Patent Application
20070267838
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description of various embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses. Throughout this specification, like reference numerals will be used to refer to like elements.
Referring generally to
Golf car 10 can also include a passenger bench seat 28 and a passenger back support cushion 30. A cover or roof 32 can also be provided which is supported from either body 12 or frame 14 by first and second support members 34, 36. A windshield or windscreen 38 is also commonly provided which is also supported by each of first and second support members 34, 36. A rear section of roof 32 can be supported by each of a first and a second rear support frame element 40, 42. Other elements which are commonly provided with golf car 10 include golf bag support equipment, accessory racks or bins, and other optional equipment such as environmental covers which are not shown in
Golf car 10 is commonly propelled using an engine or battery/motor system which is commonly provided below bench seat 28. Golf car 10 is capable of motion in either of a forward direction “A” or a rearward direction “B”. Each of first and second steerable wheels 16, 18 can be simultaneously rotated or turned using steering mechanism 26. Each of first and second steerable wheels 16, 18 are also independently supported to frame 14 using suspension system 24. This permits each of first and second steerable wheels 16, 18 to deflect upwardly or downwardly as viewed in
As best seen in reference to
Independent suspension system 49 can include a first A-arm 50 and a second A-arm 52 of the present disclosure. Each of first and second A-arms 50, 52 are a pair of identical A-arms which are reversibly disposed to create a right hand and a left hand wheel support assembly. Because each of the right hand and left hand wheel support assemblies are substantially identical, only the left hand wheel assembly having second A-arm 52 will be further discussed herein.
A steering gear 54 coupled to a steering column 56 receives a manual turning force from a steering wheel 57. A bellows 58 protects a further portion of steering mechanism 26 associated with steering gear 54. A steering arm 60 can extend from bellows 58 and connect to a spindle 68. Spindle 68 can be rotatably joined to a wheel support structure or steering knuckle 66 using a knuckle pin 70. Spindle 68 can be rotatably coupled to a wheel hub 72 which allows rotation of second steerable wheel 18. When directed by steering gear 54, steering arm 60 can direct rotation of spindle 68 and thereby turn second steerable wheel 18. In addition to the connection provided to second frame member 46 by second A-arm 52, steering knuckle 66 can be also connected to support structure 48 using a spring/shock absorber assembly 74 which is connected to steering knuckle 66 using a mount arm 76.
Referring generally now to
A second longitudinal axis 98 defined through third tube 92, is oriented substantially parallel to first longitudinal axis 96. Flat plate body 78 can further include a first plate surface 100 which can include a fixture pin aperture 102. Fixture pin aperture 102 can function as a centering aperture when used in conjunction with a fixture to hold body 78 during welding of tube members 88, 90, 92. A clearance cavity 104 is also provided between first and second tubes 88, 90. Clearance cavity 104 allows unimpeded rotation of the A-arm about first longitudinal axis 96. Each of a plurality of side walls extends substantially perpendicular to first plate surface 100. The side walls can include a first side wall 106 extending between first and second tubes 88, 90, a second side wall 108 extending between first tube 88 and third tube 92, and a third side wall 110 extending between second tube 90 and third tube 92. Additional or fewer side walls can also be used in other embodiments of the present disclosure. Each of the first, second, and third side walls 106, 108, 110 can further include a square-edged or beveled corner 112 at the junction between the side wall and the first plate surface 100.
Each of the tubes 88, 90, 92 can further include a chamfer at both ends of the tube to support insertion of a bearing or resilient bushing (not shown), into a central bore 116. The body 78 can further include a second plate surface 118 facing opposite to first plate surface 100 and substantially parallel to first plate surface 100. Individual ones of first and second A-arms 50, 52 are therefore substantially indistinguishable from each other, and can be used as mirror image installations of each other, defining one or more pairs of A-arms.
As best seen in reference to
First longitudinal axis 96 is spaced from second longitudinal axis 98 by an axis spacing dimension “J”, which in some embodiments of the present disclosure is approximately 190.8 mm. Fixture pin aperture 102 is located from first longitudinal axis 96 by an aperture locating dimension “K” which in some embodiments is approximately 150 mm. Fixture pin aperture 102 is further located with respect to first tube 88 by a second aperture locating dimension “L”, which in some embodiments is approximately 136.2 mm. An outside facing end of first tube 88 is positioned with respect to third side wall 110 proximate second end 82 by a locating dimension “M” which in some embodiments is approximately 157.5 mm.
Referring generally now to
As best seen in reference to
Referring now to
First and second A-arms 50, 52 of the present disclosure can be formed by a machining, cutting, or water lancing process which also creates the first, second and third side walls 106, 108, 110. This construction forms A-arms 50, 52 as flat plate configurations which are generally at least as strong as cast A-arm assemblies, however, A-arms of the present disclosure are lighter and less expensive than their cast counter-parts and are less susceptible to damage from twisting loads due to impact of a wheel to an object. Also, by using tubing for the bearing sleeves or tubes of first, second and third tubes 88, 90, 92, no further machining of the bores of these tubes is required, which is commonly required for the integrally cast bores when cast parts are used in these applications. Co-axial alignment of first and second tubes 88, 90 as well as alignment of first and second tubes 88, 90 to third tube 92 can be maintained by welding these tubes in a fixture. This simplifies construction of the A-arms of the present disclosure. The use of a rigid plate material for body 78 further stiffens the A-arms while minimizing the volume/weight of material required.
The body 78 and the first, second, and third tubes 88, 90, 92, when collectively held in a fixture or jig prior to welding or connecting the tubes, promotes grinding or finishing to prepare the body or to complete the welds. The use of a fixture as noted above also establishes and maintains the coaxial alignment of the first and second tubes 88, 90, and maintains the parallel alignment of the second longitudinal axis 98 of the third tube 92 with respect to the first longitudinal axis 96 of the first and second tubes 88, 90, both before and during the welding process. Weld joints such as fillet welds can be used to connect the tubes to the body 78, however the present disclosure are not limited to a specific type of weld joint, or to the use of any specific weld process. Other processes such as brazing are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
Plate thickness “H” and a rounded or curving geometry of side walls 108, 110 (as best seen in
The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of that which is described are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. For example, A-arms of the present disclosure are described herein with respect to use in a golf car suspension, however, the present disclosure is not limited to A-arms for suspension systems of golf cars and can be used in other vehicles such as off-road vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and the like. These other vehicles can include food/beverage carts, golf course maintenance vehicles, hunting/sport activity vehicles, and the like. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
