Laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle

• US 9,248,857 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spahl, Robert, Halfmann, Edmund, Gerhardt, Torsten, Simon, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, DREW J
• Application Number:
  US14/201,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20140252731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.5, 280/5.508, 280/5.509, 280/124.128, 280/124.129
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/00 Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load levelling or stabilising systems for tippers B60P1/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/05 between wheels on the same axle but on different sides of the vehicle, i.e. the left and right wheel suspensions being interconnected
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/073 between wheels on the same axle but on different sides of the vehicle, i.e. the left and right wheel suspensions being interconnected
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/8304 using a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 31/003 compact cars, e.g. city cars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/06 with only three wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/02 combined with means for inwardly inclining vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/04 combined with means for inwardly inclining wheels on bends B62D9/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and at least three wheels, first and second wheels of the three wheels being assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair. The vehicle includes at least one wheel control part suspending each of the first and second wheels of the wheel pair from the vehicle body. At least one resilient element supports each wheel control part on the vehicle body. The resilient element has a non-linear spring characteristic with a spring rate which increases in a compression direction and decreases in a rebound direction. The vehicle may be a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

three wheels;

first and second wheels of the three wheels assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair;

at least one wheel control part suspending each of the first and second wheels of the wheel pair from the vehicle body;

at least one resilient element supporting each wheel control part on the vehicle body, each of the resilient elements having a non-linear spring characteristic with a spring rate which increases in a compression direction and decreases in a rebound direction.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wheel control parts comprises at least one longitudinal link, a first end of the link pivotably mounted on the vehicle body and a second end of the link rotatably mounted to the wheel of the wheel pair.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wheel control parts comprises at least one spring strut, a first end of the strut pivotably mounted on the vehicle body and a second end of the strut rotatably mounted to the wheel of the wheel pair.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the resilient elements are connected in an articulated manner to a respective limb of a double lever, a center of the double lever being rotatably mounted on the vehicle body.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each wheel control part is connected in an articulated manner to a respective limb of a double lever, wherein the double lever is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the resilient elements is arranged eccentrically with regard to a longitudinal extent of the limb.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth wheel, the third and fourth wheels being assigned to a common axle to form a second wheel pair.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein one wheel pair forms steerable front wheels and the second wheel pair forms rear wheels of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the resilient elements is a helical spring with a progressive spring rate.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

11. A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle, comprising:

first and second wheels assigned to a common axle;

a third wheel;

first and second wheel control parts suspending, respectively, the first and second wheels from a vehicle body via a resilient element, each resilient element configured to provide one of a first amount of movement and a second amount of movement, different from the first amount, in the respective wheel control part, dependent upon a direction of lateral tilting of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein each resilient element has a non-linear spring characteristic with a spring rate that increases during compression of the resilient element and decreases during extension of the resilient element.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein each of the resilient elements are connected in an articulated manner to a respective limb of a double lever, wherein a center of the double lever is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein each of the resilient elements is a helical spring with a progressive spring rate.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the resilient element is configured to move the first wheel control part the first amount when located on an inner side of a bend the vehicle is traveling through and wherein the resilient element is configured to move the first wheel control part the second amount when located on an outer side of a bend the vehicle is travel through, wherein the first amount is smaller than the second amount.

16. A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle, comprising:

first and second wheels assigned to a common axle;

a third wheel; and

first and second wheel control parts suspending, respectively, the first and second wheels from a vehicle body via a resilient element, each resilient element having a non-linear spring rate, wherein the non-linear spring rate is configured to raise a center of gravity of the vehicle body upon lateral tilting of the vehicle, relative to the center of gravity of the vehicle body when the vehicle is upright.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein each resilient element has a non-linear spring characteristic with a spring rate that increases during compression of the resilient element and decreases during extension of the resilient element.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein each of the resilient elements are connected in an articulated manner to a respective limb of a double lever, wherein a center of the double lever is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body.

19. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein each of the resilient elements is a helical spring with a progressive spring rate.