Leaf spring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11353077-B2
Application number	US-202016816677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	Sep 26, 2019
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A leaf spring may include: an upper plate provided with arc-shaped portions which are integrally formed on both end portions thereof, respectively, for forming spring eyes; a lower plate disposed to overlap a lower side of the upper plate and provided with arc-shaped portions which are integrally formed on both end portions thereof, respectively, and face the arc-shaped portions of the upper plate to form the spring eyes; clamping units installed to restrain the both end portions of the overlapped upper and lower plates from being separated from each other; and a central fastening unit configured to fasten central portions of the overlapped upper and lower plates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A leaf spring comprising;
an upper plate provided with first arc-shaped portions which are integrally famed on both end portions thereof, respectively, for forming spring eyes;
a lower plate disposed to overlap a lower side of the upper plate and provided with second arc-shaped portions which are integrally formed on both end portions thereof, and configured to respectively face the first arc-shaped portions of the upper plate to form the spring eyes;
clamping units configured to restrain the both end portions of the overlapped upper and lower plates from being separated from each other; and
a central fastening unit configured to fasten central portions of the overlapped upper and lower plates.

2. The leaf spring of claim 1 , wherein a bush is inserted into each of the spring eyes formed by the first and second arc-shaped portions of the upper plate and the lower plate.

3. The leaf spring of claim 2 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate are spaced apart from each other to form a first gap near the bush.

4. The leaf spring of claim 3 , wherein a depression portion configured to form the first gap is formed on at least one of the upper plate or the lower plate overlapping each other, and the depression portion is formed by depressing a contact surface between the upper plate and the lower plate.

5. The leaf spring of claim 3 , wherein a size of the first gap is adjusted by a diameter of the bush inserted into the respective spring eyes.

6. The leaf spring of claim 3 , wherein an outer side of the first arc-shaped portions of the upper plate is configured to protrude upward, and an outer side of the second arc-shaped portions of the lower plate is configure to protrude downward.

7. The leaf spring of claim 6 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate are formed to have the same shape and are symmetrically coupled to each other to form the spring eyes.

8. The leaf spring of claim 6 , wherein each clamping unit of the clamping units comprises:
an upper sheet provided with an arc-shaped cross-sectional portion surrounding the first arc-shaped portion of the upper plate and flat portions extending from both sides of the arc-shaped cross-sectional portion of the upper sheet, respectively;
a lower sheet provided with an arc-shaped cross-sectional portion surrounding the second arc-shaped portion of the lower plate and flat portions extending from both sides of the arc-shaped cross-sectional portion of the lower sheet, respectively; and
a plurality of fasteners configured to pass through and fasten the upper sheet and the lower sheet placed on an upper side and a lower side of the overlapped upper and lower plates, respectively.

9. The leaf spring of claim 8 , wherein the upper sheet and the lower sheet are formed to have the same shape, and are symmetrically coupled to each other in a state in which the overlapped upper and lower plates are interposed therebetween.

10. The leaf spring of claim 8 , wherein, in a state in which the upper sheet and the lower sheet are placed on the upper side and the lower side of the overlapped upper and lower plates, respectively, a second gap is formed between an outer flat portion of the upper sheet and an outer flat portion of the lower sheet before the upper and lower sheets are tightened by the plurality of fasteners.

11. The leaf spring of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of fasteners comprises:
at least one first bolt configured to pass through and fasten an inner flat portion of the upper sheet, the upper plate, the lower plate, and an inner flat portion of the lower sheet so as to reduce the first gap; and
at least one second bolt configured to pass through and fasten the outer flat portion of the upper sheet and the outer flat portion of the lower sheet so as to reduce the second gap.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Oh Seung Hyun

Classifications

• B60G11/12

  Links, pins, or bushes · CPC title

• B60G11/04

  arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle · CPC title

• F16F2226/041

  Clipping · CPC title

• B60G11/125

  Multiple-eye arrangements · CPC title

• F16F2238/022

  leaf-like, e.g. of thin, planar-like metal · CPC title