Suspension structure for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017015166-A1
Application number	US-201415300746-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2014
Priority date	Apr 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 19, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle suspension structure includes a suspension arm and a ball joint. The suspension arm is connected between a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel. The ball joint connects the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel. When the vehicle receives an impact in the longitudinal direction, a socket of the ball joint pivots relative to a ball as the suspension arm deforms, and a flange portion on an open side of the socket interferes with a stud shaft of the ball joint. The interference causes the flange portion to deform and the ball to come out of the socket to undo the link with the vehicle wheel by the ball joint. Upon becoming unlinked, the vehicle wheel moves toward the vehicle-widthwise outer side and interference with the rear vehicle body is suppressed to limit deformation of the vehicle body.

First claim

1 . A vehicle suspension structure comprising:
a suspension arm having a vehicle-widthwise inner side end connected to a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel; and a ball joint connecting the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel, the ball joint comprising a spherical body, a spherical housing accommodating the spherical body, and a shaft portion provided on the spherical body so as to extend outwardly from the spherical housing, the spherical housing being configured to pivot relative to the spherical body as the suspension arm deforms, and the spherical housing having an open end that interferes with the shaft portion causing the spherical body to come out of the spherical housing when the vehicle receives an impact in a longitudinal direction, and the suspension arm and the ball joint being configured such that a breaking load that breaks linking parts between the suspension arm and the suspension member, upon the vehicle receiving the impact in the longitudinal direction, is greater than a drop-off load where the spherical body of the ball joint comes out of the spherical housing upon the vehicle receiving the impact in the longitudinal direction.

2 . (canceled)

3 . (canceled)

4 . A vehicle suspension structure comprising:
a suspension arm having a vehicle-widthwise inner side end connected to a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel; and a ball joint connecting the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel, the ball joint comprising a spherical body, a spherical housing accommodating the spherical body, and a shaft portion provided on the spherical body so as to extend outwardly from the spherical housing, the spherical housing being configured to pivot relative to the spherical body as the suspension arm deforms, and the spherical housing having an open end that interferes with the shaft portion causing the spherical body to come out of the spherical housing when the vehicle receives an impact in a longitudinal direction, and the suspension arm and the ball joint being configured such that a breaking load that breaks the suspension arm near linking parts connecting with the suspension member, upon the vehicle receiving the impact in the longitudinal direction, is greater than a drop-off load where the spherical body of the ball joint comes out of the spherical housing upon the vehicle receiving the impact in the longitudinal direction.

5 . A vehicle suspension structure comprising:
a suspension arm having a vehicle-widthwise inner side end connected to a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel; and a ball joint connecting the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel, the ball joint comprising a spherical body, a spherical housing accommodating the spherical body, and a shaft portion provided on the spherical body so as to extend outwardly from the spherical housing, the spherical housing being configured to pivot relative to the spherical body as the suspension arm deforms, and the spherical housing having an open end that interferes with the shaft portion causing the spherical body to come out of the spherical housing when the vehicle receives an impact in a longitudinal direction, and the suspension arm and the ball joint being configured such that a torsional deformation load that torsionally deforms the suspension arm by a moment of force upon the vehicle receiving the impact in the longitudinal direction, is greater than a drop-off load where the suspension arm receives a moment of force and the spherical body of the ball joint comes out of the spherical housing upon the vehicle receiving the impact in the longitudinal direction.

6 . A vehicle suspension structure comprising:
a suspension arm having a vehicle-widthwise inner side end connected to a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel; and a ball joint connecting the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel, the ball joint comprising a spherical body, a spherical housing accommodating the spherical body, and a shaft portion provided on the spherical body so as to extend outwardly from the spherical housing, the spherical housing being configured to pivot relative to the spherical body as the suspension arm deforms, and the spherical housing having an open end that interferes with the shaft portion causing the spherical body to come out of the spherical housing when the vehicle receives an impact in a longitudinal direction, and the ball joint being configured such that a distance in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the open end of the spherical housing and the shaft portion is different in portions that oppose each other sandwiching the spherical body therebetween.

7 . The vehicle suspension structure according to claim 6 , wherein
the spherical housing comprises a bottom portion and a side portion that rises from an outer peripheral edge of the bottom portion; and a length of the side portion that rises from the bottom portion is different in portions that oppose each other sandwiching the spherical body therebetween.

8 . The vehicle suspension structure according to claim 6 , wherein
the spherical housing comprises a bottom portion and a side portion that rises from an outer peripheral edge of the bottom portion; a length of the side portion that rises from the bottom portion is uniform along a circumferential direction; and a distance between an open end of the spherical housing and the shaft portion is different in portions that oppose each other sandwiching the spherical body therebetween by tilting a central axis of the spherical housing relative to a central axis of the shaft portion.

9 . A vehicle suspension structure comprising:
a suspension arm having a vehicle-widthwise inner side end connected to a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel; and a ball joint connecting the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel, the ball joint comprising a spherical body, a spherical housing accommodating the spherical body, and a shaft portion provided on the spherical body so as to extend outwardly from the spherical housing, the spherical housing being configured to pivot relative to the spherical body as the suspension arm deforms, and the spherical housing having an open end that interferes with the shaft portion causing the spherical body to come out of the spherical housing when the vehicle receives an impact in a longitudinal direction, and the spherical housing comprising a bottom portion and a side portion that rises from an outer peripheral edge of the bottom portion, such that an upper end of the side portion of the portion that interferes with the shaft portion has a higher strength than the upper end of the side portion of other portions when the spherical housing pivots relative to the spherical body.

10 . A vehicle suspension structure comprising:
a suspension arm having a vehicle-widthwise inner side end connected to a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel; and a ball joint connecting the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel, the ball joint comprising a spherical body, a spherical housing accommodating the spherical body, and a shaft portion provided on the spherical body so as to extend outwardly from the spherical housing, the spherical housing being configured to pivot relative to the spherical body as the suspension arm deforms, and the spherical housing having an open end that interferes with the shaft portion causing the spherical body to come out of the spherical housing when the vehicle receives an impact in a longitudinal direct

Assignees

• Nissan Motor

Inventors

• Donkai Shingo
• Yamaguchi Akira
• Nakao Tomoyuki
• Konno Yoshihiro
• Ozono Kuniaki
• Shimizu Naoki

Classifications

• B60G2206/016

  allowing controlled deformation during collision · CPC title

• B60G7/001

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

• F16C11/06

  Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints (universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16) · CPC title

• B60G2206/122

  the arm having L-shape · CPC title

• B60G2204/416

  Ball or spherical joints · CPC title