Integrated steering suspension module for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12036834-B2
Application number	US-202217677762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2022
Priority date	Feb 23, 2021
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

Steering suspension module including a shock absorber strut, a suspension upright, an outer ring of a wheel hub unit attached integrally to a front face of the suspension upright, and a ball joint for articulation with a control arm; wherein the suspension strut consists of a cup-shaped body made entirely of continuous, sheared and bent metal sheet, and the outer ring is provided integral in one piece with, and radially cantilevered from, a steering arm extending transversely cantilevered from the cup-shaped body, on the side of the cup-shaped body; the shock absorber strut is constrained within a first seat of the cup-shaped body and the ball joint is made as an independent unit constrained integrally with a second seat of the cup-shaped body in a position facing the first seat, the ball joint projecting inferiorly cantilevered from the cup-shaped body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An integrated steering suspension module for a vehicle suspension system comprising:
a shock absorber strut;
a suspension upright bearing superiorly the shock absorber strut;
an outer ring of a wheel hub unit or of a rolling bearing forming part of the wheel hub unit, the outer ring being attached integrally to a front face of the suspension upright;
wherein:
the suspension upright consists of a cup-shaped body delimiting on the inside thereof a concavity and entirely made of a continuous metal sheet, which has been sheared and bent, the cup-shaped body comprising: a bottom wall defining, on the side opposite to the concavity of the cup-shaped body, said front face of the suspension upright; a first and a second side wall arranged at the sides of the shock-absorber strut and integrally connected in one piece and continuously to the bottom wall and a third side wall arranged transversally to the first and second side walls and integrally connected in one piece with the first and second side walls and with the bottom wall, on the side opposite to the shock-absorber strut, to which the third side wall is facing;
said outer ring is provided integral in one piece and radially cantilevered by a steering arm extending transversely cantilevered from the cup-shaped body, on the side of the first side wall and sideways to the cup-shaped body;
the shock-absorber strut is constrained integral to a top of the cup-shaped body, opposite to the third side wall, within a first interface of the cup-shaped body, which is defined by a first seat of the cup-shaped body made at least partially within the concavity of the cup-shaped body;
the first seat comprising a U-shaped portion of the cup-shaped body constituting the top thereof and obtained integral in one piece with the bottom wall and with the first and second side walls; the shock-absorber strut comprising a first metal tubular element, which is clamped and locked solidly within a receiving tubular element circumferentially open towards the cup-shaped body in correspondence of two opposite first winglets of the receiving element, which winglets protrude transversely to the receiving elements and are rigidly coupled, by means of connecting elements, like screws or bolts, to and within the U-shaped portion of the cup-shaped body; between said first winglets being inserted a U-shaped bracket having a transversal base which clamps the tubular element against a side wall of the receiving element and two second winglets which cooperate in contact with the first winglets and are crossed through by the connecting elements.

2. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cup-shaped body is provided with a second interface, which is defined by a second seat of the cup-shaped body obtained in the third side wall, in a position facing to the first seat; the second seat being configured to receive in use a ball joint, which in turn is configured for articulation with a lower control arm of the suspension system, the ball joint coming to be an integral part of the integrated steering suspension module; the ball joint being made as an independent unit, which is constrained integral with the third side wall, at the second seat, so that the ball joint protrudes inferiorly cantilevered from the cup-shaped body, on the side opposite to the shock absorber strut.

3. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 2 , characterized in that said second seat comprises a through hole drilled through the third side wall of the cup-shaped body and in which the ball joint made as an independent unit is fitted through by interference fit, the ball joint projecting cantilevered from the third side wall both inwardly of the cup-shaped body, within said concavity, and, with one end thereof, outwardly of the cup-shaped body, said one end being configured to mate with the lower control arm.

4. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 2 , characterized in that said second seat comprises a coining ( 18 b ) or at least one through opening obtained in the third side wall and configured to receive the ball joint realized as an independent unit, the ball joint protruding cantilevered from the third side wall, on the side opposite to the concavity of the cup-shaped body; said third side wall being further provided with a plurality of through holes around said coining or through opening configured to receive a plurality of connecting members, including screws or bolts, to secure the ball joint rigidly to the third side wall.

5. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 1 , further comprising a brake caliper support comprising in turn a pair of lugs or studs machined integral in one piece with the outer ring and extending radially cantilevered from the outer ring, on the side opposite to the steering arm, the brake caliper support resulting to be integral with the cup-shaped body at least via the outer ring.

6. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 5 , characterized in that the outer ring is fixed to the cup-shaped body integral therewith by means of an annular flange arranged radially on the outside of the outer ring and by means of at least one plurality of connecting organs, including screws or bolts; a first pair ( 22 b ) of said connecting organs being housed in the concavity of the cup-shaped body and crossing the bottom wall thereof to engage said flange and, simultaneously, also said lugs or studs to secure the flange and the lugs or studs against the front face delimited by the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body; said first pair ( 22 b ) of connecting organs terminating with respective fastening pins for a brake caliper projecting cantilevered from the lugs or studs, on the side opposite to the cup-shaped body, perpendicularly to said front face.

7. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 5 , characterized in that the outer ring is attached to, and integral with, the cup-shaped body by means of an annular flange radially external to the outer ring and by means of at least one plurality of connecting organs, including screws or bolts; said lugs or studs projecting in cantilevered fashion with respect to the front face of the upright, on the side of the second side wall and on the side opposite to the steering arm; the lugs or studs being configured to receive integrally respective pins for securing a brake caliper, the pins projecting perpendicularly cantilevered from the lugs or studs, on a side opposite to the cup-shaped body.

8. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body is substantially flat and is provided with a through opening around which are arranged a plurality of unthreaded through holes configured to receive from the concavity side of the cup-shaped body a plurality of connecting organs, including bolts or screws, which pass through the bottom wall to couple with respective fastening elements of the outer ring to secure the outer ring rigidly to the cup-shaped body, at the through opening thereof.

9. The integrated steering suspension module according to claim 1 , characterized in that the shock absorber strut comprises a metal tubular member and a semi-annular metal sleeve shaped to be elastically deformable in a circumferential direction, the semi-annular sleeve being shod radially on the outside of the tubular member and being tightened on the tubular member by a locking member; the semi-annular sleeve being integrally welded to a pair of respective opposite flanks of a U-shaped portion of the cup-shaped body constituting the top thereof and provided integrally in one piece with t

Assignees

• Skf Ab
• Fca Italy Spa

Inventors

• Badino Renato
• Falossi Marco
• Lamboglia Francesco
• Pavesio Carlo

Classifications

• F16D2055/0012

  integral with vehicle suspension · CPC title

• F16D65/0062

  integral with vehicle suspension, e.g. with the steering knuckle · CPC title

• B62D7/20

  Links, e.g. track rods (means for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in B62D17/00) · CPC title

• B62D7/16

  Arrangement of linkage connections (pivots per se F16C) · CPC title

• B60G2204/418

  Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings · CPC title