Meritor Heavy Vehicle Technology, LLC

Mike Schuster

Tomaz Dopico Varela

Ragnar H Ledesma

Lawrence Doyle Brill

Steven E Hunter

Duy Lam

Malcolm Green

An independent suspension undercarriage module includes a first subframe segment and a second subframe segment. The subframe is manufactured of a composite material to provide a truss-like structural unibody which is mounted as a unit to the underside of a low floor vehicle through a plurality of resilient dampers. Passengers are thereby provided with a secondary vibration isolation structure separate from the suspension systems which filter out high frequency content generated by the suspension systems.

Independent suspension undercarriage module for a low floor vehicle

A steering system for a vehicle is provided that includes a steering knuckle which is rotatable about an axis. The steering knuckle includes an upper attachment point and a lower attachment point. The attachment points define the steer axis. A rotational drive unit is connected to the steering knuckle for rotating the steering knuckle about the steer axis. A control module receives a steering input corresponding to the desired Ackerman angle and commands the rotational drive unit to rotate the steering knuckle about the axis to the desired Ackerman angle. Rotational drive units for each side of the vehicle ensure that the wheels are turned to the appropriate Ackerman angle for each wheel. The rotational drive unit may include an electric motor, or a pneumatic or hydraulic pump. In one preferred embodiment, the rotational drive unit includes a fluid housing and the shaft connected to the steering knuckle. The shaft includes a vane extending therefrom and into the housing. The fluid pump pumps fluid into the housing to rotate the vane with the shaft and steering knuckle about the axis in response to a command from the control module.

Independent steering and actuator

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Mike Schuster