IP Library Granted Patent US 7,997,599
Granted Patent B2
US 7,997,599 · App. 12/845,896 · Granted Aug 16, 2011

Suspension system for a vehicle

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,997,599
App. No.
12/845,896
Granted
Aug 16, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A suspension system of the present invention pivotally supports a wheel of a motor vehicle. An upper control arm and a lower control arm are cooperable with a spindle, which supports the wheel. A vibration damper is cooperable with the upper control arm. A link interconnects the lower control arm and one of the terminal ends of the vibration damper thereby defining a common axis bisecting the link. The vibration damper moves along the common axis to absorb vibration transferred from a road surface and through the wheel.

Claims (14)

1. A clevis for providing a support link between a vibration damper and the lower control arm of a vehicle suspension system, comprising:

said clevis stamped from a metal blank forming a monolithic construction having generally uniform thickness throughout, and including a tubular neck portion and a pair of opposed spaced legs extending from said neck portion, each of said legs including a reinforcing rib extending along and projecting from said legs.

2. The clevis as defined in claim 1 , wherein said neck portion includes terminal edges and a pair of lips extending from each of said terminal edges to receive a connector.

3. The clevis as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of said legs defines a periphery having a flange for strengthening said link and said each of said flanges are tapered proximate to their distal ends.

4. The clevis as defined in claim 3 , wherein one of said peripheries defines a generally linear geometry.

5. The clevis as defined in claim 1 , wherein said legs are concave outwardly ending in a terminal edge, further strengthening said clevis.

6. The clevis as defined in claim 1 , wherein said legs are concave outwardly to a peripheral edge and one of said periphery defines a generally linear geometry.

7. The clevis as defined in claim 1 , wherein said ribs extend into said neck portion, thereby tapering in an opposite direction from the distal end to increase strength of said length.

8. The clevis as defined in claim 7 , wherein said rib bridges said neck portion and said legs present a first width as said reinforcing rib extends from a distal end of said neck portion and a second width as said leg transforms to said neck portion and a third width as said reinforcing rib further tapers into said neck portion.

9. A clevis for providing a support link between a vibrational damper and a lower control arm of a vehicle suspension system, comprising:

said clevis stamped from a metal blank forming a monolithic construction having a generally uniform thickness throughout and including a neck portion and a pair of opposed spaced legs extending from said neck portion, each of said legs concave outwardly to a peripheral edge strengthening said clevis.

10. The clevis as defined in claim 9 , wherein a midportion of said legs each include a reinforcing rib extending along and projecting from said legs.

11. The clevis as defined in claim 10 , wherein said ribs extend into said neck portion.

12. The clevis as defined in claim 9 , wherein said neck portion includes terminal edges and a pair of lips extending from each of said terminal edges to receive a connector.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2023
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: DURA AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS U.K., LTD.; DUS OPERATING INC.; GROUPER STAMPING LLC; GROUPER ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 064502/0136 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: GROUPER STAMPING, LLC
Reel/Frame 059601/0009 →
PATENT AND TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 13, 2022
From: DURA AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS U.K., LTD; DUS OPERATING INC.; GROUPER STAMPING, LLC; GROUPER ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059704/0131 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 1, 2021
From: GROUPER STAMPING, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINSTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 056750/0149 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 16, 2021
From: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE AGENCY, LLC
To: GROUPER CASTING, LLC; GROUPER BLANKING, LLC; GROUPER STAMPING, LLC
Reel/Frame 055953/0389 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2021
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: SHILOH MANUFACTURING LLC
Reel/Frame 055021/0639 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2021
From: SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC.; SHILOH MANUFACTURING LLC
To: GROUPER STAMPING, LLC
Reel/Frame 054832/0816 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST - PATENTS Recorded Dec 1, 2020
From: GROUPER BLANKING, LLC; GROUPER STAMPING, LLC; GROUPER CASTING, LLC
To: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE AGENCY, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054557/0982 →