Vehicle suspension assembly, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018264902-A1
Application number	US-201715462558-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 17, 2017
Priority date	Mar 17, 2017
Publication date	Sep 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a suspension assembly of a vehicle having a frame and an engine. The suspension assembly can include a trailing arm having first and second ends and configured to extend from the frame at the first end. The suspension assembly can further include a knuckle connected to the second end of the trailing arm. The suspension assembly can include an arm assembly configured to extend from the frame to support the knuckle and facilitate translational movement of the knuckle relative to the frame in at least one predetermined direction. The suspension assembly can include a damper and a connecting link configured to extend from the frame and connected to the trailing arm. The suspension assembly can include a stabilizer bar connected to the connecting link and extending rearward around the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A suspension assembly of a vehicle having a frame, an engine and at least one driven wheel, the vehicle being drivable in forward and rearward directions, the suspension assembly comprising:
a trailing arm having first and second ends and configured to extend from the frame at the first end; a knuckle connected to the second end of the trailing arm and configured to support the at least one wheel; an arm assembly configured to extend from the frame to support the knuckle and facilitate translational movement of the knuckle relative to the frame in at least one predetermined direction; a damper configured to extend from the frame and connected to the trailing arm; a connecting link connected to the trailing arm rearward of the damper; and a stabilizer bar connected to the connecting link and extending rearward around the engine.

2 . The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the trailing arm is straight and substantially rectangular in cross-section, and is connected to the knuckle by a spherical joint.

3 . The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the arm assembly comprises:
an upper arm being substantially A-shaped and configured to extend from the frame and connected to the knuckle; a first lateral arm configured to extend substantially laterally from the frame and connected to the knuckle; and a second lateral arm configured to extend substantially laterally from the frame and connected to the knuckle, the second lateral arm disposed below the first lateral arm.

4 . The suspension assembly of claim 3 , wherein a first leg of the upper arm is configured to extend rearward from the frame to the knuckle and a second leg of the upper arm is configured to extend substantially laterally from the frame to the knuckle, the first leg having a greater length than the second leg.

5 . The suspension assembly of claim 4 , wherein the upper arm is disposed above both the trailing arm and the second lateral arm, and the first leg of the upper arm is configured to extend substantially along the trailing arm and the second leg of the upper arm is configured to extend substantially along the second lateral arm.

6 . The suspension assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first leg and the second leg of the upper arm are each connected to the frame by spherical joints.

7 . The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the trailing arm includes a mount to which both the damper and the connecting link are connected.

8 . The suspension assembly of claim 7 , wherein the mount is disposed between the first and second ends of the trailing arm.

9 . The suspension assembly of claim 1 , further comprising another connecting link to which the stabilizer bar is also connected, the other connecting link disposed on an opposite side of the vehicle from the connecting link such that the stabilizer bar spans across a rear of the engine between the connecting link and the other connecting link.

10 . The suspension assembly of claim 9 , further comprising another trailing arm to which the other connecting link is connected, the other trailing arm being disposed on the opposite side of the vehicle from the trailing arm.

11 . A vehicle having an engine and at least one driven wheel, the vehicle being drivable in forward and rearward directions and comprising:
a frame assembly; and a suspension assembly comprising:
a trailing arm having first and second ends and configured to extend from the frame at the first end;
a knuckle connected to the second end of the trailing arm and configured to support the at least one wheel;
an arm assembly configured to extend from the frame to support the knuckle and facilitate translational movement of the knuckle relative to the frame in at least one predetermined direction;
a damper configured to extend from the frame and connected to the trailing arm; and
a connecting link connected to the trailing arm rearward of the damper.

12 . The suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the trailing arm is straight and substantially rectangular in cross-section, and is connected to the knuckle by a spherical joint.

13 . The suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the arm assembly comprises:
an upper arm being substantially A-shaped and configured to extend from the frame and connected to the knuckle; a first lateral arm configured to extend substantially laterally from the frame and connected to the knuckle; and a second lateral arm configured to extend substantially laterally from the frame and connected to the knuckle, the second lateral arm disposed below the first lateral arm.

14 . The suspension assembly of claim 13 , wherein a first leg of the upper arm is configured to extend rearward from the frame to the knuckle and a second leg of the upper arm is configured to extend substantially laterally from the frame to the knuckle, the first leg having a greater length than the second leg.

15 . The suspension assembly of claim 14 , wherein the upper arm is disposed above both the trailing arm and the second lateral arm, and the first leg of the upper arm is configured to extend substantially along the trailing arm and the second leg of the upper arm is configured to extend substantially along the second lateral arm.

16 . The suspension assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first leg and the second leg of the upper arm are each connected to the frame by spherical joints.

17 . The suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the trailing arm includes a mount to which both the damper and the connecting link are connected.

18 . The suspension assembly of claim 17 , wherein the mount is disposed between the first and second ends of the trailing arm.

19 . The suspension assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
another connecting link disposed on an opposite side of the vehicle from the connecting link and connected to another trailing arm disposed on the opposite side of the vehicle from the trailing arm; and a stabilizer bar connected to the connecting link and the other connecting link that extends rearward around the engine such that the stabilizer bar spans across a rear of the engine between the connecting link and the other connecting link.

20 . A suspension assembly of a vehicle defining a vehicle body and having an engine, the suspension assembly comprising:
a knuckle supporting a wheel; a trailing arm extending rearward from the vehicle body and connected to the knuckle; an upper arm extending in a vehicle width direction from the vehicle body and connected to the knuckle; a lower arm extending in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle body and connected to the knuckle below the upper arm; a control arm extending both rearward and in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle body, arranged above the trailing arm and connected to the knuckle; a damper extending downward from the vehicle body and connected to the trailing arm; and a stabilizer bar connected to the trailing arm and extending in the vehicle width direction behind the engine.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Schroeder Dustin M
• Farrar L Tyler
• Wolf Henry D

Classifications

• B60G7/008 Primary

  Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle (B60G7/005, B60G7/006 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60G7/001

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

• B60G7/02

  Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G7/005

  Ball joints (B60G7/006 takes precedence; for steering linkage B62D7/16; ball joints per se F16C11/06) · CPC title

• B60G3/18 Primary

  with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram · CPC title