Frame Hanger for Providing Thrust Angle Alignment in Vehicle Suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016449-A1
Application number	US-201414331661-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 15, 2014
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A frame hanger having a frame attachment portion having a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface, a first control arm mounting portion positioned beneath the frame attachment portion, wherein a first plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots extend through the first mounting surface of the frame attachment portion, and wherein a second plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots extend through the second mounting surface of the frame attachment portion.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A frame hanger for use in a vehicle suspension comprising:
a frame attachment portion having a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface; a first control arm mounting portion positioned beneath the frame attachment portion; wherein a first plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots extend through the first mounting surface of the frame attachment portion; and wherein a second plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots extend through the second mounting surface of the frame attachment portion.

2 . The frame hanger of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the first mounting surface of the frame attachment portion correspond to a first plurality of holes positioned on a vehicle frame rail for mounting the frame attachment portion to the vehicle frame rail; and
the second plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the second mounting surface of the frame attachment portion correspond to a second plurality of holes positioned on the vehicle frame rail for mounting the frame attachment portion to the vehicle frame rail.

3 . The frame hanger of claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the first mounting surface of the frame attachment portion are positioned in a frame bracket attached to a first end of the frame attachment portion; and
the second plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the second mounting surface of the frame attachment portion are positioned in the frame bracket attached to a second end of the frame attachment portion.

4 . The frame hanger of claim 3 , wherein the frame bracket is comprised of a first frame bracket portion attached to the first end of the frame attachment portion and a second frame bracket portion, separate from the first frame bracket portion, attached to the second end of the frame attachment portion.

5 . The frame hanger of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the first mounting surface of the frame attachment portion correspond to a first plurality of holes positioned on a frame bracket for mounting the frame attachment portion to the frame bracket;
wherein the second plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the second mounting surface of the frame attachment portion correspond to a second plurality of holes positioned on the frame bracket for mounting the frame attachment portion to the frame bracket, wherein the frame bracket further includes a third plurality of holes for mounting the frame bracket to a vehicle frame rail; and wherein the frame bracket further includes a fourth plurality of holes for mounting the frame bracket to the vehicle frame rail.

6 . The frame hanger of claim 5 , wherein the frame bracket is comprised of a first frame bracket portion attached to the first end of the frame attachment portion and a second frame bracket portion, separate from the first frame bracket portion, attached to the second end of the frame attachment portion.

7 . The frame hanger of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first or second plurality of longitudinally extending slots are open at one end.

8 . The frame hanger of claim 1 , wherein the first control arm mounting portion includes a first upper bar pin attachment interface, a second upper bar pin attachment interface, and a first control arm slot positioned between the first upper bar pin attachment interface and the second upper bar pin attachment interface.

9 . The frame hanger of claim 8 , wherein the first upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a first curved surface and a first flat surface, with a first throughhole extending from the first curved surface to the first flat surface; and
wherein the second upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a second curved surface and a second flat surface, with a second throughhole extending from the second curved surface to the second flat surface.

10 . The frame hanger of claim 8 , wherein the frame hanger includes a second control arm mounting portion beneath the first control arm mounting portion, said second control arm mounting portion including a first lower bar pin attachment interface, a second lower bar pin attachment interface, and a second control arm slot positioned between the first lower bar pin attachment interface and the second lower bar pin attachment interface.

11 . The frame hanger of claim 10 , wherein the first upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a first curved surface and a first flat surface, with a first throughhole extending from the first curved surface to the first flat surface;
wherein the second upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a second curved surface and a second flat surface, with a second throughhole extending from the second curved surface to the second flat surface; wherein the first lower bar pin attachment interface comprises a third curved surface and a third flat surface, with a third throughhole extending from the third curved surface to the third flat surface; and wherein the second lower bar pin attachment interface comprises a fourth curved surface and a fourth flat surface, with a fourth throughhole extending from the fourth curved surface to the fourth flat surface.

12 . The frame hanger of claim 6 , wherein the frame attachment portion may be moved longitudinally relative to the first frame bracket portion and the second frame bracket portion, such that the first plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the first mounting surface still correspond to the first plurality of holes positioned on the first frame bracket and the second plurality of elongated longitudinally extending slots on the second mounting surface still correspond to the second plurality of holes positioned on the second frame bracket.

13 . The frame hanger of claim 12 , wherein the first control arm mounting portion includes a first upper bar pin attachment interface, a second upper bar pin attachment interface, and a first control arm slot positioned between the first upper bar pin attachment interface and the second upper bar pin attachment interface.

14 . The frame hanger of claim 13 , wherein the first upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a first curved surface and a first flat surface, with a first throughhole extending from the first curved surface to the first flat surface; and
wherein the second upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a second curved surface and a second flat surface, with a second throughhole extending from the second curved surface to the second flat surface.

15 . The frame hanger of claim 13 , wherein the frame hanger includes a second control arm mounting portion beneath the first control arm mounting portion, said second control arm mounting portion including a first lower bar pin attachment interface, a second lower bar pin attachment interface, and a second control arm slot positioned between the first lower bar pin attachment interface and the second lower bar pin attachment interface.

16 . The frame hanger of claim 15 , wherein the first upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a first curved surface and a first flat surface, with a first throughhole extending from the first curved surface to the first flat surface;
wherein the second upper bar pin attachment interface comprises a second curved surface and a second flat surface, with a second throughhole extending from the second curved surface to the second flat surface; wherein the first lower bar pin attachment interface comprises a third

Assignees

• Hendrickson Usa Llc

Inventors

• Noble Shawn D
• Van Meter Matthew J
• Martin Joseph

Classifications

• B60G2204/4302

  for fixing suspension arm on the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60G9/02

  the axle or housing being pivotally mounted on the vehicle {, e.g. the pivotal axis being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (B60G9/003 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G7/02 Primary

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