Independent wheel suspension for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11267308-B2
Application number	US-201916692666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2019
Priority date	Nov 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

Independent wheel suspensions for a motor vehicle are described herein. An example independent wheel suspension includes a link to be pivotably coupled to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle via a first flexible pivot bearing and a second flexible pivot bearing. The first and second flexible pivot bearings form a pivoting axis. The link has a wheel attachment point to which a vehicle wheel is to be coupled. The example independent wheel suspension also includes a spring to be disposed between the link and the vehicle body. The spring is configured to produce a force component on the link that is directed outward along a transverse axis of the motor vehicle and that increases during compression.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An independent wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, the independent wheel suspension comprising:
a link to be pivotably coupled to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle via a first flexible pivot bearing and a second flexible pivot bearing, the first and second flexible pivot bearings forming a pivoting axis, the pivoting axis being parallel to a transverse axis of the motor vehicle, the link having a wheel attachment point to which a vehicle wheel is to be coupled; and
a spring to be disposed between the link and the vehicle body, the spring configured to produce a force component on the link that is directed outward along the transverse axis of the motor vehicle.

2. The independent wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting axis is at an angle relative to the transverse axis.

3. The independent wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein a line of action of force of the spring slopes inward toward the transverse axis relative to a vertical axis.

4. The independent wheel suspension of claim 3 , wherein a center line of the spring is aligned with the line of action of force and slopes inward toward the transverse axis relative to the vertical axis.

5. The independent wheel suspension of claim 3 , wherein the spring is S-shaped in a relaxed state.

6. The independent wheel suspension of claim 5 , wherein the line of action of force of the spring slopes inward toward the transverse axis relative to a center line of the spring.

7. The independent wheel suspension of claim 6 , wherein the spring is a coil spring.

8. The independent wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the spring is supported on the link.

9. The independent wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the spring is passive.

10. The independent wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the spring is supported an upper side of the link by a spring plate.

11. The independent wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the link is not connected to a twist beam.

12. A motor vehicle comprising:
a first wheel;
a second wheel a vehicle body; and
an independent wheel suspension including:
a first link pivotably coupled to the vehicle body via a first flexible pivot bearing and a second flexible pivot bearing, the first wheel coupled to the first link, the first and second flexible pivot bearings form a first pivoting axis;
a first spring disposed between the first link and the vehicle body, the first spring configured to produce a first force component on the first link that is directed outward along a transverse axis of the motor vehicle;
a second link pivotably coupled to the vehicle body via a third flexible pivot bearing and a fourth flexible pivot bearing, the second link pivotable independently of the first link, the second wheel coupled to the second link, the third and fourth flexible pivot bearings form a second pivoting axis that is aligned with the first pivoting axis; and
a second spring disposed between the second link and the vehicle body, the second spring configured to produce a second force component on the second link that is directed outward along the transverse axis of the motor vehicle.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first and second pivoting axes are parallel to the transverse axis of the motor vehicle.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 12 , wherein a first line of action of force of the first spring and a second line of action of force of the second spring slopes inward toward the transverse axis relative to a vertical axis.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein a first center line of the first spring is aligned with the first line of action of force, and a second center line of the second spring is aligned with the second line of action of force.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the first spring is S-shaped in a relaxed state and the second spring is S-shaped in a relaxed state.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the first line of action of force of the first spring slopes inward toward the transverse axis relative to a first center line of the first spring, and wherein the second line of action of force of the second spring slopes inward toward the transverse axis relative to a second center line of the second spring.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first and second links are not connected by a twist beam.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first and second springs are coil springs.

20. The motor vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first and second springs are passive.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Carlitz Andreas
• Schmitz Thomas

Classifications

• B60G3/145 Primary

  the arm forming the axle housing · CPC title

• B60G2206/426

  Coil springs having a particular shape, e.g. curved axis, pig-tail end coils · CPC title

• B60G3/207

  the arms being essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60G7/02

  Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G2204/124

  Mounting of coil springs · CPC title