Vehicle stabilizer system
First Claim
1. A stabilizer system for a vehicle including a suspension arm interconnecting a wheel and a body of the vehicle, said stabilizer system comprising:
- (a) a stabilizer bar including (a-1) a torsion bar portion, and (a-2) an arm portion that extends from said torsion bar portion in a direction not parallel to said torsion bar portion;
(b) an actuator configured to rotate said stabilizer bar about an axis of said torsion bar portion; and
(c) a link rod interconnecting the suspension arm and one of opposite ends of said arm portion that is remote from said torsion bar portion,wherein said stabilizer bar generates a stabilizing force which is dependent on a reaction that is generated as a result of torsion of said torsion bar portion, and which forces the wheel and the body in a selected one of a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other,wherein said actuator allows said stabilizer bar to generate the stabilizing force whose magnitude is changeable by operation of said actuator,and wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm to which said link rod is connected, such that an angle defined by said link rod and the suspension arm is not 90°
, and such that an axial force as a component of the stabilizing force acts on the suspension arm in an understeer-tendency increasing direction that causes at least one of a toe angle and a camber angle of the wheel to be changed in a manner increasing an understeer tendency as a cornering characteristic of the vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle stabilizer system including: (a) a stabilizer bar (28) including (a-1) a torsion bar portion (90), and (a-2) an arm portion (92) that extends from the torsion bar portion in a direction not parallel to the torsion bar portion; (b) an actuator (32) configured to rotate the stabilizer bar about an axis of the torsion bar portion; and (c) a link rod (34) interconnecting the suspension arm (78) and one of opposite ends of the arm portion that is remote from the torsion bar portion. The stabilizer bar generates a stabilizing force which is dependent on a reaction that is generated as a result of torsion of the torsion bar portion, and which forces the wheel (12) and the body in a selected one of a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other. The actuator allows the stabilizer bar to generate the stabilizing force whose magnitude is changeable by operation of the actuator. The link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm to which the link rod is connected, such that an angle defined by the link rod and the suspension arm is not 90°.
45 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A stabilizer system for a vehicle including a suspension arm interconnecting a wheel and a body of the vehicle, said stabilizer system comprising:
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(a) a stabilizer bar including (a-1) a torsion bar portion, and (a-2) an arm portion that extends from said torsion bar portion in a direction not parallel to said torsion bar portion; (b) an actuator configured to rotate said stabilizer bar about an axis of said torsion bar portion; and (c) a link rod interconnecting the suspension arm and one of opposite ends of said arm portion that is remote from said torsion bar portion, wherein said stabilizer bar generates a stabilizing force which is dependent on a reaction that is generated as a result of torsion of said torsion bar portion, and which forces the wheel and the body in a selected one of a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other, wherein said actuator allows said stabilizer bar to generate the stabilizing force whose magnitude is changeable by operation of said actuator, and wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm to which said link rod is connected, such that an angle defined by said link rod and the suspension arm is not 90°
, and such that an axial force as a component of the stabilizing force acts on the suspension arm in an understeer-tendency increasing direction that causes at least one of a toe angle and a camber angle of the wheel to be changed in a manner increasing an understeer tendency as a cornering characteristic of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A stabilizer system for a vehicle including a suspension arm interconnecting a wheel and a body of the vehicle, said stabilizer system comprising:
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(a) a stabilizer bar including (a-1) a torsion bar portion, and (a-2) an arm portion that extends from said torsion bar portion in a direction not parallel to said torsion bar portion; (b) an actuator configured to rotate said stabilizer bar about an axis of said torsion bar portion; and (c) a link rod interconnecting the suspension arm and one of opposite ends of said arm portion that is remote from said torsion bar portion, wherein said stabilizer bar generates a stabilizing force which is dependent on a reaction that is generated as a result of torsion of said torsion bar portion, and which forces the wheel and the body in a selected one of a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other, wherein said actuator allows said stabilizer bar to generate the stabilizing force whose magnitude is changeable by operation of said actuator, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm to which said link rod is connected, such that an angle defined by said link rod and the suspension arm is not 90°
,wherein said stabilizer bar is provided for a front wheel as said wheel such that the stabilizing force generated by said stabilizer bar forces the front wheel and the body of the vehicle, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm in a direction which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a toe-in direction when the stabilizing force forces the front wheel and the body in the direction toward each other, and which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a toe-out direction when the stabilizing force forces the front wheel and the body in the direction away from each other, and wherein the toe angle of the front wheel is changeable depending on a direction in which the axial force acts on the suspension arm, such that front and rear portions of the front wheel are displaced inwardly and outwardly in a lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the toe-in direction, and such that the front and rear portions of the front wheel are displaced outwardly and inwardly in the lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the toe-out direction.
