CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[OC f l 1 This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent

Application No, 62/253,379, filed November 10, 2015, and U.S. Utility Patent Application No, 15/ S 97, 168, USed June 29, 2016, the entire disclosure being considered part of the disclosure of this application and hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I . Field of the Invention

0Q02| The present invention is related, generally, to sway bar link kits for attaching sway bars of vehicles with other suspension components,

2, Related Art

[0 03 ^' j Many vehicle suspension systems include a sway bar (also commonly referred to as an anti-sway bar or an anti-roll bar) for limiting body roll when the vehicle is going through a torn at speed, Such sway bars include a single bar or tube which extends laterally across a vehicle and is connected with the left and right wheel assemblies of the vehicle, in many cases, the sway bar is connected to the wheel assemblies via sway bar linkages, Some sway bar linkages include a bolt and a plurality of bushings which directly contact the sway bar and a component of the wheel assembly (for example, a lower control arm). During operation of the vehicle, forces are transferred between the wheel assembly and the sway bar via the bushings and the holt. Over time, the bushings and/or the baits of the sway bar linkages can wear out, which may require replacement of the entire sway bar linkage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

|0ΘΘ4] One aspect of the present invention is related to a sway bar linkage kit for connecting a sway bar with a control arm of a vehicle suspension system. The linkage kit includes a fastener and a plurality of bushings for disposition between the fastener and the

I sway bar and for disposition between the fastener and the control arm, At least one of the bushings is constructed as a single piece of material, presents an outer surface, presents an inner bore which extends along an axis for receiving the fastener, and presents a plurality of pockets. The pockets are spaced radially between the inner bore and the outer surface for allowing the bushing to more easily deflect and absorb energy while transferring forces between the sway bar, fastener, and control arm, This is advantageous because it allows the bushing to be made of a harder, more durable materia! that has a longer operating life without compromising the bushing's ability to absorb energy and protect the bolt from undue stresses that could result in damage to the boh.

|Θ005| According to another aspect of the present invention, ail of the bushings are generally identical in construction.

|θθθβ] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the pockets in the bushings are generally conical in shape and open towards axial ends of the bushings.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the outer surface of each of the bushings has a greater diameter adjacent one of the axial ends than adjacent an opposite axial end.

[0008] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the outer surface of each of the bearings has a spheroidal portion.

|0009) According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, each of the bushings has a counterbore adjacent one of the axial ends.

jQOI j According to still a further aspect of the present invention, the pockets of the bushings open to the counierbores,

jjTO! l J According to another aspect of the present invention, the linkage kit further includes a plurality of washers which are sized to be received in the counierbores of the [00121 According ΐο yet another aspect of the present invention, each of the bushings presents a plurality of radially Inwardly extending lips adjacent an axial end with the eounterbore for trapping one of the washers in the eounierbore.

[8813] According to still another aspect of the present invention, the sway bar linkage kit further includes a spacer.

|0014f According to a further aspect of the present invention, the fastener includes a bolt.

[0015| Another aspect of the present invention is related to a vehicle suspension system. The vehicle suspension system includes a sway bar with a sway bar opening and a control arm with a control arm opening. A linkage extends between and interconnects the sway bar with the control arm. The linkage includes a fastener which extends through the sway bar opening and the control arm opening. The linkage further includes at least one hushing which is disposed at least partially in the sway bar opening between the sway bar and the fastener for transferring forces between the sway bar and the fastener. The linkage also includes at least one bushing disposed at least partially in the control arm opening between the control arm and the fastener for transferring forces between the control arm and the fastener. The bushings are constructed as single pieces of material present inner bores for receiving the fastener and present a plurality of pockets which are spaced radially between the inner bore and the outer surface for allowing the bushing to more easily deflect and absorb energy while transferring forces.

[8816] According to another aspect of the present invention, the linkage includes two bushings at least partially received in the sway bar opening and two bushings at least partially received in the control arm opening,

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the pockets in each of the bushings are generally conical in shape and open to one axial end of the bushing. [§011] According stl i I another aspect of the present invention., each of the bushings has a coursterbore adjacent one axial end,

[0019] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the pockets open to the

CQunterbores.

[0020] According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, a plurality of washers are received in the eounierbores of the bushings.

10021 J According to still another aspect of the present invention, the fastener is a bolt,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022J These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[ΘΘ23] Figure i is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle suspension system with a linkage constructed according to one aspect of the present invention extending between and interconnecting a sway bar and a control am ;

fW2 J Figure 2 is a perspective and exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a sway bar linkage kit for assembling the linkage shown in Figure 1 ;

|0025| Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sway bar linkage kit assembled;

|ΘΘ26| Figure 4 is a front elevation view of a bushing in the sway bar linkage kit shown in Figure 3;

|0027] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the bushing of Figure 3 taken through

Line 5-5 of Figure 4;

10028] Figure 6 is an enlarged portion of Figure 5; and

[0029] Figure 7 is a bottom elevation view of the bushing of Figure 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ENABLING EMBODIMENT

| 30} Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Figure 1 shows a linkage 20 extending between and connecting a sway bar 22 (sometimes also referred to as an ants-sway bar or an arsti-roH bar) and a control arm 24 of a suspension system of a vehicle. As shown, in the exemplary embodiment, the sway bar 22 and the control arm 24 are spaced from one another, and the linkage 20 extends through a sway bar opening adjacent one end of the sway bar 22 and through a control arm opening which is spaced from a pivot axis of the control arm 24. As such, during operation of the vehicle, movement of the control arm 24 is translated via the linkage 20 to the sway bar 22. The wheel assembly could be on the driver side or the passenger side and could be either in the fronl or the back of the vehicle, and it should be appreciated that the sway bar 22 and the control arm 24 could take a range of configurations,

