US-12623722-B2 - Suspension unit having camber and/or toe adjustment mechanism for suspending a wheel and tire assembly from a vehicle frame

Abstract

A suspension unit for suspending a wheel and tire assembly from a vehicle frame includes a hanger, a control arm, a spindle assembly, a jounce spring, a rebound spring, a camber adjustment mechanism, and a toe adjustment mechanism. The spindle assembly is connected to an upper wall top surface of the control arm at an upper wall terminal end. The jounce spring is positioned between the upper wall top surface and a top wall bottom surface of the hanger. The rebound spring is positioned between a forward wall outer surface of the control arm and a front wall inner surface of the hanger. A mounting bolt connects the control arm to the hanger. The camber adjustment mechanism is configured to change a first position of a mounting bolt first end of the mounting bolt along a y-axis relative to a second position of a mounting bolt second end along the y-axis. The toe adjustment mechanism is configured to change a third position of the mounting bolt first end or the mounting bolt second end along an x-axis relative to a fourth position of an opposing mounting bolt end along the x-axis.

Inventors

• Parto Rezania

Assignees

• TIMBREN INDUSTRIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20250421

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A suspension unit ( 10 ) for suspending a wheel and tire assembly ( 20 ) from a vehicle frame, said suspension unit comprising: a hanger ( 100 ) having an outboard plate ( 110 ) comprising a first control arm connecting hole ( 112 ), an inboard plate ( 120 ) comprising a second control arm connecting hole ( 122 ), a top wall ( 130 ) connecting between an outboard plate upper edge ( 114 ) and an inboard plate upper edge ( 124 ), and a front wall ( 140 ) connecting between an outboard plate leading edge ( 116 ) and an inboard plate leading edge ( 126 ); a control arm ( 200 ) having a forward wall ( 210 ) connected to an upper wall ( 220 ), with a mounting stud ( 230 ) connected to an upper wall proximal end ( 222 ); a spindle assembly ( 300 ) connected to an upper wall top surface ( 224 ) at an upper wall terminal end ( 226 ); a jounce spring ( 400 ) positioned between the upper wall top surface and a top wall bottom surface ( 132 ); a rebound spring ( 500 ) positioned between a forward wall outer surface ( 212 ) and a front wall inner surface ( 142 ); a camber adjustment mechanism ( 600 ); and a toe adjustment mechanism ( 700 ); and wherein a mounting bolt ( 240 ) connects the control arm to the hanger by passing through the first control arm connecting hole, the mounting stud, and the second control arm connecting hole, the camber adjustment mechanism is configured to change a first position of a mounting bolt first end ( 241 ) along a z-axis ( 250 ) relative to a second position of a mounting bolt second end ( 242 ) along the z-axis, and the toe adjustment mechanism is configured to change a third position of the mounting bolt first end or the mounting bolt second end along an x-axis ( 260 ) relative to a fourth position of an opposing mounting bolt end along the x-axis.
2. 2 . The suspension unit of claim 1 , wherein the camber adjustment mechanism comprises: a guide plate ( 610 ) having a C-shaped profile ( 611 ), said guide plate being attached to an outboard plate exterior surface ( 118 ) or an inboard plate exterior surface ( 128 ) with the first control arm connecting hole located within a C-shaped profile interior ( 612 ) when the guide plate is connected to the outboard plate exterior surface, and the second control arm connecting hole located within the C-shaped profile interior when the guide plate is connected to the inboard plate exterior surface; and a profile disk ( 620 ) located within the C-shaped profile interior, said profile disk having a disk through hole ( 622 ) offset from a disk central axis ( 624 ); and wherein the first control arm connecting hole has a first vertically oriented discorectangle shape when the guide plate is attached to the outboard plate exterior surface, the second control arm connecting hole has a second vertically oriented discorectangle shape when the guide plate is attached to the inboard plate exterior surface, and the mounting bolt passes through the disk through hole.
