American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

Tom V Ignatius

Jeffrey Lee Kincaid

Brian Allen Mattila

Jeffrey Lee Kincad

Peter E Asmaro

William T Reid, Jr

Improvements for a vehicle stabilizer bar assembly having a pair of stabilizer bar members that are selectively uncoupled via a clutch assembly to provide a vehicle with improved traction. A first improvement concerns a reserve powering apparatus for powering the clutch assembly in the event of an electrical failure that prevents the vehicle power source from transmitting electrical power to the clutch assembly. A second improvement concerns a speed sensing apparatus for inhibiting the operation of the stabilizer bar assembly in a disengaged condition if the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed threshold. A third improvement concerns a logic for controlling the engagement and disengagement of a pair of stabilizer bar assemblies.

Apparatus and method for coupling a disconnectable stabilizer bar system

A stabilizer bar assembly for a vehicle having a pair of laterally-spaced wheels. The stabilizer bar assembly includes first and second stabilizer bar members and a clutch assembly. Each of the first and second stabilizer bar members is coupled to one of the pair of laterally-spaced wheels. The clutch assembly is coupled to the first and second stabilizer bar members and is operable in a first condition and a second condition. Operation of the clutch assembly in the first condition permits the first and second stabilizer bar members to rotate independently of one another so as to the stabilizer bar assembly from copying the motion of one of the wheels to the other one of the wheels. Operation of the clutch assembly in a second condition couples the first and second stabilizer bar members for rotation with one another, so as to reduce vehicle body roll.

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Waterford, MI, United States of America

Tom V Ignatius