Electromechanical stabilizer for a vehicle chassis

• US 6,550,788 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Wey, Torsten, Van der Knaap, Albert, Schmidt, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US09/936,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.511, 280/5.506, 280/124.106, 280/124.107, 280/124.149, 280/124.152, 267/188, 267/273, 267/277
• US Class Current: 280/5.511
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0553 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0555 including an actuator inducing vehicle roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/135 Stabiliser bar and/or tube
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/442 Rotary actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4191 Planetary or epicyclic gears

Abstract

An electromechanical stabilizer for the chassis of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, is provided having an actuator which is integrated between two stabilizer halves and, as required, rotates the two stablizer halves with respect to one another by a rotation angle. The actuator consists of an electric motor as well as of a transmission connected to the output side of this electric motor. The transmission has a transmission ratio which changes as a function of the angle of rotation. The transmission is designed such that the smallest possible transmission ratio occurs in the neutral position while the stabilizer halves are not rotated with respect to one another. For large angles of rotation, this transmission ratio changes in the “infinite” direction. The transmission having a variable transmission ratio can be constructed for example, as a hypocycloidal transmission with linear guides or as an eccentric transmission.

Claims

1. An electromechanical stabilizer for a chassis of a motor vehicle, comprising:

first and second stabilizer halves;

an actuator integrated between the first and second stabilizer halves, said actuator rotating the first and second stabilizer halves with respect to one another by a rotation angle as required;

wherein said actuator comprises an electric motor having an output side and a transmission coupled to the output side of the electric motor, said transmission having a variable transmission ratio which changes as a function of the rotation angle.

2. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 1, wherein said transmission is designed such that a smallest possible transmission ratio occurs in a neutral position in which the first and second stabilizer halves are not rotated with respect to one another, and further wherein the transmission ratio changes toward an infinite direction for large angles of rotation.

3. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 2, further comprising a transmission stage having a constant transmission ratio, said constant ratio transmission stage being connected in series with the transmission having a variable transmission ratio.

4. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 2, wherein the transmission having the variable transmission ratio is one of a:

hypocycloidal transmission with linear guides, a crank transmission, and an eccentric transmission.

5. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 2, wherein the transmission having the variable transmission ratio is a crank gear.

6. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission stage having a constant transmission ratio, said constant ratio transmission stage being connected in series with the transmission having a variable transmission ratio.

7. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 6, wherein the transmission having the variable transmission ratio is one of a:

hypocycloidal transmission with linear guides, a crank transmission, and an eccentric transmission.

8. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 6, wherein the transmission having the variable transmission ratio is a crank gear.

9. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 1, wherein the transmission having the variable transmission ratio is one of a:

hypocycloidal transmission with linear guides, a crank transmission, and an eccentric transmission.

10. The electromechanical stabilizer according to claim 1, wherein the transmission having the variable transmission ratio is a crank gear.