Wheel suspension of a vehicle axle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9902226-B2
Application number	US-201615211147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2016
Priority date	Jul 18, 2015
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A wheel suspension for a vehicle axle, in particular a front axle, of a two-track vehicle includes a wheel carrier configured to support a vehicle wheel, and a link assembly configured to articulate the wheel carrier to a vehicle body. The link assembly includes at least one two-point link articulated on a side of the wheel carrier to the wheel carrier at a first mounting point and on a side of the vehicle body to the vehicle body at a second mounting point. The two-point link executes a pivotal movement in the event of a head-on collision to enable a collision-proximal vehicle wheel to move backwards. The two-point link includes a stop member to limit the pivotal movement in the event of the head-on collision, by impacting a body-side counterpiece, thereby forming a body-side third mounting point to block and counteract the pivotal movement of the two-point link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel suspension for a vehicle axle of a two-track vehicle, comprising:
a wheel carrier configured to support a vehicle wheel; and
a link assembly configured to articulate the wheel carrier to a vehicle body, said link assembly including at least one two-point link articulated on a side of the wheel carrier to the wheel carrier at a first mounting point and on a side of the vehicle body to the vehicle body at a second mounting point, with the at least one two-point link executing a pivotal movement in the event of a head-on collision to enable a collision-proximal vehicle wheel to move backwards, said at least one two-point link including a stop member to limit the pivotal movement in the event of the head-on collision, by impeding a body-side counterpiece, thereby forming a body-side third mounting point to block and counteract the pivotal movement of the at least one two-point link,
wherein the stop member of the at least one two-point link assumes an aerodynamic function when closing a space between the at least one two-point link and a longitudinal link.

2. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein during normal driving mode, the stop member of the at least one two-point link is spaced from the counterpiece by a clearance.

3. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the third mounting point formed as a result of the collision is arranged, as viewed in a vehicle longitudinal direction, on a collision-distal side of the at least one two-point link.

4. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is configured to extend from the at least one two-point link by a predefined length.

5. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the third mounting point formed as a result of the collision is arranged, as viewed in a vehicle longitudinal direction, at a distance behind the second mounting point of the at least one two-point link.

6. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the second mounting point of the at least one two-point link is dimensioned to rupture during the collision to enable the at least one two-point link to pivot about a vertical axis defined by the third mounting point and to execute a pivotal movement, thereby causing a transverse shift of the vehicle wheel in a vehicle transverse direction outwards.

7. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , further comprising a body-side longitudinal guide to guide the stop member of the at least one two-point link, when the at least one two-point link pivots about the second mounting point.

8. The wheel suspension of claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal guide is configured in the form of a coupling rod which is articulated to both the at least one two-point link and the vehicle body.

9. The wheel suspension of claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal guide is configured in the form of a rubber bearing which connects the stop member of the at least one two-point link to the vehicle body.

10. The wheel suspension of claim 9 , wherein the rubber bearing is a rubber-metal bearing.

11. The wheel suspension of claim 9 , wherein the rubber bearing has in a vehicle vertical direction a rigidity which is greater than a rigidity of the rubber bearing in a direction transversely to the vehicle vertical direction to thereby realize a smooth pivotal movement of the at least one two-point link about the second mounting point.

12. The wheel suspension of claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal guide has a rigidity sufficient to establish together with a mass of the stop member a vibration system to dampen and counteract vibrations of the vehicle axle in a vehicle vertical direction.

13. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the link assembly is a five-link assembly of which at least one the two-point link is part of and represents a transverse link, which together with a longitudinal link of the link assembly is arranged in a lower link plane, said at least one two-point link assuming a load-bearing function to support a suspension spring and a vibration damper.

14. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the link assembly is a five-link assembly of which the at least one two-point link is part of and represents a transverse link, which together with the longitudinal link is arranged in an upper link plane.

15. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal link is arranged in a vehicle longitudinal direction on a collision-proximal side of the at least one two-point link to assume a function as a tension strut which is subjected to a tensile force in the event of the collision.

16. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal link is arranged in a vehicle longitudinal direction on a collision-distal side of the at least one two-point link to assume a function as a compression strut which is subjected to a compressive force in the event of the collision.

17. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the stop member of the at least one two-point link is disposed in a region between the at least one two-point link and the longitudinal link.

18. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the stop member of the at least one two-point link is interleaved at least in part with the longitudinal link in a vehicle vertical direction.

19. The wheel suspension of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle axle is a front axle.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Mohrlock Dominik

Classifications

• B60G2204/41

  Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings · CPC title

• B60G2204/143

  on the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60G2206/016

  allowing controlled deformation during collision · CPC title

• B60G2204/45

  Stops limiting travel · CPC title

• B60G2200/154

  the lateral arm having an L-shape · CPC title