Patent ID: 7543832

Claim:
A variable rate stabilizer bar apparatus, comprising: first and second stabilizer bar members each adapted to be operatively coupled to a respective, opposite ground-engaging element of a vehicle, each of the stabilizer bar members being configured to experience a torque about their longitudinal axis upon movement of the respective ground-engaging element relative to the vehicle when operatively coupled to the ground-engaging elements; and a torque transfer regulator operatively coupled to both stabilizer bar members and configured to transfer a portion of the torque experienced by one of the stabilizer bar members to the other stabilizer bar member, the torque transfer regulator comprising: a cam operatively coupled to the first stabilizer bar member and having a first cam surface extending non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first stabilizer bar member; the cam being configured to translate axially along the first stabilizer bar member and restrained from rotating about the longitudinal axis relative to the first stabilizer bar member; a first cam follower operatively coupled to the second stabilizer bar member, the first cam follower being unable to rotate about the longitudinal axis relative to the second stabilizer bar member, the first cam follower being adapted to interface with the first cam surface for movement along the first cam surface in response to relative rotation between the first and second stabilizer bar members; and an energy source operatively coupled to at least one of the stabilizer bar members, the energy source being configured to bias the cam toward the second stabilizer bar member and to bias the first cam surface toward the first cam follower; wherein the interface between the first cam follower with the first cam surface is configured to oppose the bias of the energy source to move the cam longitudinally away from the second stabilizer bar member in response to relative rotation of the first stabilizer bar member away from the second stabilizer bar member in either of opposing rotational directions and corresponding movement of the first cam follower along the first cam surface.