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

• US 7,401,794 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conception ET Developpement Michelin S.A.
• Original Assignee: Conception ET Developpement Michelin S.A.
• Inventors: Laurent, Daniel, Walser, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meyer; Jacob
• Application Number:
  US11/182,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20060017240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.514, 280/124.134, 280/124.135, 280/124.136
• 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,

at least two wheels each mounted on a wheel support, each wheel support being mounted on a suspension device comprising a suspension support 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 a vertical suspension movement required, and

at least one first wheel of the at least two wheels being arranged transversely on one side of the suspended body and at least one second wheel of the at least two wheels being arranged on the other side of the suspended body,

wherein

for each of the first and second wheels, each suspension support is connected to the suspended body by a height variation mechanism which allows the relative height of the each suspension support relative to the suspended body to be varied,

each height variation mechanism is actuated by a height control means,

the vehicle centralized further comprises centralized control means controlling the height control means,

wherein control of the height control means on each side of the suspended body is coordinated so that on that side of the suspended body, the relative height of each suspension support is varied simultaneously, and

each height variation mechanism comprises a device having four pivot points that form a deformable parallelogram in the median plane of the vehicle, said parallelogram receiving on one side the respective suspension support and being permanently attached on the other side to the suspended body, the height control means enabling said parallelogram to be deformed.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least two wheels comprise at least three wheels, at least one of the at least three wheels being arranged in the median plane of the vehicle in which the action of the height control means is coordinated so as to maintain the longitudinal level of the suspended body during relative height variations of each suspension support.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least two wheels comprise at least four wheels, at least two of the at least four wheels are arranged transversely on one side of the body while at least two other wheels of the at least four wheels are arranged on the other side of the body.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the height control means on the same side of the suspended body comprise a single actuator.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a front axle and a rear axle, the at least two wheels comprise only two front wheels mounted on the front axle and two rear wheel mounted on the rear axle, the parallelogram of each wheel having a front part and a rear part, the parallelogram of each front wheel being articulated to the suspended body by the rear part thereof while the parallelogram of each rear wheel being articulated to the suspended body by the front part thereof.

6. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the parallelograms of the wheels on the same side of the vehicle are mechanically interconnected and are controlled by a common actuator.

7. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the height variation mechanisms impose on the respective suspension supports on the same side of the vehicle height change values which are essentially identical.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the centralized control means enable height variations on one side of the suspended body which are different from height variations on the other side of the suspended body.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the centralized control means enable identical height variations on both sides of the suspended body.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one height brake which enables the height control means to be blocked, said brake being controlled by the centralized control means in such manner as to free the height control means during height variations.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vertical displacement of each suspension device takes place essentially in a respective wheel plane.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein each suspension device comprises a bar orientated essentially vertically and a sleeve that guides the bar in translation, the sleeve being mounted on the respective suspension support with no possible relative movement in the vertical direction between the sleeve and the suspension support, the respective wheel support being mounted forked over two ends of the bar.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein each sleeve is mounted on the respective suspension support via a pivot which allows the respective wheel to be steered relative to the suspension support.