Balanced suspension system

• US 6,702,265 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2001
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Erik Zapletal
• Original Assignee: Erik Zapletal
• Inventors: Zapletal, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kramer, Devon
• Application Number:
  US09/913,224
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 280/124.128, 280/124.104, 280/124.106, 280/124.179, 267/186, 267/187, 267/188, 267/189, 267/190, 267/222, 267/223, 267/224, 267/225, 267/275
• US Class Current: 267/187
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/006 Centrally located spring units, e.g. all wheels being connected to a common spring unit B60G5/00, B60G17/033 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/56 having helical, spiral or coil springs, and also fluid springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/016 characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input B60G17/017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/033 characterised by regulating means acting on more than one spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/02 permanently interconnected
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/04 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/06 fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/203 Distributor valve units comprising several elements, e.g. valves, pump or accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/014 Pitch; Nose dive
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/016 Yawing condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 5/00 Resilient suspensions for a set of tandem wheels or axles having interrelated movements

Abstract

A balance suspension system for a vehicle having a body and at least four wheels (FR, FL, BR, BL) independently supported for movement between upper and lower positions relative to the body, the suspension system includes a balance mechanism adapted to support suspension forces in the vehicle and a plurality of actuating elements (73, 74, 78, 79) which are responsive respectively to the positions of the wheels relative to the body and are operable on spaced apart points on the balance mechanism. The system also includes control means for controlling relative movement between the balance mechanism and the body. The control means act to redistribute suspension forces between the body and the wheels, thereby to induce predetermined suspension behaviour.

Claims

1. A suspension system for a vehicle of the type having a body and at least four wheels independently supported for generally vertical movement between upper and lower positions relative to the body, said suspension system including:

a first balance mechanism including a first pair of first and second balance members and first control means integrated into a substantially unitary structure and arranged to support suspension forces in a first mode of suspension movement;

at least four actuating elements responsive respectively to the positions of the wheels relative to the vehicle body,

a first pair of said actuating elements being connected to the first balance member, and a second pair of said actuating elements being connected to the second balance member, such that each of said balance members is effectively coupled to an associated pair of said wheels through a respective pair of said actuating elements;

the actuating elements and the first pair of balance members being connected in a first configuration such that each of the balance members distributes suspension forces between the associated wheels in predetermined proportions in the first mode, while freely accommodating relative vertical movement between the associated wheels in other modes;

the first control means being responsive only in the first mode and operating substantially independently of the vehicle body to control relative movement between the first and second balance members, whereby the first balance mechanism effectively isolates and controls the first mode substantially independently of other modes of suspension movement.

2. A suspension system according to claim 1, further including:

a second balance mechanism including a second pair of first and second balance drawings members and second control means arranged to support suspension forces in a second mode of suspension movement;

a third pair of said actuating elements being connected to the first balance member of the second balance mechanism, and a fourth pair of said actuating elements being connected to the second balance member of the second balance mechanism, such that each of said balance members is effectively coupled to an associated pair of said wheels through a respective pair of said actuating elements;

the third and fourth pairs of actuating elements and the second balance mechanism being connected such that each of the balance members of the second pair distributes suspension forces between the associated wheels in predetermined proportions in the second mode, while freely accommodating relative vertical movement between the associated wheels in other modes;

the second control means being responsive only in the second mode and operating substantially independently of the first control means to control relative movement between the second pair of balance members and the vehicle body, whereby the second balance mechanism effectively isolates and controls the second mode substantially independently of other modes of suspension movement.

3. A suspension system according to claim 2, further including:

a plurality of said first and said second balance mechanisms, disposed respectively to support suspension forces in a plurality of selected modes of suspension movement;

selected pairs of said actuating elements being connected respectively to the first and second balance mechanisms in predetermined configurations corresponding to the selected modes;

whereby the balance mechanisms in combination isolate and provide substantially independent control over the selected modes of suspension movement.

4. A suspension system according to claim 3, wherein the modes are selected from the group comprising bounce, pitch, roll, and twist.

5. A suspension system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second balance mechanisms are effectively integrated into a single balance system, in which at least some of the first and second pairs of balance members and at least some of the first control means are effectively integrated into the unitary structure and arranged to operate in conjunction with the respective second control means without loss of independent control over the selected modes of suspension movement.

6. A suspension system according to claim 5, wherein suspension movement in each of the selected modes induces at least one of a force or a displacement in the respective balance mechanism in a manner corresponding to at least one of in, along and about a unique axis.

