Rear suspension systems with rotary devices for laterally tiltable multitrack vehicles

• US 10,023,019 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spahl, Robert, Simon, Marc, Halfmann, Edmund, Gerhards, Thomas, Souschek, Rainer, Hintzen, Ralf, Mainz, Daniel, Saeger, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US14/630,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20160244094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/00 Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load levelling or stabilising systems for tippers B60P1/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/05 between wheels on the same axle but on different sides of the vehicle, i.e. the left and right wheel suspensions being interconnected
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/62 Adjustable continuously, e.g. during driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/8304 using a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/13 Small sized city motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/01 Motorcycles with four or more wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/003
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/08 with steering devices acting on two or more wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle may include a balancer system extending between first and second trailing arms. The suspension system may further include a rotary device acting between the trailing arms. One of the balancer system and the rotary device may be configured to provide a torque to influence a leaning angle of the vehicle and the other of the balancer system and the rotary device may be configured to suppress resonant vertical motion of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle, comprising:

a balancer system extending transversely between and connected to each of first and second trailing arms; and

a rotary device acting between and connected to each of the first and second trailing arms at a different location than the balancer system,

wherein one of the balancer system and the rotary device is configured to provide a torque to influence a leaning angle of the vehicle and a first load path linking the first and second trailing arms for the torque, and the other of the balancer system and the rotary device is configured to provide a second load path linking the first and second trailing arms, which is completely separate and distinct from the first load path, for suspension and road loads and to suppress resonant vertical motion of the vehicle caused by the suspension and road loads.

2. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the first and second trailing arms are parallel to one another.

3. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein, when the suspension system is in use, the first and second trailing arms are each configured to extend between a rear wheel of the vehicle and a frame rail of the vehicle.

4. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein, when the suspension system is in use, the first and second trailing arms are configured to connect to respective first and second drive shafts of the vehicle.

5. The suspension system of claim 1, further including a gear positioned within a path of the rotary device.

6. The suspension system of claim 5, wherein the gear is a differential with a ratio of about −

1.

7. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the balancer system is configured to provide the torque and the rotary device is configured to suppress the resonant vertical motion.

8. The suspension system of claim 7, wherein the balancer system comprises a balancer control arm extending in a transverse direction between and connected to each of the first and second trailing arms, a hinged control arm connected to the balancer control arm, and an actuator attached to the hinged control arm.

9. The suspension system of claim 7, wherein the rotary device comprises a rotary spring/damper element.

10. The suspension system of claim 9, wherein the rotary spring/damper element comprises a liquid based hydraulic mechanism extending transversely between the first and second trailing arms.

11. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the balancer system is configured to suppress the resonant vertical motion and the rotary device is configured to provide the torque.

12. The suspension system of claim 11, wherein the balancer system comprises two vertical spring/damper elements connected to opposite ends of a balancer control arm.

13. The suspension system of claim 12, wherein the vertical spring/damper elements each include a shock absorber and a coil spring.

14. The suspension system of claim 11, wherein the rotary device comprises a rotary actuator.

15. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein the rotary actuator is axle mounted.

16. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein the rotary actuator is body mounted.

17. A rear suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle, comprising:

first and second trailing arms, each of the first and second trailing arms extending between a rear wheel of the vehicle and a frame rail of the vehicle;

a balancer system extending transversely between and connected to each of the first and second trailing arms, the balancer system being configured to create a torque to influence a leaning angle of a body of the vehicle and to provide a first load path for the torque; and

a rotary spring/damper element acting between and connected to each of the first and second trailing arms at a different location than the balancer system, the rotary spring/damper element being configured to provide a second load path, which is completely separate and distinct from the first load path, for suspension and road loads and to suppress a resonant vertical motion of the body of the vehicle caused by the suspension and road loads.

18. The suspension system of claim 17, wherein the balancer system comprises a balancer control arm extending in a transverse direction between and connected to each of the first and second trailing arms, a hinged control arm connected to the balancer control arm, and an actuator attached to the hinged control arm.

19. The suspension system of claim 17, wherein the rotary spring/damper element comprises a liquid based hydraulic mechanism extending transversely between the first and second trailing arms.

20. The suspension system of claim 19, wherein the liquid based hydraulic mechanism comprises a vane, dashpot, and/or magneto rheological damping element.

21. A rear suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle, comprising:

first and second trailing arms, each of the first and second trailing arms extending between a rear wheel of the vehicle and a frame rail of the vehicle;

a balancer system extending transversely between and connected to each of the first and second trailing arms, the balancer system being configured to provide a first load path for suspension and road loads and to suppress a resonant vertical motion of a body of the vehicle caused by the suspension and road loads; and

a rotary actuator acting between and connected to each of the first and second trailing arms at a different location than the balancer system, the rotary actuator being configured to create a torque to influence a leaning angle of the body of the vehicle and to provide a second load path, which is completely separate and distinct from the first load path, for the torque.

22. The suspension system of claim 21, wherein the balancer system comprises two vertical spring/damper elements connected to opposite ends of a balancer control arm.

23. A method of stabilizing a tiltable, multitrack vehicle comprising a first rear wheel mounted to a first rear trailing arm and a second rear wheel mounted to a second rear trailing arm, the method comprising:

distributing a first load, during a roll motion of the vehicle, via a first mechanism positioned within a rear suspension of the vehicle to influence a leaning angle of the vehicle; and

distributing a second load, during a jounce/rebound motion of the vehicle, via a second mechanism positioned within the rear suspension of the vehicle to suppress a resonant vertical motion of the vehicle, wherein the second mechanism is connected to each of the first rear trailing arm and the second rear trailing arm at a different location than the first mechanism such that the second mechanism provides a completely separate and distinct load path, which links the rear trailing arms, from the first mechanism.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the distributing of the first load comprises distributing the first load via either a balancer system or a rotary device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the distributing of the second load comprises distributing the second load via either a balancer system or a rotary device.