# US 11,993,339 B2 · Motor vehicle with two front steered wheels and a four-bar linkage containing two suspensions

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- Number: US 11,993,339 B2
- Document ID: US11993339B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/287,282
- Filed: 2019-10-16
- Published: 2021-12-23
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-23
- Assignees: Piaggio & Co. S.P.A.
- Applicants: Piaggio & C. S.P.A.
- Inventors: Andrea Raffaelli
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993339B2

## CPC

- B62K 5/10: with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends
- B62K 5/027: Motorcycles with three wheels (specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023)
- B62K 5/05: characterised by a single rear wheel
- B62K 5/08: with steering devices acting on two or more wheels
- B62K 25/08: for front wheel
- B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE

## Abstract

The motor vehicle (1) comprises a forecarriage frame (11) to which a steering tube (13) is constrained, inside which a steering column (15) is rotatingly housed. The motor vehicle also comprises a four-bar linkage (23) connected to the forecarriage frame (11) and that supports a first front wheel (5′) by means of a first supporting member (35) and a second front wheel (5″) by means of a second supporting member (35″). The four-bar linkage comprises two crossbars (25, 27). A steering linkage (19) transmits the steering movement, controlled by means of the steering column, to the first front wheel (5) and to the second front wheel (5″). The motor vehicle also comprises suspensions (71′) for the first front wheel (5′) and for the second front wheel (5″). The two suspensions are at least partially housed in cavities (41) of the respective uprights (29′, 29″) of the four-bar link-age (23).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A motor vehicle with two front steered wheels, the motor vehicle comprising:
a forecarriage frame;
a steering tube, constrained to the forecarriage frame;
a four-bar linkage connected to the forecarriage frame that supports a first front wheel by means of a first supporting member and a second front wheel by means of a second supporting member; wherein the four-bar linkage comprises: a first crossbar and a second crossbar, parallel to each other and hinged in a respective center point to the forecarriage frame; a first upright and a second upright, which connect the first crossbar and the second crossbar to each other;
a steering column rotatingly housed in the steering tube and connected to a steering linkage to transmit a steering movement to the first front wheel and to the second front wheel; and
a first suspension assembly for the first front wheel, and a second suspension assembly for the second front wheel,
wherein the first upright of the four-bar linkage comprises a first cavity extending according to a longitudinal axis of the first upright and inside which the first suspension assembly is at least partially housed; and the second upright of the four-bar linkage comprises a second cavity extending according to a longitudinal axis of the second upright and inside which the second suspension assembly is at least partially housed, and
wherein the four-bar linkage is arranged above the first front wheel and the second front wheel; and wherein the first supporting member and the second supporting member extend under the four-bar linkage and under the respective first and second suspension assembly downward and toward the rotation axes of the first front wheel and of the second front wheel, respectively.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first suspension assembly comprises a first sleeve rotatingly housed in the first cavity of the first upright and inside which a first suspension of the first suspension assembly is at least partially accommodated; wherein the second suspension assembly comprises a second sleeve rotatingly housed in the second cavity of the second upright and inside which a second suspension of the second suspension assembly is at least partially accommodated.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve are interconnected to the steering linkage so that a rotation of the steering column controls a simultaneous rotation of the first sleeve and of the second sleeve around respective steering axes parallel to the axes of the first upright and of the second upright.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first suspension and the second suspension are connected to an end closure of the respective cavity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein each said first sleeve and second sleeve is supported in the respective first cavity and second cavity by means of radial bearings.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first suspension and the second suspension are constrained to the first upright and to the second upright of the four-bar linkage by means of a first joint and a second joint, respectively; and wherein the first joint allows pivoting between the first suspension and the first upright and the second joint allows pivoting between the second suspension and the second upright.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The motor vehicle of claim 6, wherein the first joint and the second joint are ball joints.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein: the first sleeve is rigidly connected to a first arm cantilever extending with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first upright; the second sleeve is rigidly connected to a second arm cantilever extending with respect to the longitudinal axis of the second upright; wherein a first end of at least one steering rod and a second end of said at least one steering rod are coupled respectively to said first arm and second arm; and wherein said at least one steering rod is connected to the steering column so as to perform steering movements under the control of the steering column.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein: each said first sleeve and second sleeve is connected to the respective first supporting member and second supporting member by means of at least one respective first connecting rod and second connecting rod coupled respectively to the first arm and to the second arm of the first sleeve and of the second sleeve around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the respective first front wheel and second front wheel when the vehicle is in a vertical neutral, i.e., not steered, position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The motor vehicle of claim 9,
wherein the first suspension and the second suspension are constrained to the first upright and to the second upright of the four-bar linkage by means of a first joint and a second joint, respectively; and wherein the first joint allows pivoting between the first suspension and the first upright and the second joint allows pivoting between the second suspension and the second upright, and
wherein each of said first connecting rod and second connecting rod is also coupled to the respective first supporting member and second supporting member, so as to transmit rotation movements of the first sleeve and of the second sleeve to the first supporting member and to the second supporting member.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The motor vehicle of claim 9, wherein each said first connecting rod and second connecting rod is also coupled to a first further connecting rod and second further connecting rod; wherein each first further connecting rod and second further connecting rod is coupled to the respective first supporting member and second supporting member of the respective front wheel around a second axis, parallel to the first axis, so as to transmit rotation movements of the first sleeve and of the second sleeve to the first supporting member and to the second supporting member.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein said at least one steering rod is connected to each said first arm and second arm by means of a respective joint that allows two degrees of freedom around two rotation axes substantially orthogonal to each other and orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said at least one steering rod.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein each said first suspension assembly and second suspension assembly comprises an enclosure coaxial to the cavity of the respective upright and defining a housing of the suspension; said enclosure being rigidly constrained to the respective supporting member of the corresponding front wheel and being at least partially housed in the cavity of the respective upright.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein each said first suspension assembly and second suspension assembly comprises an enclosure comprising an inner tubular component and an outer tubular component, telescopically coupled to each other and defining a housing in which a shock absorber and an elastic member of the suspension are contained; wherein one of said outer tubular component and inner tubular component is constrained to the respective upright; and wherein the other of said outer tubular component and inner tubular component is rigidly constrained to the respective supporting member of the corresponding front wheel; each enclosure being at least partially housed in the respective cavity of the respective upright.