AU2012203220B2

AU2012203220B2 - A vehicle support arm assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2012203220B2
Application number: AU2012203220A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Robert Hayes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-08-24
Filing date: 2012-05-31
Publication date: 2013-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2028-06-25
Also published as: AU2008202797A1; AU2010100451A4; AU2012203220A1; AU2010100451B4; AU2008202797B2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a support arm for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis. The support arm is suitable for extending from the chassis and for supporting resilient coupling means. In turn, the coupling means is mounted to the axle assembly with mounting bracket means. The support arm defines two apertures for receiving the resilient coupling means. The apertures are of different size.

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT A VEHICLE SUPPORT ARM ASSEMBLY The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: A VEHICLE SUPPORT ARM ASSEMBLY TECHNICAL FIELD 5 The present invention relates to a support arm assembly for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis. The present invention has particular, although not exclusive application to four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles. 10 BACKGROUND The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. 15 Figure 1 shows a known support arm 2 (also called a "radius arm") for supporting a vehicle differential assembly 4 (Figure 2) incorporating an axle assembly. In practice, a like pair of support arms 2 supports the differential assembly 4 on either side of the vehicle differential (not shown) which, in turn, 20 drives a pair of wheels via an axle. The doglegged support arm 2 is elongate and includes a threaded shaft 6 at one end for fastening the arm to the vehicle chassis (not shown) using a complementary fastening nut. The support arm 2 defines two apertures 8a,b 25 at the other end which facilitate mounting to the differential assembly 4 as explained below. Referring to Figure 2, a support arm assembly 10 including the support arm 2 is used to support the vehicle differential assembly 4 relative to the vehicle 30 chassis. The support arm assembly 10 further includes a pair of couplers 12a,b force fitted within respective apertures 8a,b. The couplers 12a,b resiliently couple the support arm 2 to a pair of opposite mounting lug sets 14a,b of the differential assembly 4.

2 Returning to Figure 1, each coupler 12 includes a resilient rubber bushing 16 for being received in a corresponding aperture 8 defined in the arm 2. Each coupler 12 further includes a rigid tubular core 18 fitted within the bushing 16 and for receiving the shaft of a respective fastener. The fastener is in the form 5 of a threaded nut and bolt assembly 20 (see Figure 2). Returning to Figure 2, each mounting lug set 14 includes a pair of parallel plate-like mounting lugs 22. In use, the support arm assembly 10 is located between the mounting lug sets 14a,b so that coupler 12a is between one pair 10 of mounting lugs 22a,22b and coupler 12b is between the other pair of mounting lugs 22c,22d. The tubular cores 18 of the couplers 12 are aligned with mounting holes defined in the lugs 22. The shafts of the nut and bolt assemblies 20 pass through the mounting holes and the tubular cores 18. 15 The foregoing arrangement of Figure 2 is suitable for use in a four wheel drive (4WD) vehicle. As the 4WD vehicle traverses uneven terrain, the differential assembly 4 can move relative to the support arm 2 (and therefore the vehicle chassis) owing to the resilience of the couplers 12a,b. 20 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support arm for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the support arm suitable for extending from the chassis and for supporting 25 resilient coupling means, in turn, mounted to the axle assembly with mounting bracket means, the support arm defining two apertures of different sizes for receiving the resilient coupling means, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second 30 aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support arm assembly for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the support arm assembly including: 3 a support arm for extending from the chassis and for supporting resilient coupling means, the support arm defining two apertures of different sizes for receiving the resilient coupling means, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of 5 the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; and mounting bracket means for mounting to the axle assembly and the resilient coupling means. 10 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support arm assembly for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the support arm assembly including: a support arm for extending from the chassis and defining two apertures of different size to support resilient coupling means, the apertures 15 being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; mounting bracket means for mounting to the axle assembly; and the resilient coupling means for resiliently coupling the support arm 20 relative to the mounting bracket means. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle including: a chassis; 25 a differential assembly for driving a pair of wheels; and a support arm assembly for supporting the differential assembly relative to the chassis, the support arm assembly including: a support arm for extending from the chassis and defining two apertures of different sizes, the apertures being centered on the same lateral 30 side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; mounting bracket means for mounting to the differential assembly; and 3a coupling means for being received in the apertures to resiliently couple the support arm relative to the mounting bracket means. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 5 method for mounting a support arm assembly to support a vehicle differential assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the method including the steps of: mounting a support arm defining two apertures of different sizes to extend from the chassis, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level 10 with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; mounting bracket means to the differential assembly; and resiliently coupling the support arm relative to the mounting bracket means with coupling means in the apertures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient 5 information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows: 10 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle support arm according to the prior art; Figure 2 is an upper perspective view showing the support arm of Figure 1 supporting a vehicle differential assembly according to the prior art; 15 Figure 3 is a perspective view showing an unassembled support arm assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the support arm assembly of Figure 3; and 20 Figure 5 is an upper perspective view showing the support arm assembly of Figures 3 and 4 supporting a vehicle differential assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 25 The use of any reference numerals below which have also previously been used, refer to like features previously described. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an 30 unassembled support arm assembly 30 as shown in Figure 3. The support arm assembly 30 is suitable for supporting a vehicle differential assembly 4 (see Figure 5) including an axle 50 relative to a vehicle chassis (not shown). The support arm assembly 30 includes a support arm 32 for rigidly mounting to extend from the chassis. The support arm assembly 30 further includes a pair of mounting brackets 34a,34b for rigidly mounting to the differential assembly 4. A pair of couplers 12a,12b are also provided for resiliently coupling the support arm 32 relative to the mounting brackets 34a,34b. A detailed description of the support arm assembly 30 is provided below. 5 Turing firstly to Figure 3, the elongate support arm 30 is a bowed plate and includes a threaded shaft 36 at one end for fastening the arm 30 to the chassis using a complementary fastening nut (not shown). The support arm 30 defines two apertures 38a,b at the other end which are located in close 10 proximity to each other so that, in use, they are both located on the same side of the differential assembly 4. The endmost and lowermost aperture 38b is of smaller size than the innermost and uppermost aperture 38a. The endmost and lowermost aperture 38b is also located closer to the axle 50 than the innermost and uppermost aperture 38a (see. Fig. 5). 15 Each coupler 12 includes a resilient outer rubber bushing for being received in a respective aperture 38 defined in the arm 32. Each coupler 12 further includes a rigid metal tube fitted within the bushing and for receiving the shaft of a respective bolt. In use, the couplers 12a,b also of different size are force 20 fitted within respective apertures 38a,b. Each mounting bracket 34 is generally "L-shaped" to form a cradle for passing under and cradling the differential assembly 4. Each mounting bracket 34 defines a triplet of holes 40. For each bracket 34, one pair of the holes 40 can 25 align with corresponding holes of mounting lugs 22 of the differential assembly 4 (Figure 5) and another pair of the holes 40 can align with corresponding metal tube cores of the couplers 12. The support arm assembly 30 further includes a rigid tubular spacer 42 for 30 being fastened between the mounting brackets 34a,b in the location shown in Figure 4. Returning to Figure 3, a triplet of threaded bolts 44 are provided for passing through holes 40 of the mounting brackets 34a,34b. A triplet of complementary threaded fastening nuts 46 are provided for engaging with the bolts 44 to hold the support arm assembly 30 together as shown in Figure 5.

