IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,350,994
Granted Patent B2
US 12,350,994 · App. 18/089,665 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Suspension and off-road vehicle

Inventors: Tatsuya Hatanaka (Akashi, JP); Takashi Hisamura (Akashi, JP)
Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
B60G7/008B60G3/20B60G7/001B60G2200/144B60G2204/1224B60G2204/129B60G2204/148B60G2204/43B60G2300/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,350,994
App. No.
18/089,665
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A suspension 4 includes a suspension arm 41 that couples a knuckle 3 to a vehicle body frame 1 , and a shock absorber 42 that is attached to the suspension arm 41 . The suspension arm 41 includes a lower arm 5 and an upper arm 6 located higher than the lower arm 5 . The upper arm 6 has a front arm 61 and a rear arm 62 located at the rear with respect to the front arm 61 . A lower end 42 a of the shock absorber 42 is attached to one of the front arm 61 or the rear arm 62.

Claims (36)

1. A suspension comprising:

a suspension arm that couples a knuckle to a vehicle body frame; and

a shock absorber that is attached to the suspension arm,

wherein:

the suspension arm includes a lower arm and an upper arm located higher than the lower arm,

the upper arm has a front arm including a hollow arm body, a rear arm including a hollow arm body and located at a rear with respect to the front arm and a joined portion at which the front arm and the rear arm are joined to form a single contiguous hollow body, the joined portion being hollow,

a lower end of the shock absorber is attached to a bracket,

the bracket is attached to both the hollow arm body of one of the front arm or the rear arm and the joined portion, and

a portion on an inner side of the hollow arm body of one of the front arm and the rear arm in a vehicle width direction with respect to the bracket curves in a downwardly-raised shape.

2. The suspension of claim 1 , wherein

the lower end of the shock absorber is attached to the rear arm.

3. The suspension of claim 2 , wherein

the rear arm is located at a front of a steering tie rod, and the rear arm and the steering tie rod are aligned in a front-rear direction.

4. The suspension of claim 2 , wherein

the rear arm at least partially overlaps with a steering tie rod when viewed in a vehicle front-rear direction.

5. The suspension of claim 1 , wherein

the bracket is located on the arm body of one of the front arm and the rear arm so as to protrude upward from the arm body of one of the front arm and the rear arm.

6. The suspension of claim 1 , wherein

the bracket has first and second plates standing on the arm body of one of the front arm and the rear arm and a third plate coupling part of an upper end of the first plate and part of an upper end of the second plate to each other,

the lower end of the shock absorber is located between the first plate and the second plate, and is supported by the first plate and the second plate, and

the third plate is inclined downward toward an outer side in the vehicle width direction.

7. The suspension of claim 6 , wherein

the upper arm has an arm end at which an outer end of the front arm in the vehicle width direction and an outer end of the rear arm in the vehicle width direction are joined to each other, and

the third plate is coupled to a portion of the upper end of the first plate and a portion of the upper end of the second plate closer to the arm end.

8. The suspension of claim 1 , wherein

the lower end of the shock absorber partially overlaps with the one, to which the shock absorber is attached, of the front arm or the rear arm when viewed in an up-down direction.

9. A suspension comprising:

a suspension arm that couples a knuckle to a vehicle body frame; and

a shock absorber that is attached to the suspension arm,

wherein the suspension arm includes a lower arm and an upper arm located higher than the lower arm,

the upper arm has a front arm, a rear arm located at a rear with respect to the front arm, a joined portion at which the front arm and the rear arm are joined together, and a cross member joined to each the front arm and the rear arm,

the rear arm includes an arm body which is hollow and a bracket which is joined to the arm body and to which a lower end of the shock absorber is attached, and

the bracket is located at least from the joined portion over a portion of the rear arm to which the cross member is joined,

wherein:

the bracket includes a concave portion which corresponds in shape to the cross member,

the concave portion of the bracket is over the cross member.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2023
From: HATANAKA, TATSUYA; HISAMURA, TAKASHI
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063304/0133 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240217291A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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