Steve Lin

US Patent:

6889988, May 10, 2005

Filed:

Apr 17, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/124085

Inventors:

Haimian Cai - Ann Arbor MI, US
Steve Xi Lin - Northville MI, US
Lakshmana Gummadi - Canton MI, US

Assignee:

Visteon Global Technologies, Inc. - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B60G021/055

US Classification:

280124107, 267293

Abstract:

A stabilizer bar assembly includes a stabilizer bar having a bushing, a bushing retainer in mechanical compressive engagement with the bushing, and a mounting bracket adapted to connect the stabilizer bar to an automotive vehicle. The bushing retainer can have a uniform outer diameter such that the bushing is compressed uniformly over the entire length of the bushing retainer, or, alternatively, the bushing retainer can have a stepped outer diameter such that the bushing is compressed differently within discrete sections along the length of the bushing retainer. A method of inducing a pre-load onto a bushing that supports a stabilizer bar includes: providing a stabilizer bar, placing a bushing onto the stabilizer bar, placing a bushing retainer, having an first outer diameter onto the bushing, and reducing the outer diameter of the bushing retainer to a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter.

US Patent:

7600601, Oct 13, 2009

Filed:

Feb 27, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/711312

Inventors:

Steve X. Lin - Northville MI, US
Carlos F. Osorio - Novi MI, US
Nitin Y. Wani - Farmington Hills MI, US

Assignee:

Automotive Components Holdings, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B60K 17/24

US Classification:

180381

Abstract:

A mass damper for use with a drive shaft center support bearing is located on a non-rotating portion of the bearing and is suspended on a spring element for free vibration and has a resonance that is selected to be the same as that which would otherwise be communicated to the vehicle through the bearing by the drive shaft and drivetrain components. The two embodiments are each tunable so that the damper can be set to have different resonant vibration characteristics, as required for use with different drive shaft and drivetrain configurations.