Turning to Figure 5, the differential assembly 4 includes a pair of opposite mounting lug sets 14a,b. Lug set 14a includes a pair of parallel mounting lugs 22a,22b whereas lug set 14b includes a pair of parallel mounting lugs 5 22c,22d. Each mounting lug set 14 defines a pair of aligned holes (i.e. one in each lug 22) through which the shaft of a bolt 44 can pass. In use, the support arm assembly 30 shown in Figure 4 is located between the parallel mounting lugs 22 of the mounting lug sets 14a,b as shown in Figure 5. 10 The triplet of bolts 44 (and nuts 46) is then used to fasten the support arm assembly 30 to the differential assembly 4. One of the bolts 44 passes through the lug 22a, mounting bracket 34a, coupler 12a, mounting bracket 34b and then lug 22b. Another one of the bolts 44 passes through mounting bracket 34a, coupler 12b and then mounting bracket 34b. The final bolt 44 15 passes through the lug 22c, mounting bracket 34a, spacer 42, mounting bracket 34b and then lug 22d. Mounting bracket 34a is rigidly mounted to lugs 22a and 22c whereas mounting bracket 34b is rigidly mounted to lugs 22b and 22d. The fastening 20 joints about the couplers 12a,b are resilient whereby the couplers 12a,b resiliently couple the support arm 32 (fixed to the chassis) relative to the mounting brackets 34 (fixed to the differential assembly 4). The degree of movement of the differential assembly 4 relative to the support arm 32 is greater than that of the differential assembly 4 relative to the support arm 2 25 previously described in the background. In practice, the applicant has found that having a pair of support arm assemblies support the differential assembly 4 on either side of the vehicle differential (not shown) yields desirable results, when the support arm 30 assembly 10 is provided on the driver side of the vehicle and the support arm assembly 30 is provided on the passenger side of the vehicle. In this manner, the differential assembly 4 is prone to axial twist in use. The endmost and lowermost resilient coupler 12b of smaller size, fitted in corresponding aperture 38b and located closer to the axle 50, resists compression forces more than the innermost and uppermost resilient coupler 12a. Accordingly, the greater play of resilient coupler 12a compared with coupler 12b facilitates the twisting. 5 Referring to Figure 5, the differential assembly 4 further includes a tubular axle 50 from which the opposite mounting lug sets 14a,b outwardly extend. The axle 50 is cradled by the brackets 34a,b and extends from the differential. A suspension seat 52 is located on top of the differential assembly 4 and, in use, supports the wheel suspension system. A drive shaft (not shown) 10 extends from the differential within the tubular axle 50 and terminates in an external wheel mounting plate 54 to which one of the vehicle wheels can be mounted. In practice, the support arm assembly 30 can be retrofitted to a vehicle in 15 place of the support arm assembly 10. Firstly, the support arm assembly 10 is removed from the vehicle. A retro-fit method for mounting the support arm assembly 30 to support the vehicle differential assembly 4 relative to the vehicle chassis is now described. 20 The method includes the steps of: (1) mounting the support arm 32 to extend from the chassis; (2) mounting the brackets 34a,b to the mounting lug sets 14a,b of the differential assembly 4; and (3) resiliently coupling the support arm 32 relative to the mounting brackets 34a,b using the couplers 12a,12b. The foregoing steps can be performed in any order. 25 A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention. 30 In the preferred embodiment, the brackets 34a,b were mounted within the confines of the lugs 22. In an alternative embodiment, the brackets 34a,b can be mounted to the outside of the lugs 22 so that the lugs 22 are located between the brackets 34a,b.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of 5 putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A support arm for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the support arm suitable for extending from the chassis and for supporting resilient coupling means, in turn, mounted to the axle assembly with mounting bracket means, the support arm defining two apertures of different sizes for receiving the resilient coupling means, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation.

2. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein an endmost one of the apertures is of smaller size than an innermost one of the apertures.

3. A support arm as claimed in claim 2 wherein, in use, the endmost aperture is a lowermost aperture and the innermost aperture is an uppermost aperture.

4. A support arm as claimed any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm has a bowed plate body.

5. A support arm assembly for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the support arm assembly including: a support arm for extending from the chassis and for supporting resilient coupling means, the support arm defining two apertures of difference sizes for receiving the resilient coupling means, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; and mounting bracket means for mounting to the axle assembly and the resilient coupling means. 10

6. A support arm assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support arm is elongate, and includes fastening means including a threaded shaft extending along the arm at one end for fastening the arm to the chassis.

7. A support arm assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two apertures are located at the other end.

8. A support arm assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the mounting bracket means includes a pair of mounting brackets for cradling the axle assembly from below.

9. A support arm assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein each mounting bracket is shaped to form a recess for receiving the axle assembly, and has a pair of apertures defined at either end for receiving fasteners that pass through opposing lugs of the axle assembly.

10. A support arm assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein an endmost one of the apertures is of smaller size than an innermost one of the apertures.

11. A support arm assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the endmost aperture is a lowermost aperture and the innermost aperture is an uppermost aperture.

12. A support arm assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 11, further including a spacer for being fastened between mounting brackets of the mounting bracket means.

13. A support arm assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 12, wherein the apertures are located on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly. 11

14. A support arm assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 13, wherein the coupling means includes two resilient bushings for being received in respective apertures defined in the arm.

15. A support arm assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the coupling means further includes a pair of rigid tubes fitted within respective bushings and for receiving shafts of respective fasteners.

16. A support arm assembly for supporting a vehicle axle assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the support arm assembly including: a support arm for extending from the chassis and defining two apertures of different size to support resilient coupling means, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; mounting bracket means for mounting to the axle assembly; and the resilient coupling means for resiliently coupling the support arm relative to the mounting bracket means.

17. A vehicle including: a chassis; a differential assembly for driving a pair of wheels; and a support arm assembly for supporting the differential assembly relative to the chassis, the support arm assembly including: a support arm for extending from the chassis and defining two apertures of different sizes, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; mounting bracket means for mounting to the differential assembly; and coupling means for being received in the apertures to resiliently couple the support arm relative to the mounting bracket means. 12

18. A method for mounting a support arm assembly to support a vehicle differential assembly relative to a vehicle chassis, the method including the steps of: mounting a support arm defining two apertures of different sizes to extend from the chassis, the apertures being centered on the same lateral side of the vehicle axle assembly, wherein a first one of the apertures is level with an axle of the axle assembly and the other second aperture is below the first aperture to facilitate axle rotation; mounting bracket means to the differential assembly; and resiliently coupling the support arm relative to the mounting bracket means with coupling means in the apertures.

19. A support arm substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3.