3. 3 . The suspension unit of claim 2 , wherein the toe adjustment mechanism comprises: a perimeter plate ( 710 ) having a U-shaped profile ( 711 ), said perimeter plate being attached to the outboard plate exterior surface or the inboard plate exterior surface with the first control arm connecting hole located within a U-shaped profile interior ( 712 ) when the perimeter plate is connected to the outboard plate exterior surface, and the second control arm connecting hole located within the U-shaped profile interior when the perimeter plate is connected to the inboard plate exterior surface; and a cam plate ( 720 ) located within the U-shaped profile interior, said cam plate having a plate through hole ( 722 ) offset from a plate central axis ( 724 ), and a pin ( 726 ) extending from a plate bottom surface ( 728 ); and wherein the mounting bolt passes through the plate through hole, when the perimeter plate is attached to the outboard plate exterior surface, the first control arm connecting hole is has a first horizontally oriented discorectangle shape, and the outboard plate includes a first curved slot through which the pin passes, and when the perimeter plate is attached to the inboard plate exterior surface, the second control arm connecting hole has a second horizontally oriented discorectangle shape, and the inboard plate includes a second curved slot ( 129 ) through which the pin passes.
4. 4 . The suspension unit of claim 3 , wherein the control arm and the hanger are configured such that the jounce spring and the rebound spring are compressed and relaxed simultaneously in substantially opposite directions.
5. 5 . The suspension unit of claim 2 , wherein the jounce spring is made of a first elastomeric polymer material.
6. 6 . The suspension unit of claim 2 , wherein the rebound spring is made of a second elastomeric polymer material.
7. 7 . The suspension unit of claim 2 , wherein the jounce spring is preloaded such that the jounce spring is under compression when the control arm is at rest.
8. 8 . The suspension unit of claim 2 , wherein the rebound spring is preloaded such that the rebound spring is under compression when the control arm is at rest.
9. 9 . The suspension unit of claim 1 , wherein the toe adjustment mechanism comprises: a perimeter plate ( 710 ) having a U-shaped profile ( 711 ), said perimeter plate being attached to an outboard plate exterior surface ( 118 ) or an inboard plate exterior surface ( 128 ) with the first control arm connecting hole located within a U-shaped profile interior ( 712 ) when the perimeter plate is connected to the outboard plate exterior surface, and the second control arm connecting hole located within the U-shaped profile interior when the perimeter plate is connected to the inboard plate exterior surface; and a cam plate ( 720 ) located within the U-shaped profile interior, said cam plate having a plate through hole ( 722 ) offset from a plate central axis ( 724 ), and a pin ( 726 ) extending from a plate bottom surface ( 728 ); and wherein the mounting bolt passes through the plate through hole, when the perimeter plate is attached to the outboard plate exterior surface, the first control arm connecting hole has a first horizontally oriented discorectangle shape, and the outboard plate includes a first curved slot through which the pin passes, and when the perimeter plate is attached to the inboard plate exterior surface, the second control arm connecting hole has a second horizontally oriented discorectangle shape, and the inboard plate includes a second curved slot ( 129 ) through which the pin passes.
10. 10 . The suspension unit of claim 9 , wherein the jounce spring is made of a first elastomeric polymer material.
11. 11 . The suspension unit of claim 9 , wherein the rebound spring is made of a second elastomeric polymer material.
12. 12 . The suspension unit of claim 9 , wherein the jounce spring is preloaded such that the jounce spring is under compression when the control arm is at rest.
13. 13 . The suspension unit of claim 9 , wherein the rebound spring is preloaded such that the rebound spring is under compression when the control arm is at rest.
14. 14 . The suspension unit of claim 1 , wherein the jounce spring is made of a first elastomeric polymer material.
15. 15 . The suspension unit of claim 1 , wherein the rebound spring is made of a second elastomeric polymer material.
16. 16 . The suspension unit of claim 1 , wherein the control arm and the hanger are configured such that the jounce spring and the rebound spring are compressed and relaxed simultaneously in substantially opposite directions.
17. 17 . The suspension unit of claim 1 , wherein the jounce spring is preloaded such that the jounce spring is under compression when the control arm is at rest.
