Wheel support device and suspension device comprising the said support device

• US 20030071430A1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Serra, Loic, Tetaz, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 6,688,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/124.15
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 13/005 characterised by the mounting on the axle or suspension arm of the damper unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/07 the damper being connected to the stub axle and the spring being arranged around the damper B60G15/068 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/142 with a single lateral arm, e.g. MacPherson type
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/17 with a strut contributing to the suspension geometry by being articulated onto the wheel support
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/46 camber angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/312 The spring being a wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/129 Damper mount on wheel suspension or knuckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/422 Links for mounting suspension elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/265 with a strut cylinder contributing to the suspension geometry by being linked to the wheel support via an articulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/006 Attaching arms to sprung or unsprung part of vehicle, characterised by comprising attachment means controlled by an external actuator, e.g. a fluid or electrical motor B62D7/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/008 Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle B60G7/005, B60G7/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 17/00 Means on vehicles for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in

Abstract

A vehicular suspension device (1) comprises a wheel carrier (31) which is articulated relative to the suspension elements (18, 19). This connection is provided by rigid connection rods (6, 7). This additional degree of freedom permits variation of the camber angle (α) independently of the suspension spring movement and of the deformations of its elements. The variation of the camber is preferably controlled by the forces sustained by the wheel (2) in the ground contact area (AC) of the tire. This is obtained by a configuration in which the movements of the wheel (2) relative to the body (5) of the vehicle allow an instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/c) which is situated beneath the plane of the ground (S).

Claims

1. A support device for connecting a wheel to suspension elements of a vehicle, said wheel having a radius “

R” and

being designed to be supported on the ground through a contact area therewith, said support device comprising;

camber means which provide said wheel with a degree of freedom of camber relative to said suspension elements; and

said support device being configured such that, about a mean position, said wheel allows a first instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/s) which is situated in an interval ranging from 0.5 R above the ground to R beneath the ground.

2. The support device according to claim 1, wherein said first instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/s) is situated, for a mean position of the wheel, beneath the plane of the ground.

3. The support device according to claim 2, wherein said support device is configured such that said first instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/s) is situated transversely beneath said contact area.

4. The support device according to claim 1, wherein said support device is configured such that it is close to equilibrium in said mean position, in the absence of transverse force exerted by the ground on the wheel in the contact area.

5. The support device according to claim 4, wherein said equilibrium is unstable equilibrium.

6. The support device according to claim 3, wherein said first instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/s) is situated substantially in the plane of the wheel.

7. The support device according to claim 4, comprising a wheel carrier designed to be connected to an intermediate support, said intermediate support constituting one of the said suspension elements.

8. The support device according to claim 7, wherein said wheel carrier is connected to the intermediate support by connection rods which are configured so as to permit the camber movement of the wheel carrier by instantaneous movement of rotation of the wheel carrier relative to the intermediate support.

9. The support device according to claim 6, wherein said degree of camber freedom is provided by resilient deformations of deformable elements which connect the wheel carrier to said suspension elements.

10. The support device according to claim 7, wherein said suspension elements comprises a strut of a Mac Pherson suspension system.

11. The support device according to claim 1, further comprising means for control which can affect the camber of the wheel.

12. The support device according to claim 11, wherein the means for control comprises a resiliently deformable element which opposes the camber movement.

13. The support device according to claim 12, wherein the resiliently deformable element preferably comprises one or more elastomeric articulations.

14. A suspension device for connecting a wheel carrier to a body of a vehicle, said wheel carrier being designed to support a wheel having a radius “

R” and

designed to be supported on the ground through a contact area therewith, said suspension device comprising;

a support device for connecting said wheel carrier to suspension elements of the vehicle, said support device having (1) camber means which provide said wheel with a degree of freedom of camber relative to said suspension elements and (2) being configured such that, about a mean position, said wheel allows a first instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/s) which is situated in an interval ranging from 0.5 R above the ground to R beneath the ground;

means which provide the wheel carrier, relative to the body, with a degree of freedom of camber and a degree of freedom of suspension movement which are independent from one another; and

said suspension device being configured such that, about a mean position, the camber movement of the wheel carrier relative to the body allows a second instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/c), which is situated in an interval ranging from 0.5 R above the ground to R beneath the ground.

15. The suspension device according to claim 14, wherein said second instantaneous center of rotation is situated in an interval ranging from 0.2 R above the ground to 0.4 R beneath the ground.

16. The suspension device according to claim 15, comprising an intermediate support connected firstly to the wheel carrier and designed to be connected secondly to the body, the connection of the wheel carrier to the intermediate support permitting said degree of freedom of camber, and the connection of said intermediate support to the body permitting said degree of freedom of suspension spring movement.

17. The suspension device according to claim 15, wherein said second instantaneous center of rotation of the camber movement of the wheel carrier relative to the body is situated beneath the plane of the ground, whereby transverse forces exerted by the ground on the wheel in the contact area induce inclination of the wheel carrier relative to the body in the direction of a decrease of camber, when said transverse forces are directed towards the interior of the vehicle, and in the direction of an increase of camber, when said transverse forces are directed towards the exterior of the vehicle.

18. The suspension device according to claim 14, wherein said degree of freedom of camber is controlled by an active means according to running parameters of said vehicle.

19. In a vehicle having a suspension system for supporting a wheel of radius R on the body of the vehicle, with said wheel being supported on the ground through a contact area therewith, the improvement in said suspension system comprising:

a support device for connecting said wheel carrier to suspension elements of the vehicle, said support device having (1) camber means which provide said wheel with a degree of freedom of camber relative to said suspension elements and (2) being configured such that, about a mean position, said wheel allows a first instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/s) which is situated in an interval ranging from 0.5 R above the ground to R beneath the ground;

means which provide the wheel carrier, relative to the body, with a degree of freedom of camber and a degree of freedom of suspension movement which are independent from one another; and

said suspension device being configured such that, about a mean position, the camber movement of the wheel carrier relative to the body allows a second instantaneous center of rotation (CIR r/c), which is situated in an interval ranging from 0.5 R above the ground to R beneath the ground.