Compact control arm and suspension cylinder pivot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11260714-B2
Application number	US-202016806292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2020
Priority date	Mar 2, 2020
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A work vehicle includes a chassis, a prime mover configured to move the chassis along a ground surface, and a suspension assembly that couples a wheel to the chassis. The suspension assembly includes a knuckle coupled to the wheel, a first suspension arm, and a suspension cylinder. The first suspension arm includes a first portion rotatably coupled to the chassis and a second portion extending away from the first portion and coupled to the knuckle. The suspension cylinder is rotatably coupled to the chassis and to a second suspension arm. The first suspension arm and the suspension cylinder are each configured to pivot relative to the chassis about a common pivot axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A work vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
a prime mover configured to move the chassis along a ground surface; and
a suspension assembly that couples a wheel to the chassis, the suspension assembly including
a knuckle coupled to the wheel,
a first suspension arm having a first portion rotatably coupled to the chassis and

a second portion extending away from the first portion and coupled to the knuckle, and
a suspension cylinder rotatably coupled to the chassis and to a second suspension arm,

wherein the first suspension arm and the suspension cylinder are each configured to pivot relative to the chassis about a common pivot axis; and
wherein the suspension cylinder is configured to be actuated to selectively extend and retract in length between the chassis and the second suspension arm, to thereby selectively raise and lower a height of the chassis relative to the ground surface.

2. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second suspension arm is rotatably coupled to the chassis and further coupled to the knuckle.

3. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the suspension assembly further includes a pin configured to be received by each of the first suspension arm and the suspension cylinder.

4. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the chassis extends along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the first portion of the first suspension arm comprises a first leg and a second leg spaced apart from the first leg along a direction of the longitudinal axis.

5. The work vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the chassis includes a first flange, a second flange spaced apart from the first flange along the direction of the longitudinal axis, and a third flange located between the first and second flanges, and wherein the second leg is received between the second flange and the third flange, and wherein a cylinder portion of the suspension cylinder is received between the first flange and the third flange.

6. The work vehicle of claim 5 , wherein a pin couples each of the first leg and the cylinder portion to the first, second, and third flanges, and wherein the pin defines the common pivot axis.

7. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the first suspension arm includes a first leg and a second leg spaced apart from the first leg along a direction of a longitudinal axis of the chassis, and wherein the first leg and the suspension cylinder are each rotatably coupled to the chassis via a pin that defines the common pivot axis.

8. The work vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the first leg defines a first bearing mount that receives a first bearing, and wherein the suspension cylinder includes a cylinder portion that defines a second bearing mount that receives a second bearing.

9. The work vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the first and second bearings each receive the pin therethrough.

10. A work vehicle comprising:
a chassis including a pair of opposed flanges spaced apart from one another along a direction of a longitudinal axis of the chassis and configured to support a pin therebetween;
a prime mover configured to move the chassis along a ground surface; and
a suspension assembly that couples a wheel to the chassis, the suspension assembly including
a knuckle coupled to the wheel,
a first suspension arm having a first portion rotatably coupled to the chassis and a second portion extending away from the first portion and coupled to the knuckle, the first portion comprising a first leg and a second leg spaced apart from the first leg along the direction of the longitudinal axis, and
a suspension cylinder rotatably coupled to the chassis and to a second suspension arm;

wherein the second leg and the suspension cylinder are each rotatably coupled to the chassis via the pin; and
wherein the pair of opposed flanges include a first flange and a second flange, and wherein the chassis further includes a third flange located between the first flange and the third flange, and wherein the second leg is received between the second flange and the third flange, and wherein a cylinder portion of the suspension cylinder is received between the first flange and the third flange.

11. The work vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the second suspension arm is rotatably coupled to the chassis and further coupled to the knuckle.

12. The work vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first leg defines a first bearing mount that receives a first bearing, and wherein the cylinder portion defines a second bearing mount that receives a second bearing.

13. The work vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first and second bearings each receive the pin therethrough.

14. The work vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the pin defines a common pivot axis, and wherein the suspension cylinder and the first suspension arm are each configured to rotate about the common pivot axis.

15. The work vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the suspension cylinder includes a cylinder portion and a rod portion, and wherein the cylinder portion is rotatably coupled to the chassis via the pin, and wherein the rod portion is coupled to the second suspension arm.

16. The work vehicle of claim 10 , wherein one flange of the pair of opposed flanges defines a threaded bore and a counterbore adjacent the threaded bore that receives the pin, and wherein the suspension assembly further includes a bolt that extends through the pin and threads into the threaded bore to secure the pin between the pair of opposed flanges.

17. A suspension subassembly comprising:
a first suspension arm;
a suspension cylinder including a cylinder portion and a rod portion, the rod portion being configured to rotatably connect to a second suspension arm; and
a pin configured to be received by each of the first suspension arm and the cylinder portion of the suspension cylinder such that during operation of the suspension subassembly, the first suspension arm and the suspension cylinder each rotate about a central axis of the pin.

18. A work vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
a prime mover configured to move the chassis along a ground surface; and
the suspension subassembly of claim 17 coupling a wheel to the chassis.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Thoreson Curtis P
• Bowman Dennis A

Classifications

• B60G3/20

  all arms being rigid · CPC title

• B60G7/001

  Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features (B60G7/006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G13/003

  characterised by the mounting on the vehicle body or chassis of the damper unit · CPC title

• B60G2200/144

  with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram · CPC title

• B60G7/02 Primary

  Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title