Laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle

• US 9,283,989 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• 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:
  US14/201,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20140252733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.509, 280/5.508, 280/124.128, 280/124.129
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• 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. The first and second wheels are assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair. A first wheel control part suspends the first wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body and a second wheel control part suspends the second wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body. The first wheel control part is coupled to the second wheel control part via a double lever rotatably mounted on the vehicle body. At least two pivot points for the double lever can be defined on the vehicle body, the pivot points being spaced apart in a direction of a longitudinal extent of the double lever.

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;

a first wheel control part suspending the first wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body and a second wheel control part suspending the second wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body, the first wheel control part being coupled to the second wheel control part via a double lever rotatably mounted on the vehicle body,

wherein at least two pivot points for the double lever can be fastened to the vehicle body, the pivot points being spaced apart in a direction of a longitudinal extent of the double lever.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pivot points is formed by a pivot joint that is selectively releasable from the vehicle body during travel of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivot joints are selectively releasable from the vehicle body so that one of the pivot joints remains fastened to the vehicle body during tilting of the vehicle while another pivot joint is released from the vehicle body during the tilting.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each wheel is mounted on the respective wheel support in a manner which is resilient and damped in terms of oscillations.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second wheel control parts are longitudinal links, a first end of each longitudinal link being pivotably mounted on the vehicle body and a second end of each link being rotatably mounted to the respective wheel.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth wheel, the third and fourth wheels forming a second wheel pair.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein one wheel pair forms steerable front wheels and the second wheel pair forms rear wheels of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot points are located on either side of a central longitudinal plane of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle body is a closed vehicle body.

11. 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;

a first wheel control part suspending the first wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body and a second wheel control part suspending the second wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body, the first wheel control part being coupled to the second wheel control part via a double lever rotatably mounted on the vehicle body,

wherein the double lever is releasably connected to the vehicle body via at least two pivot points, and wherein the at least two pivot points are configured to be selectively released from the vehicle body to change an axis of rotation of the double lever.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least two pivot points are configured to be selectively released based on a direction of tilt of the vehicle body.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the pivot points is formed by a pivot joint that is selectively releasable to the vehicle body during travel of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein each wheel is mounted on the respective wheel support in a manner which is resilient and damped in terms of oscillations.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and second wheel control parts are longitudinal links, a first end of each longitudinal link being pivotably mounted on the vehicle body and a second end of each link being rotatably mounted to the respective wheel.

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a fourth wheel, the third and fourth wheels forming a second wheel pair.

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein one wheel pair forms steerable front wheels and the second wheel pair forms rear wheels of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

19. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pivot points are located on either side of a central longitudinal plane of the vehicle.

20. 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;

a double lever comprising a single element rotatably mounted on the vehicle body and coupling the first and second wheel control parts,

wherein an effective length of the double lever is selectively variable.

21. The vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the effective length of the double lever is a length of the double lever between one of the first and second wheel control parts and at least one pivot point at which the double lever is rotatably mounted to the vehicle body.

22. The vehicle as claimed in claim 21, wherein the at least one pivot point comprises two pivot points,

wherein the respective length is selectively variable by changing a pivot point at which the double lever is rotatably mounted to the vehicle body.

23. The vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the double lever is rotatably mounted to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the double lever.

24. 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;

a double lever rotatably mounted on the vehicle body and coupling the first and second wheel control parts,

wherein an effective length of the double lever is selectively variable;

wherein the double lever is releasably fastened to the vehicle body via at least two pivot points.

25. The vehicle as claimed in claim 24, wherein the at least two pivot points are configured to be selectively and individually released from the vehicle body.

26. The vehicle as claimed in claim 24, wherein the at least two pivot points are configured to be selectively released from the vehicle body based on a direction of tilt of the vehicle body.

27. The vehicle as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of the at least two pivot points is formed by a pivot joint that is selectively releasable from the vehicle body during travel of the vehicle.

28. The vehicle as claimed in claim 24, wherein an effective length of the double lever is varied by selectively releasing one of the at least two pivot points.