Steerable wheel suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339753-A1
Application number	US-201414898789-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2014
Priority date	Jun 19, 2013
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, including a wheel carrier ( 2 ) for holding a wheel ( 3 ), a wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) for articulating the wheel carrier ( 2 ) to a structure, and steering member ( 23 ) for steering the wheel ( 3 ). For steering the wheel ( 3 ), the wheel carrier ( 2 ) and the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) are articulated to one another in such manner that the wheel carrier ( 2 ) can pivot relative to the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) about a steering axis. The wheel carrier ( 2 ) is connected indirectly to the control arm ( 4 ) in a first connection zone ( 20 ) by an integral link ( 5 ).

First claim

1 - 13 . (canceled)

14 . A wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, the wheel suspension comprising:
a wheel carrier ( 2 ) for holding a wheel ( 3 ), a wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) for articulating the wheel carrier ( 2 ) to a vehicle structure, and steering means ( 23 ) for steering the wheel ( 3 ), the wheel carrier ( 2 ) and the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ), for steering the wheel ( 3 ), being articulated to one another such that the wheel carrier ( 2 ) being pivotable relative to the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) about a steering axis, and the wheel carrier ( 2 ), in a first connection zone ( 20 ), being indirectly connected to the control arm ( 4 ) by way of an integral link ( 5 ).

15 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein the wheel carrier ( 2 ), in a second connection zone ( 21 ), is directly connected to the control arm ( 4 ) by a ball joint.

16 . The wheel suspension according to claim 15 , wherein the first and the second connection zones ( 20 ; 21 ) are a spaced away from one another in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

17 . The wheel suspension according to claim 15 , wherein one of the first and the second connection zones ( 20 ; 21 ) is located behind a center of the wheel and the other of the first and the second connection zones is located ahead of the center of the wheel.

18 . The wheel suspension according to claim 15 , wherein the first connection zone ( 20 ) is located behind a center of the wheel and the second connection zone is located ahead of the center of the wheel.

19 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein in an undeflected condition of the wheel ( 3 ), the integral link ( 5 ) is orientated substantially in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

20 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein in an area of a first end of the integral link, the integral link ( 5 ) is connected to the wheel carrier ( 2 ), and in an area of the other a second end of the integral link, the integral link is connected to the control arm ( 4 ), in each case, by a swivel joint such that rotational axes of the two swivel joints are at least one of parallel to one another and substantially orientated in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

21 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein the control arm ( 4 ) has at least one of:
a transverse arm section ( 14 ) that extends substantially in a transverse direction of the vehicle and is located behind the center of the wheel, when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and a longitudinal arm section ( 15 ) that extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

22 . The wheel suspension according to claim 20 , wherein at least one of:
the first connection zone ( 20 ) is located in an area of an end of the transverse arm section ( 14 ) on a wheel carrier side; and the second connection zone ( 21 ) is located in an area of the longitudinal arm section ( 15 ).

23 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein the wheel suspension ( 1 ) comprises either a wheel-guiding transverse control link ( 24 ) or a wheel-guiding transverse leaf spring ( 6 ) with two-point mounting ( 12 , 13 ) and, in an area of an end of the either of the wheel-guiding transverse control link ( 24 ) or the wheel-guiding transverse leaf spring ( 6 ), is articulated to the wheel carrier ( 2 ).

24 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein in a vertical direction of the vehicle, the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) is arranged in a lower control arm plane and either of a transverse control link ( 24 ) or the transverse leaf spring ( 6 ) is arranged in a higher control arm plane vertically above the lower control arm plane,

25 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein either a transverse control link ( 24 ) or the transverse leaf spring ( 6 ) and a transverse arm section ( 14 ) of the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) are at least one of arranged behind a center of the wheel, and substantially one above the other in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

26 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein for passive steering by wheel deflection, the steering means ( 23 ) is a track link, or for active steering by means of an actuator, the steering means ( 23 ) is a track rod.

27 . The wheel suspension according to claim 14 , wherein the steering means ( 23 ) is at least one of articulated directly to the wheel carrier ( 2 ) and arranged behind a center of the wheel.

28 . A wheel suspension for a motor vehicle which is drivable in a forward direction along a horizontal longitudinal axis, the wheel suspension comprising:
a wheel ( 3 ) being is mounted to a wheel carrier ( 2 ); a wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) for steering the wheel carrier ( 2 ) with respect to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle structure; a track link for steering the wheel ( 3 ); the wheel carrier ( 2 ) and the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) for steering the wheel ( 3 ) being articulated to one another such that the wheel carrier ( 2 ) being pivotable relative to the wheel-guiding control arm ( 4 ) about a steering axis, the wheel carrier ( 2 ) being indirectly connected, at a first connection zone, to the control arm ( 4 ) via an integral link ( 5 ), and the wheel carrier being directly connected, at a second connection zone, to the control arm by a ball joint; and the first and the second connection zones being located on opposite longitudinal sides of a vertical line that passes through a center of the wheel,

29 . The wheel suspension according to claim 28 , wherein a first end of the integral link ( 5 ) is connected, via a first swivel joint, to the wheel carrier ( 2 ), and a second end of the integral link is connected, via a second swivel joint, to the control arm ( 4 ), and each the first and the second swivel joints defines a rotational axis, and
when the vehicle is driving in the forward direction along the horizontal longitudinal axis with the wheel in an undeflected condition, the rotational axes of the first and the second swivel joints are at least one of parallel to one another and parallel to the longitudinal axis.

30 . The wheel suspension according to claim 29 , wherein the first connection zone and the first and the second swivel joints are located on a longitudinally trailing side of the vertical line that passes through the center of the wheel, and the ball joint and the second connection zone are located on a longitudinally leading side of the vertical line that passes through the center of the wheel

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Wallgren Klaus

Classifications

• B60G2204/148

  on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle · CPC title

• B60G2204/422

  Links for mounting suspension elements · CPC title

• B60G3/28

  at least one of the arms itself being resilient, e.g. leaf spring {(B60G7/003 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G3/22

  a rigid arm forming the axle housing · CPC title

• B60G2204/4222

  for movement on predefined locus of, e.g. the wheel center · CPC title