Suspension apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,559,563 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Minoshima, Harumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/451,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20070001417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 280/124.106, 280/124.107, 280/124.137, 280/124.149, 280/124.152, 280/124.162, 280/124.166
• US Class Current: 280/124.106
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0555 including an actuator inducing vehicle roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/413 Hydraulic actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1222 Middle mounts of stabiliser on vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1224 End mounts of stabiliser on wheel suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/41 Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/421 Pivoted lever mechanisms for mounting suspension elements, e.g. Watt linkage
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4222 for movement on predefined locus of, e.g. the wheel center

Abstract

A suspension apparatus for a vehicle includes a stabilizer bar, a hydraulic cylinder, a lever, and a link. The stabilizer bar has a torsion bar portion assembled to an axle. One arm portion of the stabilizer bar is assembled to the frame via the hydraulic cylinder and the lever. The hydraulic cylinder is assembled to the frame at a first connection point on the cylinder body. The lever is connected at a second connection point to the arm portion, is connected at a third connection point to the link, and connected at a fourth connection point to the piston rod. The link is connected at a fifth connection point to the cylinder body. The intersection between a straight line passing through the first and second connection points and a straight line passing through the third and fifth connection points is located near the axis of the piston rod.

Claims

1. A suspension apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a stabilizer bar including a torsion bar portion and two arm portions extending from opposite ends of the torsion bar portion;

a hydraulic cylinder including a cylinder body, a piston, and a piston rod;

a lever for connecting one of the arm portions to the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder;

a separate connector articulatedly connecting the lever to the cylinder body, and wherein a connection point between the lever and the separate connector forms a rotation fulcrum of the lever;

wherein the rotation fulcrum of the lever is set such that a stroke of the piston rod is smaller than that of the one arm portion; and

wherein a connection point between the one arm portion and the lever is a first connection point, wherein a connection point between the piston rod and the lever is a second connection point, and wherein said connection point between said separate connector and said lever is a third connection point, and further wherein said second connection point is between said first connection point and said third connection point.

2. A suspension apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the one arm portion of the stabilizer bar to which the lever is connected is mounted to a vehicle body via the hydraulic cylinder, the other arm portion of the stabilizer bar is mounted to the vehicle body via a stabilizer link, the torsion bar portion of the stabilizer bar is mounted to an axle, and the cylinder body of the hydraulic cylinder is assembled to the vehicle body.

3. A suspension apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the intersection between a straight line which passes through a connection point between the lever and the one arm portion and a connection point between the cylinder body and the vehicle body and a straight line which passes through the connection point between the lever and the separate connector and a connection point between the cylinder body and the separate connector is set to be located in the vicinity of an axis of the piston rod.

4. A suspension apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upon movement of said one arm portion, an amount of movement of said second connection point is less than an amount of movement of said first connection point.

5. A suspension apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a distance between said second connection point and said third connection point is smaller than a distance between said second connection pint and said first connection point.

6. A suspension apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between said second connection point and said third connection point is smaller than a distance between said second connection pint and said first connection point.

7. A suspension apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a bracket extends from a cylindrical periphery of the cylinder body, and wherein the cylinder body is mounted to the vehicle via said bracket, and wherein said one arm portion of the stabilizer bar is mounted to the vehicle via the hydraulic cylinder and said bracket.

8. A suspension apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a bracket extends from a cylindrical periphery of the cylinder body, and wherein the cylinder body is mounted to the vehicle via said bracket, and wherein said one arm portion of the stabilizer bar is mounted to the vehicle via the hydraulic cylinder and said bracket.

9. A suspension apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a stabilizer bar including a torsion bar portion and two arm portions extending from opposite ends of said torsion bar portion;

a lever connected to one of the arm portions at a first connection point on said lever;

a hydraulic cylinder including a cylinder body, a piston, and a piston rod, wherein the piston rod is connected to said lever at a second connection point on said lever;

a separate connector connecting said lever to said cylinder body, wherein said separate connector is connected to said lever at a third connection point on said lever; and

wherein said second connection point is positioned between said first connection point and said third connection point.

10. A suspension apparatus according to claim 9, wherein upon movement of said one arm portion, an amount of movement of said second connection point is less than an amount of movement of said first connection point.

11. A suspension apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a distance between said second connection point and said third connection point is smaller than a distance between said second connection point and said first connection point.

12. A suspension apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a bracket extends from a cylindrical periphery of the cylinder body, and wherein the cylinder body is mounted to the vehicle via said bracket, and wherein said one arm portion of the stabilizer bar is mounted to the vehicle via the hydraulic cylinder and said bracket.

13. A suspension apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an intersection between a straight line which passes through the first connection point and a connection point between the cylinder body and the vehicle and a straight line which passes through the third connection point and a connection point between the separate connector and the cylinder body is located in the vicinity of an axis of the piston rod.