The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 23, 2003
Filed:
May. 17, 2002
Gregory D. Pavuk, Royal Oak, MI (US);
Meritor Heavy Vehicle Technology LLC, Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A suspension system provides a pair of walking beams mounted parallel to a longitudinal main frame of a vehicle subframe. The walking beams support tandem axles. The walking beams are mounted to lower outboard brackets extending from each axle. A spherical joint extending from each longitudinal end of each walking beam engages the lower outboard brackets. Each walking beam is constrained against fore-aft movement through a pair of watts linkages. The watts linkages are separated by a lateral torsion tube. Each walking beam is connected to its respective watts linkages through a revolute joint and pivot relative to the torque tube. A pair of tie-rods are attached between each watts linkages and a fixed support. The tie rods include spherical joints at each end. Each axle is further restrained by a V-rod attached to an upper bracket extending from each axle.