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21. A stabilizer system for a vehicle including a suspension arm interconnecting a wheel and a body of the vehicle, said stabilizer system comprising:
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(a) a stabilizer bar including (a-1) a torsion bar portion, and (a-2) an arm portion that extends from said torsion bar portion in a direction not parallel to said torsion bar portion; (b) an actuator configured to rotate said stabilizer bar about an axis of said torsion bar portion; and (c) a link rod interconnecting the suspension arm and one of opposite ends of said arm portion that is remote from said torsion bar portion, wherein said stabilizer bar generates a stabilizing force which is dependent on a reaction that is generated as a result of torsion of said torsion bar portion, and which forces the wheel and the body in a selected one of a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other, wherein said actuator allows said stabilizer bar to generate the stabilizing force whose magnitude is changeable by operation of said actuator, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm to which said link rod is connected, such that an angle defined by said link rod and the suspension arm is not 90°
,wherein said stabilizer bar is provided for a front wheel as said wheel such that the stabilizing force generated by said stabilizer bar forces the front wheel and the body of the vehicle, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm in a direction which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a negative-camber direction when the stabilizing force forces the front wheel and the body in the direction toward each other, and which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a positive-camber direction when the stabilizing force forces the front wheel and the body in the direction away from each other, and wherein the camber angle of the front wheel is changeable depending on a direction in which the axial force acts on the suspension arm, such that upper and lower portions of the front wheel are displaced inwardly and outwardly in a lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the negative-camber direction, and such that the upper and lower portions of the front wheel are displaced outwardly and inwardly in the lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the positive-camber direction.
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22. A stabilizer system for a vehicle including a suspension arm interconnecting a wheel and a body of the vehicle, said stabilizer system comprising:
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(a) a stabilizer bar including (a-1) a torsion bar portion, and (a-2) an arm portion that extends from said torsion bar portion in a direction not parallel to said torsion bar portion; (b) an actuator configured to rotate said stabilizer bar about an axis of said torsion bar portion; and (c) a link rod interconnecting the suspension arm and one of opposite ends of said arm portion that is remote from said torsion bar portion, wherein said stabilizer bar generates a stabilizing force which is dependent on a reaction that is generated as a result of torsion of said torsion bar portion, and which forces the wheel and the body in a selected one of a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other, wherein said actuator allows said stabilizer bar to generate the stabilizing force whose magnitude is changeable by operation of said actuator, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm to which said link rod is connected, such that an angle defined by said link rod and the suspension arm is not 90°
,wherein said stabilizer bar is provided for a rear wheel as said wheel such that the stabilizing force generated by said stabilizer bar forces the rear wheel and the body of the vehicle, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm in a direction which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a toe-out direction when the stabilizing force forces the rear wheel and the body in the direction toward each other, and which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a toe-in direction when the stabilizing force forces the rear wheel and the body in the direction away from each other, and wherein the toe angle of the rear wheel is changeable depending on a direction in which the axial force acts on the suspension arm, such that front and rear portions of the rear wheel are displaced outwardly and inwardly in a lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the toe-out direction, and such that the front and rear portions of the rear wheel are displaced inwardly and outwardly in the lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the toe-in direction.
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23. A stabilizer system for a vehicle including a suspension arm interconnecting a wheel and a body of the vehicle, said stabilizer system comprising:
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(a) a stabilizer bar including (a-1) a torsion bar portion, and (a-2) an arm portion that extends from said torsion bar portion in a direction not parallel to said torsion bar portion; (b) an actuator configured to rotate said stabilizer bar about an axis of said torsion bar portion; and (c) a link rod interconnecting the suspension arm and one of opposite ends of said arm portion that is remote from said torsion bar portion, wherein said stabilizer bar generates a stabilizing force which is dependent on a reaction that is generated as a result of torsion of said torsion bar portion, and which forces the wheel and the body in a selected one of a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other, wherein said actuator allows said stabilizer bar to generate the stabilizing force whose magnitude is changeable by operation of said actuator, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm to which said link rod is connected, such that an angle defined by said link rod and the suspension arm is not 90°
,wherein said stabilizer bar is provided for a rear wheel as said wheel such that the stabilizing force generated by said stabilizer bar forces the rear wheel and the body of the vehicle, wherein said link rod is inclined with respect to the suspension arm in a direction which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a positive-camber direction when the stabilizing force forces the rear wheel and the body in the direction toward each other, and which causes the axial force to act on the suspension arm in a negative-camber direction when the stabilizing force forces the rear wheel and the body in the direction away from each other, and wherein the camber angle of the rear wheel is changeable depending on a direction in which the axial force acts on the suspension arm, such that upper and lower portions of the rear wheel are displaced outwardly and inwardly in a lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the positive-camber direction, and such that the upper and lower portions of the rear wheel are displaced inwardly and outwardly in the lateral direction of the vehicle, respectively, when the axial force acts on the suspension arm in the negative-camber direction.
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Specification