Adjustment device for suspension means

• US 7,926,822 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Ohletz, Armin, Michel, Wilfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US12/261,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20090108546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.501, 280/5.514, 280/6.157, 280/6.158, 280/124.179
• US Class Current: 280/5.514
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/16 characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/063 characterised by the mounting of the spring on the damper B60G15/065, B60G15/066 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/021 the mechanical spring being a coil spring B60G17/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/12 Wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/124 Mounting of coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1242 on a damper, e.g. MacPerson strut
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4191 Planetary or epicyclic gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/06 Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06

Abstract

An adjustment device for suspension means in wheel suspensions of motor vehicles, with the suspension means having a first spring, for example a bearing spring that is arranged between the assembly of the motor vehicle and wheel guide elements, and/or a second spring, for example a preloaded spring that is connected in parallel or in series, as well as an electrically-actuated actuator, by means of which a force adjustment between the motor vehicle assembly and the wheel guide elements is made possible. According to the invention, the electric actuator is provided with an integrated brake or lock that acts in a bistable manner in such a way that in the unpowered state, it can occupy an open or closed position, and can be switched by means of electric actuation from the open to the closed position and vice versa.

Claims

1. An adjustment device for suspension means in wheel suspensions of motor vehicles, with the suspension means having a first spring, a bearing spring that is arranged between a assembly of the motor vehicle and wheel guide elements, and a second spring, for example a preloaded spring that is connected in parallel or in series, as well as an electrically-actuated actuator, by means of which a force adjustment between the motor vehicle assembly and the wheel guide elements is made possible, wherein the electric actuator is provided with an integrated brake or lock that acts in a bistable manner in such a way that in the unpowered state, it can occupy an open or closed position, and that can be switched by means of electric actuation from the open to the closed position and vice versa.

2. The adjustment device according to claim 1 wherein a toothed wheel work on a threaded spindle of a ball screw corresponding to the lock is a crown toothed wheel work that is incorporated on the front side of the threaded spindle.

3. The adjustment device according to claim 1 wherein in an event that errors occur the actuator, wherein the actuator is at least one actuator the lock or brake is detached on at least one actuator to ensure failsafe behavior.

4. The adjustment device according to claim 1 wherein a demand for lock or brake opening by an overriding motor vehicle control device is sent either to an actuator control device or directly to the lock or brake.

5. The adjustment device according to claim 1 wherein said step switching system comprises an electromagnetic lock which essentially consists of a stud with inclined positioning surfaces that is actuated by a solenoid, a stationary gear shifting gate, a rotatable gear shifting gate, and a transfer mandrel, which acts via an adjustment bushing on a prestressed return spring and on the locking pin.

6. The adjustment device according to claim 5 wherein a ball screw is arranged around a telescoping shock absorber of the wheel suspension of the motor vehicle and within the helical preloaded spring, wherein the preloaded spring is a helical preloaded spring and wherein the electromagnetic lock is arranged in a stationary manner in radial orientation to a threaded spindle or ball nut.

7. The adjustment device according to claim 6 wherein an adjusting member that interacts with the locking pin of the lock is a threaded spindle that is actuated by an electric motor or a ball nut of a ball screw that acts on the second spring.

8. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the lock that acts in a bistable manner with a locking pin that is actuated in particular via a mechanical step switching system and that engages in particular in the closed position in a toothed wheel work of an adjusting member that is actuated by an electric motor of the actuator.

9. The adjustment device according to claim 8, wherein the lock is arranged in a radial hole of a base plate, which preferably accommodates, the electric motor of the actuator, and a cylinder rod of a shock absorber and the second spring are supported on an assembly side.

10. The adjustment device according to claim 8 wherein the locking pin is flexibly prestressed against the toothed wheel work of the adjusting member, with insertion of a spring into the locking position.

11. The adjustment device according to claim 10 wherein the spring that flexibly stresses the locking pin is arranged inside an adjustment bushing and prestresses the locking pin against an annular collar of the adjustment bushing.

12. The adjustment device according to claim 10 wherein the toothed wheel work is provided directly on a rotor of the electric motor.

13. A mechanism for selectively locking and unlocking a rotor of an electric motor of a height adjusting device of a wheel suspension system of a motor vehicle, comprising;

a gear secured to and coaxially disposed relative to said rotor;

a housing having a first set of forward opening, circumferentially spaced recesses relative to an axis thereof, each having a first depth, and a second set of forwarding opening, circumferentially spaced recesses relative to said axis, each disposed between a successive pair of said first set of recesses and having a depth less than said first set of recesses;

an axially displaceable member mounted on said housing having a set of rearwardly extending, circumferentially spaced segments receivable alternatively in said first and second set of recesses, each having a contact surface disposed in a plane disposed at an angle relative to said axis;

means interposed between said housing and said displaceable member for biasing said displaceable member rearwardly;

a locking pin displaceable axially, having a portion extendable out of said housing and into engagement with teeth of said gear;

means interposed between said displaceable member and said locking pin for biasing said pin forwardly; and

a solenoid having a rod received in said housing and axially displaceable relation thereto, provided with a set of circumferentially spaced surfaces, each disposed in a plane disposed at an angle relative to said axis, engageable with said contact surfaces of said displaceable member whereby upon reciprocation of said rod, said engaging surfaces of said rod and said displaceable member will cooperate with the biasing action of said biasing means to axially displace and rotate said displaceable member, causing said protruding segments to alternatively be inserted into said first and second sets of recesses and correspondingly causing said locking pin to extend and retract into and out of engagement with said gear teeth.

14. A mechanism for selectively locking and unlocking the rotor of an electric motor of a height adjusting device of a wheel suspension system of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a gear secured to and coaxially disposed relative to said rotor;

a guide bushing;

an annular base member coaxially mounted on said guide bushing having a cylindrical section projecting into a guide housing, having a first set of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally disposed slots in an inner end thereof, each of a first depth, and second set of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally disposed slots in said inner end thereof, each disposed between a succession pair of said first mentioned slots and having a depth less than the depth of said first mentioned slots;

a shiftable member coaxially disposed in said guide member having a set of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending sections, each alignable with and receivable in a slot of the cylindrical section of said base member and having an engageable cam surface in a place disposed at an angle relative to an axis of said guide bushing;

a transfer member axially disposed in said guide bushing;

a locking pin bushing axially disposed in said guide bushing, having a coil spring coaxially disposed between shoulders of said guide bushing and locking pin bushing and said transfer member for biasing said transfer and shiftable members toward said base member;

a locking pin axially disposed in said locking pin housing, partially extendable through an opening therein into engagement with teeth of said gear, and a spring disposed between said pin housing and said pin for biasing said pin through said opening; and

a solenoid having a rod axially received in said base member, provided with a set of circumferentially spaced cam surfaces engageable with cooperable cam surfaces of said shiftable member,

wherein upon reciprocation of said solenoid rod said cam surfaces of said solenoid rod will react with said cam surfaces of said shiftable member to cause such shiftable member to axially displace and index circumferentially, correspondingly causing said locking pin to engage and disengage the teeth of said gear.