V-Rod Attachment Assembly with Adjustable Arm Brackets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current V-rod attachment designs for vehicle suspensions are frame-width dependent, require varying V-shaped member lengths or different brackets to adjust axle pinion angles, and often use shims, which increase complexity, weight, and labor costs, while also obstructing the passage of wires and hoses due to corner brackets.
Innovation Solution
A V-rod attachment assembly with a V-shaped member and adjustable arm brackets that can accommodate different frame widths and axle pinion angles without changing arm lengths or using shims, featuring longitudinally extending slots and interchangeable adjustment plates to allow for relative movement and alignment with frame rails and cross members, enabling easy adjustment and passage of wires and hoses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different V-shaped members with varying arm lengths are used to adjust axle pinion angles, then the axle pinion angle can be adjusted to different requirements, but the device complexity and inventory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the V-shaped member adjustable by providing slots in the arm brackets that allow the arms to be repositioned to different locations along the brackets. This dynamic adjustment capability replaces the need for multiple fixed-length V-shaped members, allowing a single versatile component to accommodate different axle pinion angle requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the position parameter of the V-shaped member arms relative to the arm brackets. By allowing the arms to be positioned at different locations along the brackets (changing the effective length and angle), the system can adjust the axle pinion angle without requiring multiple different V-shaped members.
2Adaptability or versatility
If shims are used to adjust axle pinion angles, then fine adjustment can be achieved, but the device complexity, weight, and installation labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes shims from the adjustment system entirely. Instead of using shims positioned between components to achieve fine adjustment, the design incorporates slots and adjustable mounting mechanisms that provide direct geometric adjustment of the axle pinion angle, eliminating the need for additional shim components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces arm brackets with slots as an intermediary mechanism between the V-shaped member arms and the frame. This intermediary structure provides the adjustment capability that previously required shims, allowing for clean, direct mounting without additional components.
3Strength
If corner brackets are used to attach V-shaped members to frame rails, then the attachment can be secured, but the passage of wires and hoses is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the attachment system into separate components: the arm brackets that provide structural attachment points, and the V-shaped member arms that provide suspension function. This segmentation allows wires and hoses to be routed through or alongside the bracket structures without being blocked by a single integrated corner bracket design.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm brackets serve as intermediary components that mediate between the frame rails and the V-shaped members. These brackets are designed with geometries that provide secure attachment while creating pathways or open spaces that allow wires and hoses to pass through or alongside the attachment points.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple different brackets and frame drillings are used to accommodate various frame widths, then proper attachment can be achieved, but the adaptability to different frame configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the arm brackets and mounting systems to be universal components that can accommodate multiple frame widths and configurations. The brackets incorporate adjustable features and multiple mounting options that allow a single bracket design to serve multiple functions across different vehicle platforms, eliminating the need for frame-width-specific variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides adjustable and reconfigurable mounting systems that can adapt to different frame widths. The arm brackets and associated hardware allow for repositioning and reconfiguration to accommodate various frame geometries, making the attachment system dynamic rather than fixed to specific frame dimensions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A V-rod assembly having a V-shaped member with a vertex for attachment to an axle and with first and second extending arms that attach to first and second arm brackets respectively, first and second gussets each with a first plurality of holes for attachment to the first and second arm brackets respectively, and corresponding to a first plurality of holes on a first plate and a second plate respectively, and each arm bracket with a plurality of holes for attachment to a cross member, the first and second plates having a second plurality of holes for attachment to the cross member, wherein the first plurality of holes on the first and second gussets comprise longitudinally extending slots that accommodate relative longitudinal movement of the first plurality of holes on the first and second plates with respect to the second plurality of holes on first and second plates respectively.