VARIABLE-GEOMETRY SUSPENSION APPARATUS AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH APPARATUS

• US 20140156143A1
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imperial White City Incubator Limited
• Original Assignee: Imperial Innovations Limited (Imperial College London)
• Inventors: Evangelou, Simos, Kneip, Caspar, Dini, Daniele, De Meerschman, Olivier, Palas, Charalambos, Tocatlian, Alexandre
• Granted Patent: US 9,026,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0157 non-fluid unit, e.g. electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/132 with a single trailing arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/127 with the mounting of springs or dampers moving so that the direction of the related force vector can be changed, thus contributing to a variation of the loading of the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1302 inside the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4192 rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4193 worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/424 Mechanisms for force adjustment, e.g. constant force mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/62 Adjustable continuously, e.g. during driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/12 Cycles; Motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0523 Yaw rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/22 Spring constant
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/41 SISO system, i.e. single input - single output system
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/04 for mounting axles resiliently on cycle frame or fork for sidecars, forecars or the like B62K27/06
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/283 for cycles without a pedal crank, e.g. motorcycles

Abstract

A variable-geometry suspension apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus having a resiliently compressible member, such as a coil-over damper, an actuator and support structure, such as a chassis of a vehicle. The resiliently compressible member is mounted to the support structure for compression under the weight of a mass suspendable by the apparatus. The compressible member is mounted with at least one end of the compressible member displaceable in a displacement direction having a component perpendicular to the direction of compression, so that such displacement varies the geometry of the suspension apparatus and thereby varies the compression of the compressible member. The actuator is arranged for displacing the end of the compressible member in the displacement direction to vary the geometry and thereby vary the compression. Applications include motor vehicles such as cars and motorcycles.

Claims

1. A variable-geometry suspension apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising a resiliently compressible member, an actuator and support structure, wherein:

the resiliently compressible member is mounted to the support structure for compression under the weight of a mass suspendable by the apparatus,

and wherein;

the compressible member is mounted with at least one end of the compressible member displaceable in a displacement direction having a component perpendicular to the direction of compression, so that such displacement varies the geometry of the suspension apparatus and thereby varies the compression of the compressible member; and

the actuator is arranged for displacing the end of the compressible member in the displacement direction to vary the geometry and thereby vary the compression.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible member is mounted to the support structure, and the support structure is arranged, such that movement in the displacement direction compresses or extends the compressible member.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible member is mounted to the support structure and the support structure is arranged to function as passive suspension apparatus without operation of the actuator.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is arranged to vary the position of the compressible member relative to the support structure.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is arranged to vary the position of the one end of the compressible member relative to the support structure.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a four-bar linkage, a first bar of the linkage for coupling to a wheel of the vehicle and a second bar of the linkage for coupling to, or constituted by part of, the vehicle chassis, one end of the compressible member coupled to a bar of the four-bar linkage, the other end of the compressible member coupled to the chassis, the actuator acting to vary the position of the one end of the compressible member along the bar of the four-bar linkage to which it is coupled, thereby displacing that one end.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support structure forms at least part of a double-wishbone suspension arrangement, a first end of the compressible member coupled to one wishbone, a second end of the compressible member coupled to the second wishbone by moveable means, the actuator arranged to act on the moveable means to displace the second end of the compressible member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is an electrical actuator, and optionally comprises an electric motor.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises means to convert rotary motion into linear motion, such as a ball screw arrangement to which the output shaft of the motor is coupled and/or a worm gear arrangement to which the output shaft of the motor is coupled.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator and at least part of the support structure are arranged for fitting to existing suspension apparatus in substitution for part thereof.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one end of the compressible member is pivotally coupled to one end of a con-rod, the con-rod being pivotal about its other end under action of the actuator to displace the one end in the displacement direction.

12. A vehicle comprising suspension apparatus according to claim 1.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the displacement saturation function is substantially of the form:

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the velocity saturation function is substantially of the form:

13. A method of operating a variable-geometry suspension apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus having a resiliently compressible member, an actuator and support structure, wherein:

the resiliently compressible member is mounted to the support structure for compression under the weight of a mass suspendable by the apparatus, and wherein;

the compressible member is mounted with at least one end of the compressible member displaceable in a displacement direction having a component perpendicular to the direction of compression, so that such displacement varies the geometry of the suspension apparatus and thereby varies the compression of the compressible member; and

the actuator is arranged for displacing the end of the compressible member in the displacement direction to vary the geometry and thereby vary the compression, the method comprising the steps of;

a) receiving at least one signal indicative of one or more of the wheel bounce and yaw, pitch, roll and bounce of a vehicle to which the apparatus is fitted; and

b) applying a transfer function to the at least one signal to generate a measure of the desired displacement of the at least one end of the resiliently compressible member, wherein the transfer function comprises;

i) a displacement saturation function to limit the displacement between limits; and

/or

ii) a velocity saturation function to limit the rate of change of displacement between limits.