360 degree zero clearance bi-sectional damper assembly

A combination of components forming a steering stabilizer mounting assembly including a stabilizer, a bracket shim, an independent hollow tubular housing with a fixedly attached base washer, and nuts and bolts to fasten the components into place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Almost all automotive vehicles in use today are equipped with steering stabilizers as they leave the factory. The steering stabilizer is used to smooth out the steering on a vehicle using a damper means. The damper means is essentially a shock absorber that is mounted between the car body frame and the steering linkage/relay link.

One such single steering stabilizer known to the inventor herein is manufactured by BDS Suspension, Coldwater, Mich. The mounting assembly manufactured by them consists of a flat base plate having a stanchion built on its upper surface. Both ends of the base have an opening in it and these openings are used to bolt the assembly on one end to the control arm mount, and on the other end to a cross member frame of the vehicle. The cross member frame end requires that a threaded insert be put in the cross member, and then the base is bolted to the cross member by a threaded bolt that enlarges a sunken nut within the cross member, and by this means, the base is mounted on the cross member.

The problem with this arrangement is that the bolts have to be removed to remove the assembly and a large number of suspension parts of the vehicle have to be removed to remove the bolts. In addition, the insert tends to work loose and allow the tail end of the base to come unattached from the cross member frame, requiring disassembly and re-assembly of the entire area. The threaded insert also spaces the bracket away from the frame leaving an air gap which is less secure than the instant invention device.

THE INVENTION

Thus, what is disclosed and claimed herein is a combination of components forming a steering stabilizer mounting assembly. The assembly comprises a stabilizer bracket, wherein the stabilizer bracket comprises a flat plate having a midpoint, a near end, and a distal end. The stabilizer bracket has an opening through the near end and a first open notch through the distal end. There is a stanchion unitarily surmounted at the midpoint on a top surface of the stabilizer bracket. Each stanchion unit (that is, tabs) have a through hole in a distal end.

There is a bracket shim. The bracket shim has a washer configuration with a second open notch in the washer configuration. In addition, there is fixedly surmounted on an upper surface of the washer configuration, a plug for an opening in the second open notch.

There is mounted through the near end opening, a threaded bolt, and surrounding the threaded bolt is an independent hollow tubular housing, wherein a bottom edge of the independent hollow tubular housing contains a fixedly attached washer. There is a threaded nut on the threaded bolt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Turning now toFIG. 1, there is shown a full side view of a combination of the stabilizer bracket1in conjunction with a bolt2and an independent hollow tubular housing3and washer4. By “independent” as used herein, it means that the independent hollow tubular housing3is not attached to the stabilizer bracket1until the nut5is tightened on the bolt2, at which time it becomes rigid. The bolt2is inserted through the opening6(shown in phantom).

It should be understood by those skilled in the art, that the bolt2, with the independent housing3is inserted through a cross member7(FIG. 4) before being tightened. The washer4is fixedly attached to the bottom edge20of the independent housing3by welding or the like.

The stabilizer bracket1has surmounted on its top surface8, a stanchion9, which consists of two separated tabs10(SeeFIG. 2). Each of the tabs10has an opening11near the top12. In use, a bolt (not shown) is inserted through the openings11to allow the mounting of the stabilizer unit (not shown, not part of the invention) to the stabilizer bracket1.

Turning now toFIG. 2, there is shown a full top view of the stabilizer bracket1in combination with the bracket shim13. There is shown the tabs10, the openings therein11(shown in phantom) and an opening15in the near end16for the independent hollow tubular housing3.

As can be noted fromFIG. 2, the distal end14of the stabilizer bracket1has a notch21in it. In addition, as shown inFIG. 6B, the bracket shim13has an aligned notch17in it. Also shown is the raised portion19.FIG. 6Ais a full back view of the bracket shim13. The outside edge18of the bracket shim13has mounted on its surface a plug19, which plug provides an additional shim to the bracket shim13, as in most cases, the cross member and the control arm mount are not at the same level as mounted in the vehicle.

Turning now toFIG. 3, there is shown a prior art device22in readiness for mounting in a vehicle wherein23is a cross member of a body of a vehicle and24is a control arm mount in the vehicle.

The prior art device22does not have a notch in it at the distal end25, and further, does not have a bracket shim associated with it. In addition, the near end26is comprised of a bolt27and an insert28, that inserts in an opening29in the cross member23. As suggested Supra, the problem associated with this device is that the vehicle has to be essentially disassembled in order to remove a bolt from the distal end attachment. Further, the insert28at the near end is only countersunk into the cross member23and thus can easily come unattached over time, requiring the disassembly and reassembly of the vehicle and unit to repair the unit.

In use, in order to repair the device1of the instant invention, as shown inFIG. 4, wherein7is the cross member of the vehicle, and24is the control arm mount, one loosens the back nut5to allow the device1to rotate around the bolt2. Thereafter, the nut30is backed off of the bolt31and the bolt31is lightly tapped to take the pressure off of the stabilizer1. Thereafter, the stabilizer1is withdrawn from around bolt31.

FIG. 5is a full top view of the device1in place, ready to assemble.

All of the components of this device are manufactured from metals, and steel, cast iron and aluminum being preferred.