Inflation valve bracket for an air spring assembly on a vehicle

A vehicle includes a chassis having a frame member, and a suspension system carried by the chassis. One or more air spring assemblies are associated with the suspension system, with each air spring assembly having an air bag, an air line and an air valve. An inflation valve bracket includes a channel and a flange depending from the channel. The channel is at least partially wrapped around the frame member. The flange has one or more openings with a corresponding air valve in each opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to vehicle suspension systems, and, more particularly, to air spring helper kits which may be used with suspension systems.

2. Description of the Related Art

Vehicle suspension systems are typically designed and constructed to include a balance of vehicle performance and ride quality or comfort. Depending upon the type and kind of vehicle upon which the suspension system is being used, this balance between performance and ride comfort may be more heavily weighted toward one condition than the other. In most cases, however, typical vehicle suspension systems are relatively well suited for operation under all normal driving conditions. For example, such conditions can include high-speed highway driving as well as traveling along a rough street or road at a relatively low speed.

Performance challenges for such typical suspension systems occur, however, under more extreme conditions. For example, a vehicle having a suspension system that is well balanced for performance and comfort is often not well suited for the very high speeds and accelerations associated with track usage. Similarly, such typical suspension systems are often not well adapted for conditions requiring large suspension travel, such as traversing off-road terrain, for example. Additionally, vehicle suspension systems that are well suited for either of such extreme performance conditions often do not provide a suitable balance of comfort and performance under normal driving conditions.

To overcome these and other issues and difficulties, vehicle suspension systems have been developed that provide balanced performance and ride comfort under normal driving conditions, but which are adaptable for use under conditions in which substantial wheel or axle articulation occurs. However, certain disadvantages exist with such known adaptable vehicle suspension systems, and these disadvantages can act to limit the application and use of such known adaptable vehicle suspension systems.

Air springs, or pneumatic suspension devices, have long been used to isolate road disturbances from a vehicle, seat, or cab. An air spring, as part of a vehicle's suspension can support the vehicle's load or mass at each axle. Typically, each axle of a vehicle associated with an air spring supports the mass component or load carried by the axle. In addition, there may be ancillary air springs that support driver comfort in and around the driver's compartment, or cab. In an air spring, a volume of gas, usually air, is confined within a flexible container. As an air spring is compressed (jounce travel), the pressure of the gas within the air spring increases; and as an air spring extends (rebound travel), the pressure of the gas within the air spring decreases. Road disturbances are mainly absorbed by this compression and extension of the air springs as a function of work (w=∫F·dx). Air springs are often engineered to have a specific spring rate or spring constant, thereby controlling jounce and rebound characteristics for the desired application and for comfort.

Air springs as described above typically include air lines which are connected to a corresponding air bag at one end thereof, and connected to an inflation valve at an opposite end thereof. The inflation valves allow more or less air to be selectively placed into the air bags, depending on the anticipated use of the vehicle. An inflation valve bracket in the form of a flat or L-shaped plate is bolted to the chassis at a selected location, and includes one or more holes for receiving the inflation valves therein. It is necessary to either drill through and/or tap the vehicle chassis so that a bolt can be used to attach the inflation valve bracket to the chassis.

What is needed in the art is a simpler and faster way of attaching an inflation valve bracket to the chassis of a vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an inflation valve bracket which is easily slid over and attached to a frame member forming part of a hitch frame on a vehicle.

The invention in one form is directed to a vehicle including a chassis having a frame member, and a suspension system carried by the chassis. One or more air spring assemblies are associated with the suspension system, with each air spring assembly having an air bag, an air line and an air valve. An inflation valve bracket includes a channel and a flange depending from the channel. The channel is at least partially wrapped around the frame member. The flange has one or more openings with a corresponding air valve in each opening.

The invention in another form is directed to an inflation valve bracket for use with an air valve of an air spring assembly on a vehicle. The inflation valve bracket includes an open channel and a flange depending from the channel. The flange has at least one opening configured for receiving an air valve therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly toFIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown part of a vehicle including an air spring assembly10which interconnects between a vehicle chassis12and suspension system14.FIG. 1shows a single air spring assembly10, andFIG. 2is an exploded view of two air spring assemblies10. In the illustrated embodiment, air spring assembly10is in the form of a “Ride Rite” air spring helper kit which is manufactured and sold by the assignee of the present invention.

Each air spring assembly10generally includes an airbag16, and air line18and an air valve20. Other miscellaneous parts are also provided, as shown, for interconnecting the air spring assembly10between the vehicle chassis12and suspension system14.

Referring now toFIG. 3, there is shown a hitch frame22which is attached to and forms part of the vehicle chassis12. In the illustrated embodiment, hitch frame22is in the form of a class4hitch frame, although other types of hitch frames may also be used. Hitch frame22includes a frame member24with a hitch receiver tube26extending rearwardly therefrom. Frame member24has a generally square cross-section with a mounting bracket28at each end thereof which is attached to the vehicle chassis12.

According to an aspect of the present invention, and referring toFIGS. 4-7, an inflation valve bracket30is easily slid over and attached to frame member24of hitch frame22(forming part of vehicle chassis12), and is configured to couple with the air valves20shown inFIG. 2. Inflation valve bracket30includes an open channel32and a flange34depending from channel32. Channel32is slid over and wraps around three sides of frame member24, and flange34extends downwardly from channel32.

More particularly, inflation valve bracket30includes two legs36which extend transverse to flange34. The two legs36have a length which is sufficient to extend past the frame member24, and include two pairs of aligned holes38for receiving fasteners to attach the inflation valve bracket30to frame member24. In the illustrated embodiment, the two pairs of aligned holes38are configured as slots which receive corresponding zip ties42(described below) for attaching inflation bracket30to frame member24. However, holes38could be differently configured, such as circular holes for receiving bolts.

Flange34includes one or more openings40which are sized to receive a corresponding air valve20therein. In the embodiment shown, flange34has two openings40for respectively receiving the two air valves20shown inFIG. 2.

FIGS. 8-12show inflation valve bracket30attached to frame member24of hitch receiver tube26. Legs36are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the height of frame member24. Inflation valve bracket30is simply slid over frame member24and two zip ties42are inserted through the aligned holes38and tightened to attach inflation valve bracket30to frame member24. Legs36can be configured to slightly deflect upon tightening of the zip ties42so that the inflation valve bracket30is tight against and remains at a selected location on frame member24.

Air valves20are then inserted through openings40in flange34. Simple nuts44can be used to rigidly secure air valves20to flange34. Caps46can be screwed onto the air valves20, in known manner.

In the embodiment of inflation valve bracket30which is shown and described above, the inflation valve bracket is attached to a frame member24forming part of hitch frame22. However, it is to be understood that inflation valve bracket30can be sized to slide over other types of frame members forming part of vehicle chassis12. Inflation valve bracket30does not require drilling and/or tapping of the vehicle chassis12, and is much faster and easier to use than other types of conventional inflation valve brackets.