from an end of the second outrigger, wherein the downtube is coupled to the linkage of the first outrigger and the linkage of the second outrigger.

4. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 1 wherein the outrigger subassembly includes a third outrigger that extends from the second frame rail in a direction that extends away from the first frame rail.

5. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 4 further comprising a cross member that extends from the first outrigger to the third outrigger and that extends under the first frame rail and the second frame rail.

6. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 5 wherein the downtube is positioned below the top side of the first outrigger and at least partially below the first frame rail.

7. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 5 wherein the first outrigger includes an outrigger arm and an outrigger bracket that receives the outrigger arm and the cross member.

8. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 7 wherein the outrigger bracket has an L-shaped profile that receives the first frame rail and separates the first frame rail from the outrigger arm and the cross member.

9. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 1 further comprising a front brace that extends from the first frame rail to a front wall of the cab to inhibit compliance of the first frame rail.

10. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 9 wherein the first frame rail has a center portion from which the outrigger subassembly extends, a first gooseneck portion that extends upward from a first end of the center portion, and first axle mounting portion that extends from an end of the first gooseneck portion, wherein the front brace is mounted to the first axle mounting portion.

11. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 10 further comprising a rear brace that extends from the first frame rail to a rear wall of the cab to inhibit compliance of the first frame rail.

12. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 11 wherein the first frame rail has a second gooseneck portion that extends upward from a second end of the center portion and second axle mounting portion that extends from an end of the second gooseneck portion, wherein the rear brace is mounted to second axle mounting portion.

13. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 12 wherein the front brace is mounted to a top of the first axle mounting portion and the rear brace is mounted to a top of the second axle mounting portion.

14. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 12 wherein the rear brace is longer than the front brace.

15. A vehicle chassis assembly comprising:
first and second frame rails;
a subframe that is fixedly disposed on the first and second frame rails, the subframe having first and second downward extending arms disposed along a first lateral side of the subframe;
a skid plate that is fixedly disposed on the first and second downward extending arms;
a mounting plate that is fixedly mounted to the subframe and to the skid plate; and
an axle assembly that is fixedly mounted to the mounting plate.

16. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 15 wherein the axle assembly is spaced apart from the skid plate and the subframe and the mounting plate is coupled to the skid plate between the first and second downward extending arms.

17. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 16 wherein the mounting plate has an opening through which the axle assembly extends.

18. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 17 wherein the subframe has third and fourth downward extending arms disposed along a second lateral side of the subframe and a first subframe cross member that extends from the first downward extending arm to the third downward extending arm, wherein the mounting plate is fixedly coupled to the first subframe cross member.

19. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 18 wherein the subframe has a second subframe cross member that extends between the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the subframe and the mounting plate has an upper flange that extends away from the axle assembly and is disposed proximate a top of the mounting plate, wherein the upper flange is coupled to the second subframe cross member.

20. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 19 wherein the subframe has a third subframe cross member that extends from the second downward extending arm to the fourth downward extending arm, wherein the second subframe cross member is disposed between the first subframe cross member and the third subframe cross member.

Assignees

• Arvinmeritor Technology Llc

Inventors

• Svacha Kevin
• Meghpara Nimesh
• Sadlik Adam P
• Brown Edward
• Barr Paul Lawrence

Classifications

• B62D33/077

  characterised by the connection of the superstructure to the vehicle frame {(B62D33/06 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B62D21/09 Primary

  Means for mounting load bearing surfaces · CPC title

• B62D33/06

  Drivers' cabs {(overhead guards, e.g. against loads falling down B60R21/11; roll-over protection B60R21/13)} · CPC title

• B62D21/11

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title

• B62D21/02

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title