Dual-axle wheels suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364764-B2
Application number	US-202017275244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2020
Priority date	Oct 10, 2019
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A suspension system for a dual-axle wheels assembly, including a sub-frame, a first arm connected to the sub-frame and rotatable with respect to the sub-frame about a first axis, a first connector connected to the first arm and having a first connector axis about which a first wheel rotates when connected to the first connector, the first connector axis is parallel to the first axis, a second arm connected to the sub-frame and rotatable with respect to the sub-frame about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, a second connector connected to the second arm and having a second connector axis about which a second wheel rotates when connected to the second connector, the second connector axis is parallel to the second axis, and a motion restrainer comprising a spring and a damper and interconnecting the first arm and the second ram.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A suspension system for a dual-axle wheel assembly, the suspension system comprising:
a sub-frame;
a first arm connected to the sub-frame and rotatable with respect to the sub-frame about a first axis;
a first connector connected to the first arm and having a first connector axis about which a first wheel rotates when connected to the first connector, the first connector axis is substantially parallel to the first axis;
a second arm connected to the sub-frame and rotatable with respect to the sub-frame about a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis;
a second connector connected to the second arm and having a second connector axis about which a second wheel rotates when connected to the second connector, the second connector axis is substantially parallel to the second axis; and
a motion restrainer comprising a damper and a spring and interconnecting the first arm and the second arm;
wherein the motion restrainer is connected to the first arm using a first linkage and connected to the second arm using a second linkage;
wherein the first linkage comprises a first link rotatably connected at a first end of the first link to the first arm, the first link is rotatably connected at a second end of the first link to a first end of the motion restrainer;
wherein the second linkage comprises a second link rotatably connected at a first end of the second link to the second arm, the second link is rotatably connected at a second end of the second link to a second end of the motion restrainer;
wherein the first link, the second link and the motion restrainer are rotatable about axes that are substantially parallel to the first axis and to the second axis; and
wherein the first axis coincides with the second axis.

2. The suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially perpendicular to and positioned along an axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sub-frame.

3. The suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the motion restrainer is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis and is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sub-frame.

4. The suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the motion restrainer is coupled to the sub-frame so as to substantially maintain an orientation of the motion restrainer with respect to the sub-frame when the motion restrainer moves with respect to the sub-frame.

5. The suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the motion restrainer is slidable with respect to the sub-frame.

6. The suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the motion restrainer has no direct connection to the sub-frame so as to cause the motion restrainer to move with respect to the sub-frame according to a movement of at least one of the first arm and the second arm.

7. The suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the first linkage and the second linkage are coupled to the sub-frame.

8. The suspension system of claim 1 , further comprising a drivetrain unit, the drivetrain unit comprises:
a motor connected to (i) one of the first arm and the second arm, or (ii) the sub-frame; and
a transmission assembly to transmit rotations generated by the motor to at least one of the first connector and the second connector.

9. The suspension system of claim 8 , wherein the transmission assembly comprises:
a first transmission unit mounted within the first arm to transmit rotations generated by the motor to the first connector; and
a second transmission unit mounted within the second arm to transmit rotations generated by the motor to the second connector.

10. The suspension system of 9 , wherein:
the first arm and the second arm are rotatably connected to the sub-frame using same pivoting connection along the first axis;
the motor is connected to the pivoting connection to rotate the pivoting connection; and
the first transmission unit and the second transmission unit are connected to the pivoting connection to transmit rotations thereof to the first connector and to the second connector, respectively.

11. A suspension system for a dual-axle wheel assembly, the suspension system comprising:
a sub-frame;
a first arm connected to the sub-frame and rotatable with respect to the sub-frame about a first axis;
a first connector connected to the first arm and having a first connector axis about which a first wheel rotates when connected to the first connector, the first connector axis is substantially parallel to the first axis;
a second arm connected to the sub-frame and rotatable with respect to the sub-frame about a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis;
a second connector connected to the second arm and having a second connector axis about which a second wheel rotates when connected to the second connector, the second connector axis is substantially parallel to the second axis; and
a motion restrainer comprising a damper and a spring and interconnecting the first arm and the second arm;
wherein the motion restrainer is connected to the first arm using a first linkage and connected to the second arm using a second linkage;
wherein the first linkage and the second linkage are rocker linkages;
wherein the first rocker linkage comprises:
a first link rotatably connected at a first end of the first link to the first arm, and
a first rocker link rotatably connected at a first connection point of the first rocker link to a second end of the first link, the first rocker link is rotatably connected at a second connection point of the first rocker link to a first end of the motion restrainer;

wherein the second rocker linkage comprises:
a second link rotatably connected at a first end to the second arm, and
a second rocker link rotatably connected at a first connection point of the second rocker link to a second end of the second link, the second rocker link is rotatably connected at a second connection point of the second rocker link to a second end of the motion restrainer; and

wherein the first link, the first rocker link, the second link, the second rocker link and the motion restrainer are rotatable about axes that are substantially parallel to the first axis and to the second axis.

12. The suspension system of claim 11 , wherein the first rocker link is rotatably connected at a third connection point of the first rocker link to the sub-frame and the second rocker link is rotatably connected at a third connection point of the second rocker link to the sub-frame.

13. The suspension system of claim 11 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially perpendicular to and positioned along an axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sub-frame.

14. The suspension system of claim 11 , wherein the motion restrainer is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis and is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sub-frame.

15. The suspension system of claim 11 , wherein the motion restrainer is coupled to the sub-frame so as to substantially maintain an orientation of the motion restrainer with respect to the sub-frame when the motion restrainer moves with respect to the sub-frame.

16. The suspension system of claim 11 , wherein the motion restrainer is slidable with respect to the sub-frame.

17. The suspension system of claim 11 , wherein the motion restrainer has no direct connection to the sub-frame so as to cause the motion restrainer to move with respect to the sub-frame according to a movement of at least one of the first arm and the secon

Assignees

• Ree Automotive Ltd

Inventors

• Dekel Ran
• Sardes Ahishay
• Aknin Amit
• Avigur Eylon
• Chioclea Shmuel

Classifications

• B60G2204/41

  Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings · CPC title

• B60G2204/14

  Mounting of suspension arms · CPC title

• B60G21/045 Primary

  between wheels on different axles on the same side of the vehicle, i.e. the left or the right side · CPC title

• B60G7/04

  Buffer means for limiting movement of arms {(stops limiting fluid passage in fluid dampers F16F9/49; stroke-limiting stops for fluid dampers F16F9/58)} · CPC title

• B60G5/04 Primary

  with two or more pivoted arms, the movements of which are resiliently interrelated {, e.g. the arms being rigid} · CPC title