Space frame front lower suspension connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021122211-A1
Application number	US-201916664169-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2019
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A front lower suspension connection for a space frame comprises a U-shaped base and upper suspension control arm support sections on the U-shaped base. The U-shaped base can have a cross-beam section and suspension column support beam sections positioned at opposite ends of the cross-beam section, where each suspension column support beam section may include lower suspension control arm pivot joint supports located at opposite ends of the suspension column support beam sections. Each upper suspension control arm support section can have a first support column and a second support column spaced from the first support column, where the first support column may include a first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, and the second support column may include a second upper suspension control arm pivot joint support and a front mounting surface. A rear mounting may be provided on a rear surface of the front lower suspension connection.

First claim

1 . A front lower suspension connection fabrication for a space frame of a haul truck comprising:
a pair of upper suspension control arm support sections each having a first support column and a second support column and configured to support a pair of upper suspension control arms,
wherein the first support column includes:
a first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, and
a top surface configured to weldably attach a front upper suspension connection fabrication, and

wherein the second support column includes:
a second upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, and
a front mounting surface configured to weldably attach one or more of a horizontal frame tube and an angular frame tube;

a U-shaped base having a cross-beam section and a pair of suspension column support beam sections oriented perpendicular to the cross-beam section and positioned at opposite ends of the cross-beam section, wherein each suspension column support beam section includes a pair of lower suspension control arm pivot joint supports located at opposite ends of the suspension column support beam sections and configured to support a pair of lower suspension control arms; and a rear mounting surface formed by intersection of the cross-beam section and the pair of upper suspension control arm support sections and configured to weldably attach four horizontal front frame tubes.

2 . The front lower suspension connection fabrication of claim 1 , wherein each of the upper suspension control arm support sections is U-shaped in a side elevational view of the front lower suspension connection fabrication.

3 . The front lower suspension connection fabrication of claim 2 , wherein the U-shape of the U-shaped base is wider than the U-shape of each of the U-shaped upper suspension control arm support sections.

4 . The front lower suspension connection fabrication of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the second support column of each of the upper suspension control arm support sections is free and entirely exposed.

5 . The front lower suspension connection fabrication of claim 1 , wherein each of the first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support and the second upper suspension control arm pivot joint support forms an enclosure adapted to enclose respective portions of the upper suspension control arms.

6 . The front lower suspension connection fabrication of claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the U-shaped base is flat.

7 . The front lower suspension connection fabrication of claim 1 , wherein each of the first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, the second upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, and the lower suspension control arm pivot joint supports faces outward.

8 . The front lower suspension connection fabrication of claim 1 , wherein a width of the U-shaped base in a first direction of the cross-beam section is greater than a length of the U-shaped base in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

9 . A space frame for a rear haul truck comprising:
a front lower suspension connection fabrication; and a plurality of frame tubes fixedly attached to the front lower suspension connection fabrication, wherein the front lower suspension connection fabrication includes:
a pair of upper suspension control arm support sections each having a first support column and a second support column spaced in a first direction from the first support column, wherein the first support column includes a first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, and the second support column includes a second upper suspension control arm pivot joint support and a front mounting surface,
a U-shaped base having a cross-beam section and a pair of suspension column support beam sections positioned at opposite ends of the cross-beam section and spaced from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each suspension column support beam section includes a pair of lower suspension control arm pivot joint supports located at opposite ends of the suspension column support beam sections, and
a rear mounting surface,
wherein a first set of the plurality of frame tubes is fixedly attached to the front mounting surface of a first one of the second support columns, wherein a second set of the plurality of frame tubes is fixedly attached to the front mounting surface of a second one of the second support columns, and wherein a third set of the plurality of frame tubes is fixedly coupled to the rear mounting surface.

10 . The space frame of claim 9 ,
wherein a fourth set of the plurality of frame tubes is fixedly coupled to a first one of the suspension column support beam sections, and wherein a fifth set of the plurality of frame tubes is fixedly coupled to a second one of the suspension column support beam sections.

11 . The space frame of claim 9 ,
wherein the upper suspension control arm support sections are pivotally coupled to respective upper suspension control arms, and wherein the suspension column support beam sections are pivotally coupled to respective lower suspension control arms.

12 . The space frame of claim 9 , wherein each of the first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, the second upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, and the lower suspension control arm pivot joint supports faces outward in the second direction.

13 . The space frame of claim 9 , wherein each of the first support columns of the upper suspension control arm support sections has a top surface fixedly attached to a front upper suspension connection fabrication.

14 . The space frame of claim 9 , wherein a width of the U-shaped base in the second direction is greater than a length of the U-shaped base in the first direction.

15 . A method regarding a front lower suspension connection comprising:
providing a U-shaped base of the front lower suspension connection; and providing a pair of upper suspension control arm support sections of the front lower suspension connection on the U-shaped base, wherein the U-shaped base has a cross-beam section and a pair of suspension column support beam sections spaced from each other and positioned at opposite ends of the cross-beam section, each suspension column support beam section including a pair of lower suspension control arm pivot joint supports located at opposite ends of the suspension column support beam sections, wherein each of the upper suspension control arm support sections has a first support column and a second support column spaced from the first support column, the first support column including a first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, and the second support column including a second upper suspension control arm pivot joint support and a front mounting surface, and wherein a rear mounting is provided on a rear surface of the front lower suspension connection.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising fabricating the front lower suspension connection with the pair of upper suspension control arm support sections on the U-shaped base.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising weldably attaching a top surface of each of the first support columns to respective front upper suspension connections,
wherein respective top surfaces of the second support columns of the upper suspension control arm support sections are free ends and entirely exposed.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the first upper suspension control arm pivot joint support, the second upper suspension control arm pi

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Miller Tad W

Classifications

• B62D27/023 Primary

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• B62D21/12

  assembled from readily detachable parts · CPC title

• B62D21/11

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

• B62D21/09

  Means for mounting load bearing surfaces · CPC title

• B60G2206/8201

  by welding · CPC title