Front portal spindle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11285772-B2
Application number	US-202017000075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2020
Priority date	Aug 23, 2019
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus and methods are provided for a portal spindle assembly for a vehicle front suspension. The portal spindle assembly comprises a spindle portion that is rotatably coupled with upper and lower connecting arms. A leading-edge portion is rotatably coupled with a steering rod-end joint, such that moving the steering rod-end joint rotates the spindle assembly with respect to the upper and lower connecting arms. An inboard case and an outboard case support a pinion gear assembly that is meshed with an output gear assembly for communicating torque from a constant velocity joint to a front wheel coupled to the output gear assembly. The pinion gear assembly is aligned along a pinion axis disposed at an angle with respect to a hub axis of the output gear assembly. The angle facilitates a suspension geometry that provides a camber change of the front wheel that eliminates a change in track width.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portal spindle assembly for a vehicle front suspension, the spindle assembly comprising:
a spindle portion configured for being rotatably coupled with an upper connecting arm and a lower connecting arm;
a leading-edge portion configured for being rotatably coupled with a steering rod-end joint;
an inboard case and an outboard case configured to support a pinion gear assembly within an upper opening of the inboard case and support an output gear assembly within a lower opening of the inboard case;
the lower opening having a lower mounting hole and an upper mounting hole that are configured to receive a lower connecting arm bolt;
a wheel hub coupled with the output gear assembly and configured to receive a front wheel; and
a sealing surface disposed around a perimeter of the inboard case and configured for forming a fluid-tight seal with the outboard case.

2. The spindle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pinion gear assembly is configured to be engaged with an outboard constant velocity joint for communicating torque from a transaxle to the pinion gear assembly.

3. The spindle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the pinion gear assembly is meshed with the output gear assembly such that torque is communicated from the outboard constant velocity joint to the wheel hub.

4. The spindle assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pinion gear assembly is longitudinally aligned along a pinion axis that is disposed at an angle with respect to a hub axis of the output gear assembly.

5. The spindle assembly of claim 4 , wherein the angle between the pinion axis and the hub axis is configured to orient the outboard constant velocity joint toward the transaxle.

6. The spindle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the angle between the pinion axis and the hub axis ranges between substantially 1-degree and 25-degrees.

7. The spindle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the angle between the pinion axis and the hub axis is configured to facilitate a suspension geometry that provides a camber change of the front wheel that eliminates a change in track width.

8. The spindle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lower opening includes a lower mounting hole and an upper mounting hole that are configured to receive a lower connecting arm bolt for mounting a lower connecting arm joint within the lower opening.

9. The spindle assembly of claim 8 , wherein the lower mounting hole is configured to receive a misalignment spacer comprising the lower connecting arm joint.

10. The spindle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spindle portion includes an upper mounting hole for coupling the spindle portion with the upper connecting arm.

11. The spindle assembly of claim 10 , wherein the upper mounting hole is configured to receive a misalignment spacer comprising an upper connecting arm joint.

12. The spindle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the leading-edge portion includes two parallel prongs extending forward with respect to the spindle portion, the parallel prongs being configured to fixedly receive a bolt that hingedly receives the steering rod-end joint, such that moving the steering rod-end joint rotates the spindle assembly with respect to the upper connecting arm and the lower connecting arm.

13. A method for a portal spindle assembly for a vehicle front suspension, the method comprising:
configuring a spindle portion for being rotatably coupled with an upper connecting arm and a lower connecting arm;
configuring a leading-edge portion for being rotatably coupled with a steering rod-end joint;
forming an inboard case that includes an upper opening and a lower opening disposed in a backwall;
forming an outboard case to cooperate with the inboard case to house a pinion gear assembly and an output gear assembly wherein forming the outboard case includes forming an angle between a pinion axis of the pinion gear assembly and a hub axis of the output gear assembly, the angle orienting an outboard constant velocity joint toward a transaxle;
supporting the pinion gear assembly within the upper opening by way of the outboard case; and
supporting the output gear assembly within the lower opening by way of the outboard case.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the angle comprises establishing an angle ranging between substantially 1-degree and 25-degrees.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the angle comprises establishing an angle that facilitates a suspension geometry that provides a camber change of the front wheel that eliminates a change in track width.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein supporting the pinion gear assembly further includes meshing the pinion gear assembly with the output gear assembly for communicating torque from the pinion gear assembly to a wheel hub by way of the output gear assembly.

Assignees

• Gordon Robby

Inventors

• Gordon Robby

Classifications

• B60B35/14

  composite or split, e.g. half- axles; Couplings between axle parts or sections · CPC title

• B60G17/02 Primary

  Spring characteristics {, e.g. mechanical springs and mechanical adjusting means}(B60G17/005, B60G17/015 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60G7/001

  Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features (B60G7/006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2200/1322

  with a wishbone or triangular arm · CPC title

• B60G2204/4191

  Planetary or epicyclic gears · CPC title