f003i ] The linkage 20 shown in Figure 1 is assembled from an exemplary embodiment of a sway bar linkage kit 20 which is shown in Figures 2 and 3, The exemplary sway bar linkage kit 20 includes a fastener in the form of a bolt 26 which extends along an axis A from a tool-receiving end 2S to a threaded form for receiving a nut 30, such as a barrel nut. The linkage kit 20 further includes two pairs of bushings 32 (four bushings 32 in total) for connecting the sway bar 22 and the control arm 24 with the bolt 26. Specifically, one pair of bushings 32 is positioned within an opening in an end of the sway bar 22, and the other pair of bushings 32 is positioned within an opening in the control arm 24, The bushings 28 have co-ax is Hy aligned inner bores for sliding onto the bolt 26 from the threaded end of the bolt 26. The linkage kit 20 also includes a spacer 34 which is dimensioned for maintaining the pairs of bushings 32 a predetermined distance apart from one another, A plurality of washers 36 are also provided for protecting the bushings 32 from the bolt 26, the nut 30 and the spacer 34, In this embodiment, one of the washers 36 is integrally attached with the nut 30 but could alternately be a separate piece therefrom,

[0032 The bushings 32 are preferably generally identical in shape and construction to allow for manufacturing costs savings through economies of scale by manufacturing the same design for ail four of the bushings 32 in the linkage kit 20, Referring now to Figures 3-6, an exemplary embodiment of the hushing 3 design is generally shown. Each bushing 32 is made as a single, integral piece of material and extends along the axis A from an open first end 38 to an open second end 40 with the inner bore extending between the open first and second ends 38, 40. The bushings 32 are preferably made through injection molding but may be shaped through an suitable manufacturing process.

[0033] in the exemplary embodiment, each bushing 32 has a progressive y decreasing outer diameter from the first end 38 to the second end 40. Adjacent the fust end 38, the outer surface has a cylindrical portion 42 which is generally cylindrical in shape. The outer surface then presents a first tapered portion 44 which tapers inwardly at a generally constant angle relative to the axis A from the cylindrical portion 42 to a rounded portion 46 with a generally spheroidal shape. Finally, adjacent the second end 40, the outer surface has a second tapered portion 48 which tapers inwardly from the rounded portion 46 to the second end 40, The inner surface of the hushing 32 presents a courtterbore 50 for receiving a washer 36 (shown In Figures 2 and 3} and a bo receiving portion 52 which is generally cylindrical in shape with a generally constant diameter for receiving the bolt 26 (shown in Figures 2 and 3).

(0034) As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the bushing 32 further includes a plurality of pockets 54 which open to the counterhore 50 at the first open end of the bushing 32. The pockets 54 extend axially from the counterhore 50 In a direction towards the second end 40 and are generally conieally shaped with a rounded bottom 56. In the exemplary embodiment, the bushing 32 includes a total of six pockets 54 which are generally uniformly spaced from one another around ihe boll receiving portion 52 of the inner bore and which are generally equally shaped and sized. This arrangement has been found to provide the bushing 32 with a generally uniform def!ectability around the axis A. However, it should be appreciated that the bushing 32 could include any suitable number of pockets 54, and those pockets 54 could be equally or differently sized and shaped.

00351 With reference to Figures 1 and 4-6, the pockets 54 effectively reduce the thickness of a wall of the bushing 32 between the inner bore and the outer surface, thereby allowing the bushing 32 to more easily deflect and absorb energy while transmitting forces between the sway bar 22 or control arm 24 during operation of the vehicle to protect the bolt 26 from undue stresses in response to sudden shocks. That is, the pockets 54 allow the bushing 32 to elasticaily deform in response to a lower load when transferring radial forces between the sway bar 22 or the control arm 24 and the bolt 26, The pockets 54 also allow the one-piece bushing 32 to be made of a harder, more durable material (such as, for example, Irogran® SO P), As such, the sway bar linkage kit 20 has improved durability and an Increased operating life because the harder, more durable material of the bushing 32 does not wear or degrade as quickly as relatively softer materials might and also because the deflection allowed by the pockets 54 absorbs energy to reduce stresses imparted by the bushing 32 onto the boit 26, thereby protecting the bolt 26 from damage.

|0Θ36] As shown in Figures 3-6, the first end 38 of the hushing 32 also includes a plurality of radially inwardly extending lips 58 which are spaced generally uniformly from one another for retaining the washer 36 within ihe counterbore 50, in the exemplary embodiment, the bushing 32 has three lips 58 which are spaced from one another by approximately one hundred and twenty degrees ( 120°). it should be appreciated that the bushing 32 could have any suitable number of Hps 58 and the hps 58 could have any suitable spacing. The lips 58 retain the washers 36 within the eounterhores 50 of the bushings 32 to prevent dirt or other contaminants from getting into the pockets 54 and compromising the performance of the bushings 32,

[¾©37| Referring back to Figures 1 -3, the linkage kit 20 Is installed in the vehicle by first inserting one of the washers 36 arsd one of the bushings 32 onto the bolt 26, Next, the bolt 26 is inserted through the opening in the sway bar 22 such that the bushing 32 directly contacts the sway bar 22, Next, in this order, a second bushing 32, a second washer 36, the spacer 34, a third washer 36 and a third bushing 32 are inserted onto the bolt 26, The third bushing 32 is then brought into direct contact with the control arm 24 at the opening in the control arm 24, Finally, the last bushing 32 and another washer 26 are inserted onto the boit 26, and the barrel nut 30 is threaded onto the threaded end of the boit 26 to secure the components on the bolt 26,

|0Θ38] Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of the appended claims.