Structure for enabling independently suspended wheels to lean with vehicle hull

• US 20070126199A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Peng, Yu-Yin, Jiaung, Wen-Shu, Li, Cheng-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/124.103
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/007 means for adjusting the wheel inclination
• 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 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/00 Cycles with handlebars, equipped with three or more main road wheels cycle supports or stands equipped with additional wheels for ride stabilisation B62H1/12
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A structure for enabling independently suspended wheels to lean with vehicle hull, which comprises a linkage mechanism and two suspending mechanisms. The linkage mechanism comprises: a connecting part and a four-bar linkage structure composed of a ground rod, a floating rod, placed over the ground rod and parallel thereto, and two rocking arms; wherein an end of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of one rocking arm while another end of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm; and an end of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of one rocking arms opposite to that connected to the floating rod while another end of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm opposite to that connected to the floating rod; and the connecting part has a bulging sliding block matched and inset into a straight sliding slot arranged near center of the floating rod while the bottom of the connecting part is pivotally connected to a specific position of the ground rod near the center thereof. The suspending mechanism comprises: a hub, two suspending rods and a shock absorber; wherein the hub is pivotally connected to the rocking arm by the two suspending rods, and the top of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the top of one rocking arm while the bottom of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the bottom of the hub.

Claims

1. A structure for enabling independently suspended wheels to lean with a vehicle hull, comprising:

a linkage mechanism, further comprising;

a four-bar linkage structure, composed of a ground rod, a floating rod, being placed over the ground rod and parallel thereto, and two rocking arms; and

a connecting part, arranged at a position in the vicinity of the center between the floating rod and the ground rod while being oriented perpendicular to the two, having a bulging sliding block matched and inset to a straight sliding slot defined in the floating rod while the bottom end of the connecting part is pivotally connected to a specific position of the ground rod;

wherein, an ends of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arm while another end of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm; and

an ends of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arms opposite to that connected to the floating rod while another end of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm opposite to that connected to the floating rod; and

two suspending mechanism, each further comprising;

a hub, at least two suspending rods and a shock absorber;

wherein, the hub is pivotally connected to one rocking arm corresponding thereto by the suspending rods, and the top of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the top of the corresponding rocking arm while the bottom of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the bottom of the hub.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the sliding block is integrally formed with the connecting part.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the sliding block is screw-fixed to the connecting part by a bolt.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the sliding block is slidably engaged with the sliding slot.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein an included angle formed between an equivalent plane of the four-bar linkage structure and the ground is less than 90 degrees.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein the connecting part is rigidly connected with the vehicle hull.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to a location of the suspending rod pivotally connected to the corresponding rocking arm.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the ground rod is longer than the floating rod.

9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the suspending rod disposed at the vicinity of bottom part of the hub.

10. A structure for enabling independently suspended wheels to lean with a vehicle hull, comprising:

a linkage mechanism, further comprising;

a four-bar linkage structure, composed of a ground rod, a floating rod, being placed over the ground rod and parallel thereto, and two rocking arms; and

a connecting part, arranged at a position in the vicinity of the center between the floating rod and the ground rod while being oriented perpendicular to the two, having a bulging sliding block matched and inset to a straight sliding slot defined in the floating rod while the bottom end of the connecting part is pivotally connected to a specific position of the ground rod;

wherein, an ends of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arm while another end of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm; and

an ends of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arms opposite to that connected to the floating rod while another end of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm opposite to that connected to the floating rod;

11. The structure of claim 10, wherein the sliding block is integrally formed with the connecting part.

12. The structure of claim 10, wherein the sliding block is screw-fixed to the connecting part by a bolt.

13. The structure of claim 10, wherein the sliding block is slidably engaged with the sliding slot.

14. The structure of claim 10, wherein an included angle formed between an equivalent plane of the four-bar linkage structure and the ground is less than 90 degrees.

15. The structure of claim 10, wherein the connecting part is rigidly connected with the vehicle hull.

16. The structure of claim 10, wherein the ground rod is longer than the floating rod.

17. The structure of claim 10, further comprising two suspending mechanisms, each including:

a hub, at least a pair of suspending rods and a shock absorber;

wherein, the hub is pivotally connected to one rocking arm corresponding thereto by the suspending rods, and the top of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the top of the corresponding rocking arm while the bottom of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the bottom of the hub.

18. The structure of claim 17, wherein the bottom portion of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the suspending rod disposed at the bottom of the hub.

19. A structure for enabling independently suspended wheels to lean with a vehicle hull, comprising:

a linkage mechanism, further comprising;

a floating rod; and

a ground rod, disposed under the floating rod and parallel thereto;

wherein, an included angle formed between an equivalent plane of the four-bar linkage structure and the ground is less than 90 degrees.

20. The structure of claim 19, wherein the ground rod is longer than the floating rod.

21. The structure of claim 19, wherein the linkage mechanism further comprising:

two rocking arms; and

a connecting part, arranged at a position in the vicinity of the center between the floating rod and the ground rod while being oriented perpendicular to the two, having a bulging sliding block matched and inset to a straight sliding slot defined in the floating rod while the bottom end of the connecting part is pivotally connected to a specific position of the ground rod;

wherein, an ends of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arm while another end of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm; and

an ends of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arms opposite to that connected to the floating rod while another end of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm opposite to that connected to the floating rod.

22. The structure of claim 21, wherein the sliding block is integrally formed with the connecting part.

23. The structure of claim 21, wherein the sliding block is screw-fixedly to the connecting part by a bolt.

24. The structure of claim 21, wherein the sliding block is slidably engaged with the slide slot.

25. The structure of claim 21, wherein the connecting part is rigidly connected with the vehicle hull.

26. The structure of claim 19, further comprising two suspending mechanisms, each including:

a hub, at least a pair of suspending rods and a shock absorber;

wherein, the hub is pivotally connected to one rocking arm corresponding thereto by the suspending rods, and the top of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the top of the corresponding rocking arm while the bottom of the shock absorber is pivotally connected to the bottom of the hub.

27. The structure of claim 26, wherein the bottom portion of the shock absorber is pivotally connected with the suspending rod disposed at the bottom of the hub.