Vehicle suspension system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117436-B2
Application number	US-201916415247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2019
Priority date	May 17, 2019
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle suspension system includes suspension arms mounted to a vehicle body frame to be pivotable between a low rolling posture and a high rolling posture and an anti-roll bar unit. The anti-roll bar unit includes a main anti-roll bar and a sub anti-roll bar. The sub anti-roll bar extends at least partially parallel with the main anti-roll bar. In the low rolling posture of the suspension arms, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are not in contact with each other. In the high rolling posture of the suspension bars, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are in contact with each other to increase stiffness of the anti-roll bar unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle suspension system comprising:
left and right suspension arms mounted to a vehicle body frame to be pivotable between a low rolling posture and a high rolling posture; and
an anti-roll bar unit that bridges the left suspension arm with the right suspension arm, the anti-roll bar unit including:
a main anti-roll bar having a left end operably attached to the left suspension arm and a right end operably attached to the right suspension arm; and
a sub anti-roll bar extending at least partially parallel with the main anti-roll bar;
wherein in the low rolling posture, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are not in contact with each other; and in the high rolling posture, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are in contact with each other to increase stiffness of the anti-roll bar unit, and
wherein the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are pivotally supported to the vehicle body frame.

2. The vehicle suspension system of claim 1 , wherein:
the main anti-roll bar includes a main bar body which extends straight in the vehicle body transverse direction, a left main arm which is bent from the left end of the main bar body and extends rearwards in the vehicle body front/rear direction, a right main arm which is bent from the right end of the main bar body and extends rearwards in the vehicle body front/rear direction, a left link having one end connected to the left main arm and the other end connected to the left suspension arm and a right link having one end connected to the right main arm and the other end connected to the right suspension arm; and
the sub anti-roll bar includes a sub bar body extending straight in the vehicle body transverse direction, a left sub arm which is bent from the left end of the sub bar body and extends rearwards in the vehicle body front/rear direction and a right sub bar arm which is bent from the right end of the sub bar body and extends rearwards in the vehicle body front/rear direction.

3. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein:
the leading end region of the left sub arm is formed as a left ring through which the left main arm extends, an inner circumferential wall of the left ring coming into contact with the left main arm in the high rolling posture; and
the leading end region of the right sub arm is formed as a right ring through which the right main arm extends, an inner circumferential wall of the right ring coming into contact with the right main arm in the high rolling posture.

4. The vehicle suspension system of claim 3 , wherein:
the inner circumferential walls of the left ring and the right ring respectively come into contact with the left main arm and the right main arm via an elastic member.

5. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein:
the main bar body and the sub bar body respectively are attached to the vehicle body frame via a bush.

6. A vehicle suspension system comprising:
left and right suspension arms mounted to a vehicle body frame to be pivotable between a low rolling posture and a high rolling posture; and
an anti-roll bar unit that bridges the left suspension arm with the right suspension arm, the anti-roll bar unit including:
a main anti-roll bar having a left end operably attached to the left suspension arm and a right end operably attached to the right suspension arm; and
a sub anti-roll bar extending at least partially parallel with the main anti-roll bar;
wherein in the low rolling posture, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are not in contact with each other; and in the high rolling posture, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are in contact with each other to increase stiffness of the anti-roll bar unit,
wherein the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are mounted independently of each other, and
wherein ends of the sub anti-roll bar encircle ends of the main anti-roll bar and the encircled ends of the sub anti-roll bar are not in contact with the main anti-roll bar in the low rolling posture but are in contact with the main anti-roll bar in the high rolling posture.

7. A vehicle suspension system comprising:
left and right suspension arms mounted to a vehicle body frame to be pivotable between a low rolling posture and a high rolling posture; and
an anti-roll bar unit that bridges the left suspension arm with the right suspension arm, the anti-roll bar unit including:
a main anti-roll bar having a left end operably attached to the left suspension arm and a right end operably attached to the right suspension arm; and
a sub anti-roll bar extending at least partially parallel with the main anti-roll bar;
wherein in the low rolling posture, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are not in contact with each other; and in the high rolling posture, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are in contact with each other to increase stiffness of the anti-roll bar unit,
wherein the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are mounted independently of each other, and
wherein elongated portions of the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar extend parallel to one another and are vertically aligned when mounted.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Chang Eric
• White John

Classifications

• B60G3/20 Primary

  all arms being rigid · CPC title

• B60G21/0558

  including means varying the stiffness of the stabiliser (B60G21/0556 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2204/1224

  End mounts of stabiliser on wheel suspension · CPC title

• B60G21/055

  Stabiliser bars · CPC title

• B60G2200/144

  with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram · CPC title