Stabilizing arrangement for a tilting running gear of a vehicle and tilting running gear

• US 9,845,129 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Simon, Marc, Valluri, Advait, Spahl, Robert, Gerhards, Thomas, Saeger, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US14/839,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20160059923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/055 Stabiliser bars
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/135 Stabiliser bar and/or tube
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/10 Railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/00 Constructional details of bogies; Connections between bogies and vehicle underframes; Arrangements or devices for adjusting or allowing self-adjustment of wheel axles or bogies when rounding curves
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A stabilizing arrangement for a tilting running gear of a non-rail-borne vehicle is disclosed. The stabilizing arrangement includes a balance beam configured to have each end coupled to a respective suspension side of a multi-track running gear axle of the tilting running gear. A pivot bearing is connected to a frame or body of the vehicle and defines a stationary axis of rotation. The pivot bearing rotatably supports the balance beam about the stationary axis of rotation. At least one stabilizing element is connected to the balance beam and is supported with respect to a frame or body of the vehicle. The at least one stabilizing element is configured to provide a reaction force to counteract a tilting moment of the vehicle. A non-rail-borne vehicle comprising the stabilizing arrangement also is disclosed.

Claims

1. A stabilizing arrangement for a tilting running gear of a non-rail-borne vehicle, the vehicle comprising two wheels arranged along one common multi-track running gear axle of the tilting running gear, the stabilizing arrangement comprising:

a balance beam configured to have each end coupled to a respective suspension side of the multi-track running gear axle;

a pivot bearing connected to a frame or body of the vehicle and rotatably supporting the balance beam such that the balance beam is rotatable about a stationary axis of rotation of the pivot bearing; and

at least one stabilizing element connected to the balance beam and supported with respect to the frame or body of the vehicle, wherein the at least one stabilizing element is configured to provide a reaction force to counteract a tilting moment of the vehicle.

2. The stabilizing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one stabilizing element comprises at least one of a torsion spring element, a linear spring element, a leaf spring element, and a torsion bar stabilizer.

3. The stabilizing arrangement of claim 2, wherein the at least one stabilizing element comprises two stabilizing elements.

4. The stabilizing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one stabilizing element comprises a single stabilizing element.

5. A non-rail-borne vehicle, comprising:

at least three wheels;

a tilting running gear comprising one multi-track running gear axle that is common to two of the at least three wheels, the multi-track running gear axle having two opposed suspension sides;

a balance beam having each end coupled to a respective suspension side of the multi-track running gear axle;

a pivot bearing connected to a frame or body of the vehicle and rotatably supporting the balance beam such that the balance beam is rotatable about a stationary axis of rotation of the pivot bearing; and

at least one stabilizing element connected to the balance beam and supported with respect to the frame or body of the vehicle, wherein the at least one stabilizing element is configured to provide a reaction force to counteract a tilting moment of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising at least one actuator, wherein the actuator is connected to the multi-track running gear axle such that a change in an active length of the actuator permits a transverse tilt of the vehicle in a steering direction or actively restores the vehicle to an upright position from a transverse tilt.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the actuator is connected to a suspension side of the multi-track running gear axle and the actuator is supported with respect to the frame or body of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the at least one stabilizing element comprises at least one of a torsion spring element, a linear spring element, a leaf spring element, and a torsion bar stabilizer.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the at least one stabilizing element comprises two stabilizing elements.

10. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the at least one stabilizing element comprises a single stabilizing element.

11. A method for stabilizing a tilting running gear of a non-rail-borne vehicle, the vehicle comprising two wheels arranged along one common multi-track running gear axle of the tilting running gear, the method comprising:

rotating a balance beam about a stationary axis of rotation with respect to a frame or body of the vehicle, the balance beam being coupled at each end to a respective suspension side of the multi-track running gear axle; and

counteracting a tilting moment of the vehicle via at least one stabilizing element connected to the balance beam and supported with respect to the frame or body of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein rotating the balance beam about the stationary axis of rotation with respect to the frame or body of the vehicle comprises rotating the balance beam about a pivot bearing connected to the frame or body of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein counteracting the tilting moment of the vehicle via the at least one stabilizing element comprises providing a reaction force via at least one of a torsion spring element, a linear spring element, a leaf spring element, and a torsion bar stabilizer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising changing an active length of an actuator connected to the multi-track running gear axle to permit a transverse tilt of the vehicle in a steering direction or to actively restore the vehicle to an upright position from a transverse tilt.