Vehicle with a suspension system that allows individual suspension of the wheels and active control of the body height

• US 20060017240A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conception ET Developpement Michelin S.A. (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Conception ET Developpement Michelin S.A. (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Laurent, Daniel, Walser, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/5.514
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/045 between wheels on different axles on the same side of the vehicle, i.e. the left or the right side
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/46 camber angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/30 In-wheel mountings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/414 Cardan joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4192 rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/421 Pivoted lever mechanisms for mounting suspension elements, e.g. Watt linkage
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4232 Sliding mounts
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/81 front and rear unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/8302 Mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/40 Variable track or wheelbase vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/01 the wheel being mounted for sliding movement, e.g. in or on a vertical guide camber maintaining means B60G3/26

Abstract

A vehicle having a suspended body (1), at least two wheels (2) each mounted on a wheel support. Each wheel support is mounted on a suspension device (5) comprising a suspension support (4) and means for guiding the wheel support relative to the suspension support. The suspension device allows a vertical displacement of the wheel support relative to the suspension support, the size of the displacement being sufficient to produce the vertical suspension movement required. At least one wheel is arranged transversely on one side of the body and at least one other wheel is arranged on the other side of the body. Each suspension support is connected to the body by a height variation mechanism (3, 7, 11, 12) which allows the relative height of the suspension support relative to the body (1) to be varied. Each height variation mechanism is actuated by height control means (15, 16, 17, 18). The vehicle has centralised control means (19) for the height control means, and the action of the height control means on each side of the body is coordinated so that on that side of the body, the relative height of each suspension support is varied simultaneously.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a suspended body (1),

at least two wheels (2) each mounted on a wheel support, each wheel support being mounted on a suspension device (5) comprising a suspension support (4) and means for guiding the wheel support relative to the suspension support, the suspension device allowing a vertical displacement of the wheel support relative to the suspension support, the size of the displacement being sufficient to produce the vertical suspension movement required,

at least one wheel arranged transversely on one side of the body and at least one other wheel arranged on the other side of the body, in which

each suspension support is connected to the body by a height variation mechanism (3, 7, 11, 12) which allows the relative height of the suspension support relative to the body (1) to be varied,

each height variation mechanism is actuated by height control means (15, 16, 17, 18), the vehicle has centralised control means (19) for the height control means, the action of the height control means on each side of the body is coordinated so that on that side of the body, the relative height of each suspension support is varied simultaneously,

for each wheel, the height variation mechanism comprises a device that forms a deformable parallelogram (GHIJ), the said parallelogram receiving on one side the suspension support (4) and being permanently attached on the other side to the body of the vehicle, and the height control means enabling the said parallelogram to be deformed.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1 comprising at least 3 wheels, with at least one central wheel arranged in a plane of symmetry of the vehicle in which the action of the wheel control means is coordinated so as to maintain the longitudinal level of the body during relative height variations of each suspension support.

3. Vehicle according to claim 1 comprising at least four wheels, at least two of which are arranged transversely on one side of the body while at least two other wheels are arranged on the other side of the body.

4. Vehicle according to claim 3, in which the height control means on the same side of the body comprise a single actuator (18).

5. Vehicle according to claim 1, in which the parallelograms extend in a plane essentially parallel to the median plane of the vehicle.

6. Vehicle according to claim 5, comprising four wheels, a front axle and a rear axle, each parallelogram of each wheel having a front and a rear part, and the parallelograms of the front axle wheels being articulated to the body by their rear part while the parallelograms of the rear axle wheels are articulated to the body by their front part.

7. Vehicle according to claim 3, in which the parallelograms extend in a plane essentially parallel to the median plane of the vehicle, and the parallelograms of the wheels on the same side of the vehicle are mechanically interconnected and are controlled by a common actuator.

8. Vehicle according to claims 3, in which the height variation mechanisms impose on each of the suspension supports on the same side of the vehicle height change values which are essentially identical.

9. Vehicle according to claim 1, in which the centralised control means enable height variations on one side of the body different from height variations on the other side of the body.

10. Vehicle according to claim 1, in which the centralised control means enable identical height variations on both sides of the body.

11. Vehicle according to claim 1, comprising at least one height brake (20) which enables the height control means to be blocked, the said brake being controlled by the centralised control means (19) in such manner as to free the height control means during height variations.

12. Vehicle according to claim 1, in which the vertical displacement of the suspension device takes place essentially in the wheel plane.

13. Vehicle according to claim 12, in which the suspension device (5) comprises a bar orientated essentially vertically and a sleeve that guides the bar in translation, the sleeve being mounted on the support (4) with no possible relative movement in the vertical direction between the sleeve and the support, and the wheel support being mounted forked over the two ends of the bar.

14. Vehicle according to claim 13, in which the sleeve is mounted on the suspension support via a pivot which allows the wheel to be steered relative to the support.