Chrysler Corporation

Aluminum Company of America

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Chrysler Group LLC

James J Johnson

Andrew B Trageser

Matthew P Kiley

Richard A Sokol

Michael S Weaver

Jonathan P Solomond

Alan S Aloe

Keith Redden

Gerald Budnick

Alexandre Opeiko

Ronald R Williams

James J Shavrnoch

Jacek Dubiel

Mohamed Abbadi

Richard J Turonek, Jr

William H Hagedorn

A suspension system for supporting a vehicle body includes an axle and a mounting member that is coupled by a first coupling member to the axle. The mounting member is also coupled by a second coupling member to the axle. At least one of the first and second coupling members includes a mount damper that dampens loads transferred between the mounting member and the axle. The suspension system also includes a track bar that is coupled by a third coupling member to the vehicle body and that is coupled by a fourth coupling member to the mounting member.

Vehicle suspension system

An axle beam suspension system for a mobile vehicle, the system includes a main vehicle body, an axle attached to the main vehicle body, a control bar, and a track bar. The track bar includes a controlling connection portion. A first end of the track bar is attached at a lateral attachment to a lateral joint connection portion of the main vehicle body. A second end of the track bar is attached at a pivot attachment to a pivot joint portion on the axle. The control bar has a first end attached at a control attachment to a control joint connection portion of the main vehicle body and a second end attached at a fourth attachment to the controlling connection portion of the track bar. A lateral portion of an axle-pivoting-movement is transferred into lateral movement of the axle beam suspension system.

Lateral control mechanism for an axle beam suspension system

The restoring coil spring of a vehicle shock absorber can be seated on an annular elastomeric pad that is equipped with a reinforced peripheral flange adapted to maintain the lowermost convolution of the spring on the elastomeric pad should the spring break during service. An annular steel band is incorporated into the elastomeric flange to provide a reinforced flange structure resistant to radial deformation.

Vehicle shock absorber pad having a spring containment flange

A spring and strut mount assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a strut provided with a shock absorber having a piston reciprocable in a cylinder and a piston rod extending axially outwardly from one end of the cylinder. A strut mount is adapted to be secured to a rigid frame of the vehicle. The outer end of the piston rod is secured to the strut mount. A spring unit resists retraction of the piston rod. The spring unit has upper and lower spring seats. The upper spring seat is mounted to the strut mount. The upper spring seat assembly is parallel and diverging to the strut mount and tower, perpendicular to the coil spring center line, perpendicular to the strut center line and parallel to the upper plane of the coil spring's end, all at the same time. The lower spring seat is mounted on the cylinder. A coil spring encircles the shock absorber and is held between the seats. The central axis of the spring extends at an acute angle to the central axis of the strut.

Spring seat assembly for an automotive vehicle

The coil spring of a vehicle shock absorber can be seated on an elastomeric sound isolator pad whose spring engagement surface has plural slot-like depressions evenly spaced around the pad circumference. These slot-like depressions form raised ribs that provide the contact surfaces for the lowermost convolution of the coil spring. Each rib can readily deform under the spring force. Side surfaces of the ribs can act as heat-dissipating surfaces. The slot construction allows the pad to be formed out of a reasonably high durometer and highly wear-resistant elastomer without adversely affecting the desired rib deflection.

Vehicle shock absorber and strut damper spring seat pad having a

The coil spring of a vehicle shock absorber is seated on an annular elastomeric pad that is equipped with a reinforced peripheral flange adapted to maintain the lowermost convolution of the spring on the elastomeric pad should the spring break during service. An annular steel band is incorporated into the elastomeric band to provide a reinforced flange structure resistant to deformation.

Vehicle shock absorber spring seat pad having a spring--containment

Automotive front end structure adapted to be mounted on an automotive vehicle frame to absorb impact energy. The structure includes first and second crush hoops each having a central portion and side portions extending rearwardly from the central portion. The rear ends of the side portions of each hoop are connected to brackets and then to first and second crush boxes. Brackets connect the crush boxes to the vehicle frame. The crush hoops and the crush boxes are adapted to crush and collapse to absorb energy in a frontal impact. The central portion of the first crush hoop projects forwardly a greater distance than the central portion of the second crush hoop so that the first crush hoop is first to deform in a front impact. Thereafter, the other hoop begins to load and dissipate energy to provide a smooth, continuous and progressive reaction force to front end deformation.

Automotive energy absorbing structure

A multi-piece rear frame assembly for operably coupling components of a rear suspension to a frame rail of a vehicle frame assembly. The rear frame assembly including a rear shock tower casting welded to the frame rail and having a pair of attachment locations extending laterally outwardly for operably coupling a pair of lateral suspension links thereto, a shock tower extending upwardly for operably coupling a shock/spring assembly thereto. The frame assembly further includes an upper extrusion and a lower extrusion, each welded to the frame rail and having an attachment location for operably coupling a guide link and a forward portion of a lower control arm respectfully thereto. The frame assembly further includes a rear frame member extending downwardly from the frame rail and having an upper and lower attachment location for a rearward portion of the lower control arm and a transaxle cross member respectively thereto.

Rear shock tower casting

An aluminum extruded node for interconnecting a longitudinal frame rail and a lateral frame member of a vehicle frame. The extruded node having a pair of longitudinal side walls received within an interior volume defined by the longitudinal frame rail and a pair of transverse side walls received within an interior volume defined by the lateral frame member. Interior wall portions extend between each of the pairs of longitudinal and transverse side walls to define closed cells for increasing the stiffness and structural integrity of the node. The longitudinal frame rail is peripherally welded around an end thereof to the node. The lateral frame member is peripherally welded around an end thereof to the node.

Extruded node for vehicle frame

A multi-piece front casting assembly for operably coupling components of a front suspension to a frame rail of a vehicle frame assembly. The casting assembly including an upper casting welded to the frame rail and having a pair of attachment locations extending laterally outwardly for operably coupling an upper control arm thereto, a attachment location extending laterally inwardly for operably coupling a rocker arm for a shock/spring assembly thereto, a suspension cross member attachment location, an engine cooling module attachment, a bumper mounting attachment, and two body structure attachment locations for securing the body structure to the frame assembly. The casting assembly further includes a front lower casting and a rear lower casting, each welded to the frame rail and having an attachment location for operably coupling a lower control arm thereto.

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Metamora, MI, United States of America

James J Johnson