Axle suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9428025-B2
Application number	US-201414459938-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2014
Priority date	Aug 14, 2014
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

An axle suspension supports an axle housing on a vehicle frame. The suspension includes left and right pivot rods attached to left and right frame members. A suspension arm has a first end fixed to a rear end of the axle housing and has a second end pivotally coupled to the left and right pivot rods. A variable length left hydraulic cylinder has an upper end pivotally coupled to the left frame member and has a lower end pivotally coupled to a front end of the axle housing. A variable length right hydraulic cylinder has an upper end pivotally coupled to the right frame member and has a lower end pivotally coupled to the front end of the axle housing. The left and right hydraulic cylinders are hydraulically connected in parallel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An axle suspension for supporting an axle housing with respect to a vehicle frame having a fore-and-aft axis, the axle housing supporting left and right axle shafts which extend perpendicularly with respect to the fore-and-aft axis, the suspension comprising:
a suspension arm having a first end fixed to a first end of the axle housing and having a second end pivotally coupled to the frame about a pivot axis which is perpendicular with respect to the fore-and-aft axis;
a variable length left hydraulic cylinder having an upper end pivotally coupled to a left part of the frame and having a lower end pivotally coupled to the axle housing; and
a variable length right hydraulic cylinder having an upper end pivotally coupled to a right part of the frame and having a lower end pivotally coupled to the axle housing;
wherein the suspension arm is fixed to a rear end of the axle housing, the left hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a left front portion of the axle housing, and the right hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a right front portion of the axle housing.

2. The axle suspension of claim 1 , wherein:
the left and right hydraulic cylinders are hydraulically connected in parallel.

3. The axle suspension of claim 1 , wherein:
the frame comprises a front frame member, a rear frame member, a left frame member and a right frame member;
a left pivot rod is attached to the left frame member;
a right pivot rod is attached to the right frame member; and
the second end of the suspension arm pivotally receives the left and right pivot rods.

4. The axle suspension of claim 1 , wherein:
a valve housing is mounted to the frame; and
hydraulic components are mounted to the valve housing between the valve housing and a front end of the axle housing.

5. An axle suspension for supporting an axle housing on a vehicle frame, the suspension comprising:
a left pivot rod attached to a left frame member;
a right pivot rod attached to a right frame member;
a suspension arm having a first end fixed to a rear end of the axle housing and having a second end pivotally coupled to the left and right pivot rods;
a variable length left hydraulic cylinder having an upper end pivotally coupled to the left frame member and having a lower end pivotally coupled to a front end of the axle housing; and
a variable length right hydraulic cylinder having an upper end pivotally coupled to the right frame member and having a lower end pivotally coupled to the front end of the axle housing.

6. The axle suspension of claim 5 , wherein:
the left and right hydraulic cylinders are hydraulically connected in parallel.

7. The axle suspension of claim 5 , wherein:
the left and right frame members are connected together by a front frame member and a rear frame member.

8. The axle suspension of claim 5 , wherein:
a valve housing is mounted to the frame; and
hydraulic components are mounted to the valve housing between the valve housing and a front end of the axle housing.

9. The axle suspension of claim 8 , wherein:
the hydraulic components comprise a rod accumulator and a pair of piston accumulators.

10. An axle suspension for supporting an axle housing with respect to a vehicle frame having a fore-and-aft axis, the axle housing supporting left and right axle shafts which extend perpendicularly with respect to the fore-and-aft axis, the suspension comprising:
a suspension arm having a first end fixed to a first end of the axle housing and having a second end pivotally coupled to the frame about a pivot axis which is perpendicular with respect to the fore-and-aft axis;
a variable length left hydraulic cylinder having an upper end pivotally coupled to a left part of the frame and having a lower end pivotally coupled to the axle housing; and
a variable length right hydraulic cylinder having an upper end pivotally coupled to a right part of the frame and having a lower end pivotally coupled to the axle housing;
wherein a valve housing is mounted to the frame and hydraulic components are mounted to the valve housing between the valve housing and a front end of the axle housing.

11. The axle suspension of claim 10 , wherein:
the left and right hydraulic cylinders are hydraulically connected in parallel.

12. The axle suspension of claim 10 , wherein:
the frame comprises a front frame member, a rear frame member, a left frame member and a right frame member;
a left pivot rod is attached to the left frame member;
a right pivot rod is attached to the right frame member; and
the second end of the suspension arm pivotally receives the left and right pivot rods.

13. The axle suspension of claim 10 , wherein:
the suspension arm is fixed to a rear end of the axle housing.

14. The axle suspension of claim 10 , wherein:
the suspension arm is fixed to a rear end of the axle housing,
the left hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a left front portion of the axle housing, and
the right hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a right front portion of the axle housing.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Foxen Jacob J
• Fischer Douglas R
• Butts Thomas
• Young Donald E

Classifications

• B60G2300/082

  Tractors · CPC title

• B60G17/0165 Primary

  to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind · CPC title

• B60G17/0152

  characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit (B60G17/01941 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2202/413

  Hydraulic actuator · 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