Ring link assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9610818-B2
Application number	US-201314442417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2013
Priority date	Dec 10, 2012
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A ring link assembly is configured to securely link a first component to a second component. The assembly may include a first housing defining a first passage having a first center, and a second housing defining a second passage having a second center. The first and second centers may reside in a common plane. A connecting beam connects the first housing to the second housing. The connecting beam may be canted with respect to the common plane. One or both of the first and second housings may connect to the connecting beam through an arcuate transition joint. A cant of the connecting beam and/or a curvature of the arcuate transition joint may be configured to reduce mechanical interference between the assembly and one or both of the first and second components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ring link assembly configured to securely link a first component to a second component, the ring link assembly comprising:
a first housing defining a first passage having a first center, wherein the first housing is configured to securely connect to the first component;
a second housing defining a second passage having a second center, wherein the second housing is configured to securely connect to the second component, wherein the first and second centers reside in a common plane;
a connecting beam that connects the first housing to the second housing, wherein the connecting beam is canted with respect to the common plane, and wherein a cant of the connecting beam is configured to reduce mechanical interference between the ring link assembly and one or both of the first and second components; and
one or more support struts that tangentially extend from an outer surface of one or both of the first housing or the second housing to one or more lateral surfaces of the connecting beam.

2. The ring link assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second housings connect to a front surface of the connecting beam through an arcuate transition joint, wherein a curvature of the arcuate transition joint is configured to reduce mechanical interference between the ring link assembly and one or both of the first and second components.

3. The ring link assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second housings connect to the connecting beam through a preventative protuberance configured to mechanically interfere with one or both of the first and second components to prevent improper connection between the ring link assembly and one or both of the first and second components.

4. The ring link assembly of claim 3 , wherein the preventative protuberance is a bump formed at a juncture of the connecting beam and one or both of the first and second housings.

5. The ring link assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second housings further comprises one or more securing protuberances extending within the first or second passages, respectively, wherein the one or more securing protuberances are outside of a primary volume of articulated loading of the first and second housings, wherein the one or more securing protuberances are configured to securely engage a bushing that is configured to be retained within the first or second passages.

6. The ring link assembly of claim 5 , wherein the one or more securing protuberances include one or more or ridges, ribs, bumps, or dimples that extend from an internal circumferential surface towards a longitudinal axis of one or both of the first and second housings.

7. The ring link assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connecting beam comprises a linear cross-section.

8. The ring link assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first housing is perpendicularly-oriented with respect to the second housing.

9. The ring link assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first bushing retained within the first passage;
a first fastening tube retained by the first bushing;
a second bushing retained within the second passage; and
a second fastening tube retained by the second bushing.

10. A system comprising:
a suspension sub-system;
a stabilizer bar; and
a ring link assembly that securely links the suspension sub-system to the stabilizer bar, the ring link assembly comprising:
a first housing defining a first passage having a first center, wherein the first housing is configured to securely connect to the suspension sub-system;
a second housing defining a second passage having a second center, wherein the second housing is configured to securely connect to the stabilizer bar, wherein the first and second centers reside in a common plane;
a connecting beam that connects the first housing to the second housing, wherein the connecting beam is canted with respect to the common plane, and wherein a cant of the connecting beam is configured to reduce mechanical interference between the ring link assembly and one or both of the suspension sub-system and the stabilizer bar; and
one or more support struts that tangentially extend from an outer surface of one or both of the first housing or the second housing to a lateral surface of the connecting beam.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein one or both of the first and second housings connect to a front surface of the connecting beam through an arcuate transition joint, wherein a curvature of the arcuate transition joint is configured to reduce mechanical interference between the ring link assembly and one or both of the suspension sub-system and the stabilizer bar.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein one or both of the first and second housings connect to the connecting beam through a preventative protuberance configured to mechanically interfere with at least a portion of one or both of the suspension sub-system or the stabilizer bar to prevent improper connection between the ring link assembly and one or both of the suspension sub-system and the stabilizer bar.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the preventative protuberance is a bump formed at a juncture of the connecting beam and one or both of the first and second housings.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein one or both of the first and second housings further comprises one or more securing protuberances extending within the first or second passages, respectively, wherein the one or more securing protuberances are outside of a primary volume of articulated loading of the first and second housings, wherein the one or more securing protuberances are configured to securely engage a bushing that is configured to be retained within the first or second passages.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more securing protuberances include one or more or ridges, ribs, bumps, or dimples that extend from an internal circumferential surface towards a longitudinal axis of one or both of the first and second housings.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the connecting beam comprises a linear cross-section.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first housing is perpendicularly-oriented with respect to the second housing.

18. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first bushing retained within the first passage;
a first fastening tube retained by the first bushing;
a second bushing retained within the second passage; and
a second fastening tube retained by the second bushing.

19. A ring link assembly configured to securely link a first component to a second component, the ring link assembly comprising:
a first housing defining a first passage having a first center, wherein the first housing is configured to securely connect to the first component;
a second housing defining a second passage having a second center, wherein the second housing is configured to securely connect to the second component, wherein the first and second centers reside in a common plane;
a connecting beam that connects the first housing to the second housing, wherein one or both of the first and second housings connect to a front surface the connecting beam through an arcuate transition joint, wherein a curvature of the arcuate transition joint is configured to reduce mechanical interference between the ring link assembly and one or both of the first and second components; and
one or more support struts that tangentially extend from an outer surface of one or both of the first housing or the second housing to one or more lateral surfaces of the connecting beam.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Mark Dennis M
• Trotter Jason K
• Field Troy S

Classifications

• B60G2204/1224

  End mounts of stabiliser on wheel suspension · CPC title

• B60G2206/7101

  Fiber-reinforced plastics [FRP] · CPC title

• B60G2206/11

  the arm being a radius or track or torque or steering rod or stabiliser end link · CPC title

• B60G21/0551

  Mounting means therefor · CPC title

• B60G2206/7102

  Aluminium alloys · CPC title