Vehicle suspension apparatus capable of adjusting vehicle height

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10328763-B2
Application number	US-201715633406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Dec 15, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A suspension apparatus may include an internal cylinder having fixing grooves, an intermediate cylinder rotatably provided around the internal cylinder to allow a shock-absorber to be moved up and down, and having connection holes, an external cylinder rotatably provided around the intermediate cylinder and having locking pins to be inserted into the fixing grooves through the connection holes such that the locking pins are decoupled from the fixing grooves, but remain inserted into the connection holes, and a driving device connected to the external cylinder to rotate the intermediate cylinder to allow the shock-absorber to be moved up and down, adjusting a height of a vehicle body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle suspension apparatus for adjusting a vehicle height, the suspension apparatus comprising:
an internal cylinder disposed on a side of a wheel and circumferentially having a plurality of fixing grooves;
an intermediate cylinder rotatably provided around the internal cylinder to allow a shock-absorber to be moved up and down during rotation, the intermediate cylinder circumferentially having a plurality of connection holes corresponding to the fixing grooves;
an external cylinder rotatably provided around the intermediate cylinder and having a plurality of locking pins to be inserted into the fixing grooves of the internal cylinder through the connection holes of the intermediate cylinder, and wherein the locking pins inserted into the fixing grooves through the connection holes are decoupled from the fixing grooves, but continue inserted into the connection holes during rotation of the external cylinder; and
a driving device connected to the external cylinder to, during an operation of the driving device, rotate the intermediate cylinder to allow the shock-absorber to be moved up and down, adjusting a height of a vehicle body.

2. The vehicle suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fixing grooves are circumferentially provided at predetermined intervals around the internal cylinder, and the connection holes are correspondingly provided around the intermediate cylinder at same intervals and numbers as those of the fixing grooves.

3. The vehicle suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the shock-absorber is provided, and wherein an upper end portion thereof is coupled to the vehicle body, and a lower end portion thereof is configured to be inserted into the intermediate cylinder, and wherein the intermediate cylinder has an internal screw part on an internal circumferential surface thereof, and the lower end portion of the shock-absorber has a corresponding external screw part on an external circumferential surface thereof, wherein the shock-absorber is configured to be moved up and down during the rotation of the intermediate cylinder.

4. The vehicle suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the driving device includes a motor fixed to the internal cylinder, and a power transmission connected between the motor and the external cylinder wherein the external cylinder is rotated during the operation of the motor.

5. The vehicle suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the external cylinder is provided on an internal circumferential surface thereof with operational recesses at positions corresponding to those of the fixing grooves and the connection holes, wherein the locking pins are respectively disposed in the operational recesses, and wherein the locking pins are resiliently supported by elastic members.

6. The vehicle suspension apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the operational recess is recessed into the internal circumferential surface of the external cylinder, and wherein a width thereof increases in a flared shape towards a bottom surface of the operational recess, and wherein the locking pins have a base portion and a locking portion extending from the base portion wherein the locking portion is configured to be inserted into the fixing groove through the connection hole, wherein the base portion is a portion that is configured to be inserted into the operational recess and a width of which increases in a flared shape towards the bottom surface of the operational recess.

7. The vehicle suspension apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the locking pins are provided, and wherein a width of a bottom surface of the base portion is larger than a width of an open surface of the operational recess, but is smaller than a width of the bottom surface of the operational recess.

8. The vehicle suspension apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the elastic members are disposed between the bottom surface of the operational recess and the base portion of the locking pins.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Kia Motor Company

Inventors

• Lee Sang Hoon
• Lee Chang Sin
• Cho Youn Hyung

Classifications

• B60G2202/12

  Wound spring · CPC title

• B60G2204/129

  Damper mount on wheel suspension or knuckle · CPC title

• B60G13/005 Primary

  characterised by the mounting on the axle or suspension arm of the damper unit · CPC title

• B60G13/04

  mechanically, e.g. having frictionally-engaging springs as damping elements · CPC title

• B60G17/018

  characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method · CPC title