US 11,884,193 B2
Suspension system
Peter Wallace Johnson, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to SUSPENSION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Suspension Systems Technologies, LLC, Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/900,689.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/239,637, filed on Sep. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0063122 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B60N 2/00 (2006.01); B60N 2/50 (2006.01); B60N 2/52 (2006.01); B60N 2/54 (2006.01)
CPC B60N 2/505 (2013.01) [B60N 2/508 (2013.01); B60N 2/527 (2013.01); B60N 2/54 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A passive suspension apparatus for supporting a payload, the passive suspension apparatus comprising:
a base frame, and a supported frame coupled to the base frame, the supported frame configured to be disposed vertically a neutral height above the base frame when a payload having a payload weight is disposed on the supported frame, the suspension apparatus configured to support relative displacement in a generally vertical direction between the supported frame and the base frame from a minimum height to a maximum height, the neutral height being between the minimum height and the maximum height, the supported frame being coupled to the base frame via:
a scissor linkage, the scissor linkage comprising two crossed scissor arms pivotably coupled together about a central pivot, each of the two crossed scissor arms extending from the base frame to the supported frame, each arm being free to rotate relative to the other arm as the supported frame and the base frame move closer to and farther away from each other;
a coarse suspension device coupling the base frame to the supported frame, the coarse suspension device configured to oppose a relative displacement in the generally vertical direction between the base frame and the supported frame, the coarse suspension device not being directly coupled to the scissor linkage, and the coarse suspension device being adjustable to support the payload at the neutral height;
a mechanical assembly configured to convert the relative displacement in the generally vertical direction between the base frame and the supported frame into a generally horizontal displacement; and
a fine suspension device operably coupled to the mechanical assembly to provide damping to the horizontal displacement from the mechanical assembly, the mechanical assembly and the fine suspension device coupling the base frame to the supported frame, the mechanical assembly and the fine suspension device not being directly coupled to the scissor linkage;
wherein the passive suspension apparatus comprises only passive components,
wherein a force applied to one of the base frame and the supported frame in the generally vertical direction causes a generally opposite force to be applied to the other of the base frame and the supported frame, and
wherein the damping provided by the fine suspension device and the mechanical assembly varies in a non-linear manner such that:
the damping provided when the relative displacement in the generally vertical direction between the base frame and the supported frame by a given amount X below the neutral height is different than
the damping provided when the relative displacement in the generally vertical direction between the base frame and the supported frame by the given amount X above the neutral height.