Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC

John David Fehring

William Charles Kruckemeyer

Richard Edward Longhouse

Eric Lee Jensen

Ilya Lisenker

Patrick Neil Hopkins

Frank M Robinson

Tad Vincent Machrowicz

Michael Leslie Oliver

Rudolf Gruber

Alexander Apostolos Alexandridis

Kathleen D Murphy

Michael E Francis

James H Merriman

Steven Kent Raypole

Michael John Eifert

Andrea Brown

James A Morgan

Paul Dowden

John Greg Mc Candless

Ryan S Rochester

A cylinder mount assembly for a slidably adjustable fifth wheel hitch assembly comprises a slidably adjustable fifth wheel hitch assembly, a cylinder mount, a hydraulic cylinder, a first longitudinal support, and a second longitudinal support. The slidably adjustable fifth wheel hitch assembly has a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position. The cylinder mount is disposed adjacent at least two sides of a first frame cross member. The hydraulic cylinder is disposed between the cylinder mount and the slidably adjustable fifth wheel hitch assembly, and is attached to the cylinder mount. The first longitudinal support is disposed between the cylinder mount and a second frame cross member. The second longitudinal support is disposed between the cylinder mount and the second frame cross member. The cylinder mount is adapted to move laterally along the first frame cross member.

Slidably adjustable fifth wheel hitch assembly for a vehicle and control system for the same

A three piece belly-band crossmember is provided which may be installed as a single assembly and from which the center subassembly may be removed after installation, allowing access to the vehicle powertrain. The crossmember maintains integral strength as a result of a tab and slot arrangement and overlapping frame mounting holes between its three subassemblies. It may be provided with a suspension component mounting point. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Suspension mounting crossmember with integrated cab mounts for vehicle having front multilink suspension

An improved magnetorheological fluid damper is provided which effectively provides a smooth transition, without a sharp break in the damper force/velocity curve, between very low damping forces near zero damper velocity to higher damping forces at higher piston velocities while maintaining desirable maximum force levels. The damper includes a piston assembly, including a magnet assembly and a flow gap extending through the piston assembly to permit fluid flow between the chambers. The force/velocity optimization feature includes a groove or passage open to the flow gap, positioned in series with a part of the flow gap in a magnetic circuit generated by the magnet assembly and dimnensioned/sized to permit fluid flowing through the passage to experience a magnetorheological effect less than a magnetorheological effect experienced by fluid flowing through the flow gap but not through the groove. Preferably, the passage is formed in an inner annular surface of a flux ring positioned around a piston core. The passage may be formed, for example, by a curvilinear surface, a modified rectangular surface or a triangular surface.

Magnetorheological fluid damper tunable for smooth transitions

A novel and improved magnetorheological fluid damper is provided which effectively secures a flux ring to a piston core in a manner which prevents relative axial and radial movement between the flux ring and the core throughout operation while minimizing the size of the piston assembly yet providing effective damping. Several connector devices are disclosed for both axially and radially securing the flux ring relative to the piston core at one end of the piston assembly in a simple manner without increasing the length of the piston assembly. The connector device may include an outer portion brazed to the flux ring, an inner portion connected to the piston core, bridge portions extending between the outer and inner portions, flow passages formed between the bridge portions and an inlet cavity formed adjacent an annular flow gap to permit unimpeded, enhanced laminar flow through the flow gap by improving the damping effect. Other connector devices may include elongated rivets extending through the flow gap axially along the piston assembly, and elongated pin and spacer tube connectors extending radially between the piston core and the flux ring. Various embodiments of radial support devices are disclosed for possible use in combination with the connector devices to enhance radial support by, for example, the use of balls, a washer with tabs, a coil bobbin with tabs, rivets and axially extending elongated pins.

Magnetorheological fluid damper

A suspension damper includes a tube and a damping piston assembly disposed within the tube and slidably mounted therein for reciprocal movement in the tube. The suspension damper also includes a piston rod extending through the tube and connected to the damping piston assembly, a rod guide assembly closing one end of the tube and a self-aligning rebound cut-off disc carried in the tube between the rod guide assembly and the damping piston assembly and cooperating with the rod guide assembly to provide a rebound cut-off effect and to compensate for misalignment between the piston rod and the damping piston assembly.

Suspension damper with self-aligning rebound cut-off

A dynamically variable roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle including a split U-shaped torsion bar on a body of the motor vehicle, a pair of rigid links between opposite ends the torsion bar and respective ones of a pair of suspension control arms of the motor vehicle, a mechanical coupling between the two separate elements of the torsion bar, and an electromagnetic actuator. The coupling includes a pair of oppositely acting roller clutches between the two separate elements of the split torsion bar. The electromagnetic actuator includes a pair of control rings which engage and disengage the roller clutches, a pair of control levers on the control rings, and an electric solenoid suspended between the control levers. When the solenoid is on, the control levers are thrust together and the control rings disengage the roller clutches. When the solenoid is off, the control levers are thrust apart by a spring and the control rings engage the roller clutches. The effective torsion modulus of the torsion bar is maximum when the roller clutches are engaged and zero when the roller clutches are disengaged.

Roll stabilizer for motor vehicle

A damper and electrical connector system wherein the damper includes a ring mounting element having a base portion attached to a housing of the damper and a hole extending through the base portion and communicating with an interior chamber of the housing. A slot is formed through a side of the ring mounting element and communicates with the hole in the base. The electrical connector includes an end inserted through the slot and a power terminal extends through the hole formed in the base and makes electrical connection with an element requiring electrical power that is carried in the housing. Preferably the electrical connector also includes a ground terminal which makes electrical contact with the ring mounting element. A vehicle mounting rod is inserted through the ring mount to hold the connector in place.

Damper and electrical connection system

A roll control system with a latchable stabilizer bar actuator includes an anti-roll bar that is mounted to a vehicle's body and includes a pair of ends with one end rigidly connected to the vehicle's chassis and the second end connected to the vehicle's chassis through a hydraulic actuator. The hydraulic actuator includes a single cylindrical tube slidably carrying a piston. The piston separates the tube into first and second chambers. The piston carries a solenoid operated valve that effects latching and de-latching of the actuator for selectively effecting operation of the anti-roll bar.

Latchable stabilizer bar actuator

Growing community of inventors

Churubusco, IN, United States of America

John David Fehring