7. A suspension system according to claim 2, wherein the second control means include an elastically deformable member interposed between the second balance mechanism and the vehicle body.

8. A suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the unitary structure of the first balance mechanism has no movable joints.

9. A suspension system according to claim 8, wherein the unitary structure of the first balance mechanism is provided with a degree of resilient flexibility, being at least partially determinate of response characteristics of the first control means.

10. A suspension system according to claim 9, wherein the unitary structure of the first balance mechanism is effectively formed as a generally “

X”

-shaped balance plate, with the first and second balance members of the first balance mechanism being formed by respective diagonal arms of the X, and the first control means being formed by an integral interconnection therebetween.

11. A suspension system according to claim 10, wherein the interconnection is resiliently flexible.

12. A suspension system according to claim 5, wherein the unitary structure of the first balance mechanism is effectively formed as a balance plate incorporating said balance system, whereby at least some of the first and second pairs of balance members and at least some of the first control means are effectively integrated into the balance plate and arranged to operate in conjunction with the respective second control means through movement and deflection of the balance plate in predetermined directions corresponding to unique axes associated respectively with the selected modes, thereby to maintain independent control over the selected modes of suspension movement.

13. A suspension system according to claim 12, including four primary actuating elements connected proximally to the respective wheels, and four secondary actuating elements remote from the wheels and operable directly on the balance plate, the primary actuating elements being linked to corresponding secondary actuating elements by respective connecting means.

14. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the primary and secondary actuating elements include hydraulic cylinders, and the respective connecting means include hydraulic lines.

15. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the primary and secondary actuating elements include mechanical actuators and the respective connecting means include mechanical linkages.

16. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the primary and secondary actuating elements include a combination of hydraulic cylinders and mechanical linkages.

17. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the connecting means include at least one of pneumatic, electronic and electromechanical connecting elements.

18. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the primary and secondary actuating elements are fixedly interconnected.

19. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the primary and secondary actuating elements are integrally formed.

20. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle has first and second ends, the primary actuating elements at the first end of the vehicle are connected to the secondary actuating elements operable respectively on a first end but on opposite sides of the first balance mechanism, while the primary actuating elements at the second end of the vehicle are connected to the secondary actuating elements operable respectively on a second end but on the same sides of the first balance mechanism.

21. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein two of the wheels are a front pair of wheels, and wherein the primary and secondary actuating elements for each of the front pair of wheels are hydraulic rams and are interconnected by hydraulic fluid lines.

22. A suspension system according to claim 21, wherein the ram for each of the front wheels is connected with the secondary actuating element on the opposite side.

23. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein two of the wheels are rear wheels, and wherein the primary actuating elements for the rear wheels are trailing arms.

24. A suspension system according to claim 23, wherein each of the trailing arms is connected directly to a corresponding corner of the balance plate by means of respective ones of the secondary actuating elements in the form of ball joints.

25. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein a spring extending between a support frame on the vehicle body and the balance plate distributes the weight of the vehicle amongst the four wheels in a predetermined ratio.

26. A suspension system according to claim 25, wherein the spring forms part of the second control means.

27. A suspension system according to claim 26, wherein the balance plate includes a front portion and a rear portion, and wherein the support frame also carries a torsion bar, the ends of which are attached respectively to the front and rear portions of the balance plate for moderating pitch during acceleration and braking.

28. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein the balance plate includes front corners and the primary actuating elements include front primary actuating elements, and wherein the front primary actuating elements are respectively connected to the secondary actuating elements on opposite front corners of the balance plate by hydraulic means.

29. A suspension system according to claim 28, wherein the primary actuating elements include rear primary actuating elements and wherein the rear primary actuating elements are connected to respective secondary actuating elements, also by hydraulic means.

30. A suspension system according to claim 13, including ride height control means in the form of a ball joint disposed between the balance plate and a support frame fixed to the vehicle body.

31. A suspension system according to claim 13, including anti-pitch control means in the form of a pair of longitudinally spaced apart springs acting on the balance plate.

32. A suspension system according to claim 31, wherein the springs form part of the second control means.

33. A suspension system according to claim 32, wherein said springs are pre-loaded against stops to provide a predetermined response to harsh bumps once a threshold pre-load force is overcome, while minimizing pitch during normal acceleration and braking.

34. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein said second control means include a pair of mutually opposed spring damper units longitudinally spaced apart on said balance plate.