18. 18 . The suspension unit of claim 1 , wherein the rebound spring is preloaded such that the rebound spring is under compression when the control arm is at rest.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES AND PRIORITIES This Application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/642,219 filed on 3 May 2024, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND Suspensions for vehicles, namely trailers, often include an axle which spans the distance between a wheel and tire assembly on one side of the trailer and a corresponding wheel and tire assembly on the opposing side of the trailer. In practice, these axle assemblies are often bulky, heavy, and difficult to install. In addition, trailer axles can reduce critical ground clearance which negatively impacts the ability for one to tow trailers over uneven terrain. In recent years, axle-free suspension systems have been developed for certain trailers. One such axle-free suspension system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,523,208 B2—the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety—which discloses an independent suspension with no axle which includes a hanger and a control arm having opposite first and second ends pivotally mounted to the hanger between the first and second ends. The suspension unit further includes a spindle arm mounted to the first end of the control arm. The suspension unit also includes a jounce spring on the control arm and a rebound spring mounted between the control arm and the hanger. The control arm and hanger are configured such that when the first end of the control arm pivots towards the frame of the vehicle the jounce spring is compressed and the rebound spring is relaxed and when the first end of the control arm moves away from the frame the jounce spring is relaxed and the rebound spring is compressed. In practice, such axle-free suspension systems require precision manufacturing and installation to ensure proper alignment of the wheel and tire assembly including camber and toe. Camber referring to the tilt angle between the vertical axis of the wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle when viewed from the front or rear. Toe—sometimes referred to as tracking—referring to the angle that the wheel makes with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle when viewed from above. Once the axle-free suspension system is connected to the frame of the trailer, camber and toe cannot be adjusted without removing the axle-free suspension system—or a portion thereof—from the frame. Spacers or shims are inserted at various mounting points before reassembling the axle-free suspension system and measuring the change in alignment. If alignment issues remain, this labor intensive process is repeated until such time that satisfactory alignment is achieved. The need exists, therefore, for an improved system and device for adjusting the alignment—including camber and/or toe—of an axle-free suspension system. SUMMARY Disclosed herein is a suspension unit for suspending a wheel and tire assembly from a vehicle frame. The suspension unit including a hanger, a control arm, a spindle assembly, a jounce spring, a rebound spring, a camber adjustment mechanism, and a toe adjustment mechanism. The hanger including an outboard plate comprising a first control arm connecting hole, an inner plate comprising a second control arm connection hole, a top wall connecting between an outboard plate upper edge and an inboard plate upper edge, and a front wall connecting between an outboard plate leading edge and an inboard plate leading edge. The control arm having a forward wall connected to an upper wall with a mounting stud connected to an upper wall proximal end. The spindle assembly connected to an upper wall top surface at an upper wall terminal end. The jounce spring positioned between the upper wall top surface and a top wall bottom surface. The rebound spring positioned between a forward wall outer surface and a front wall inner surface. A mounting bolt connects the control arm to the hanger by passing through the first control arm connecting hole, the mounting stud, and the second control arm connecting hole. The camber adjustment mechanism is configured to change a first position of a mounting bolt first end along a y-axis relative to a second potion of a mounting bolt second end along the y-axis. The toe adjustment mechanism is configured to change a third potion of the mounting bolt first end or the mounting bolt second end along an x-axis relative to a fourth position of an opposing mounting bolt end along the x-axis. In some embodiments, the camber adjustment mechanism may include a guide plate and a profile disk. The guide plate—when present—may have a C-shaped profile, and may be attached to an outboard plate exterior surface or an inboard plate exterior surface. When the guide plate is connected to the outboard plate exterior surface the first control arm connecting hole may be located within a C-shaped profile interior. When the guide plate is connected to the inboard plate exterior surface the second control arm connecting hole may be located within the C-shaped p