US3572678A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Overload spring structure
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-10-17
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Granted: 1971-03-30
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Expires: 1988-10-17
Abstract
Abstract An overload spring assembly for a vehicle, including two coil springs or spring sections interposed between the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle, with one of the two springs being stiffer than the other, and with the springs being ineffective to assist the main suspension system under normal load conditions, but being movable into supporting relation under a predetermined overload condition. Stops associated with the springs, and preferably carried by a shock absorber within the interior of the springs, cause the springs when they do become effective to produce first a soft supporting action, and then a stiffer action dependent only upon the characteristics of the stiffer spring, with the stops preferably also serving in an extended or rebound condition to resiliently limit the separation of the sprung and unsprung masses.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Jerz Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:10
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16F; F16F3/00; F16F3/02; F16F3/04; B; B60; B60G; B60G15/00; B60G15/02; B60G15/06; B60G15/062; B60G15/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
In a motor vehicle having a main suspension system supporting a sprung mass resiliently in a predetermined normal position relative to an unsprung mass; overload apparatus comprising two coil spring sections in addition to said main suspension system received operatively and in series between said sprung and unsprung masses, a first of said spring sections being relatively stiff and the second section being relatively soft, said sections being ineffective to assist in supporting the sprung mass in said normal position thereof but being positioned and constructed to become effective for such support in series with one another when the sprung mass moves downwardly relative to the unsprung mass to an overload position, and shoulder means engageable upon predetermined further downward movement of said sprung mass relative to said unsprung mass beyond said overload position to thereafter support said sprung mass by said stiffer section independently of said softer section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a motor vehicle having a main suspension system supporting a sprung mass resiliently in a predetermined normal position relative to an unsprung mass; overload apparatus comprising two coil spring sections in addition to said main suspension system received operatively and in series between said sprung and unsprung masses, a first of said spring sections being relatively stiff and the second section being relatively soft, said sections being ineffective to assist in supporting the sprung mass in said normal position thereof but being positioned and constructed to become effective for such support in series with one another when the sprung mass moves downwardly relative to the unsprung mass to an overload position, and shoulder means engageable upon predetermined further downward movement of said sprung mass relative to said unsprung mass beyond said overload position to thereafter support said sprung mass by said stiffer section independently of said softer section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1, including shoulder means engageable in an elevated relative position of said sprung mass to yieldingly resist further relative elevation of said sprung mass by the force of said stiff spring section and independently of said soft spring section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a shock absorber within said two spring sections.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a shock absorber within said two spring sections and connected at its opposite ends to said two masses respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said spring sections are formed separately and have adjacent ends which in said normal position are out of load transmitting relation but are movable into load transmitting relation in said overload position of the sprung mass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
97 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said spring sections are formed separately and have adjacent ends which in said normal position are spaced apart but are movable into load-supporting relation to transmit forces therebetween in said overload position, said shoulder means including a first stop shoulder carried by said end of one of said spring sections, and a second stop shoulder engageable by said first stop shoulder after predetermined compression of said soft spring section to prevent further compression thereof and transmit load forces between said masses directly through only said stiff spring section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
115 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said two spring sections are formed separately and have first ends received in load-supporting relation with respect to said two masses respectively, said sections having second ends which in said normal position are spaced apart but are moveable into load-supporting relation to transmit forces therebetween in said overload position, there being a first stop shoulder carried by said second end of one of said spring sections, and a second stop shoulder engageable by said first stop shoulder after predetermined elevation of said sprung mass above said normal position to yieldingly resist further relative elevation of said sprung mass by the force of said stiff spring section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said stiff spring section has a first end secured in fixed position to one of said masses, said shoulder means including a shoulder at the opposite end of said stiff spring section, and an additional shoulder carried by the other mass and engageable by said first shoulder in force transmitting relation after said pRedetermined relative movement of said two shoulders.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said stiff spring section has a first end connected in fixed position to one of said masses and has a second end which in said normal position is out of load transmitting relation with said soft spring section, but is relatively movable into such load-transmitting relation in said overload position, said shoulder means including a shoulder structure carried by said second end of said stiff section and engageable with two additional shoulders carried by the other mass to limit relative movement of said second end of the stiff section both upwardly and downwardly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 9 including a shock absorber extending vertically within said spring sections and connected at opposite ends to said two masses respectively, and means mounting said additional shoulders at spaced locations on said shock absorber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
169 words
Overload apparatus as recited in claim 1 including means securing a first end of said stiff spring section fixedly to one of said masses and a first end of said soft section fixedly to the other mass, said sections having second ends which in said normal position are out of load transmitting relation but are movable into such relation in said overload position, said shoulder means including a stop shoulder structure carried by said second end of said stiff spring section, there being a shock absorber within the sections and having a cylinder and piston connectable one to each of said masses, said shoulder means including two stop shoulders carried by said cylinder of the shock absorber at spaced locations and engageable with said first mentioned stop shoulder structure to transmit forces therefrom directly to the cylinder in two predetermined positions one of which is beneath the position in which said two spring sections move into load transmitting relation, and the other of which is above said normal position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
133 words
In a vehicle having a main suspension system supporting a sprung mass resiliently in a predetermined normal position relative to an upsprung mass; overload apparatus including a stiff coil spring section and a softer coil spring section received operatively in series between said sprung and unsprung masses, said spring sections being ineffective to assist in supporting the sprung mass in said normal position thereof but being positioned and constructed to become effective for such support in series when the sprung mass moves downwardly relative to the unsprung mass to an overload position, there being shoulder means engageable in an elevated relative position of said sprung mass above said normal position thereof to yieldingly resist further relative elevation of said sprung mass by the force of said stiff section independently of said softer section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
133 words
In a vehicle having a main suspension system supporting a sprung mass resiliently in a predetermined normal position relative to an upsprung mass; overload apparatus including a stiff coil spring section and a softer coil spring section received operatively in series between said sprung and unsprung masses, said spring sections being ineffective to assist in supporting the sprung mass in said normal position thereof but being positioned and constructed to become effective for such support in series when the sprung mass moves downwardly relative to the unsprung mass to an overload position, there being shoulder means engageable in an elevated relative position of said sprung mass above said normal position thereof to yieldingly resist further relative elevation of said sprung mass by the force of said stiff section independently of said softer section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2782051A
Cited
US3263983A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-29 | 1974-09-28 | 1975-03-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-29 | 1978-09-28 | 1979-03-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-29 | 1982-09-28 | 1983-03-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |